The Caper of the Golden Bulls

If like me, Stephen Boyd and Yvette Mimieux ignite a sense of nostalgia then it's enough of a reason to watch this film.

As I did this review, I learned that Yvette Mimieux had died a few days before. Stars pass away each year, but this one hurt. I remember the effect she had on me as a 12-year old in 1960 when she played Weena in "The Time Machine". It's the sort of thing that stays with you.

Stephen Boyd also takes me back. He was the charming spy in "The Man Who Never Was", and Messala in "Ben Hur". The guy had presence. When you see how fit and agile he is in "The Caper of the Golden Bulls", it's hard to believe he would die of a heart attack 10 years later aged 45.

But there is another member of the cast that glows in this film: Giovanna Ralli. How did Hollywood let her go so easily? Maybe Claudia Cardinale got the roles. They look similar and both have those fabulous accents, but anyone seeing her here would ask the same question.

A crew of retired safecrackers led by Peter Churchman (Stephen Boyd) is blackmailed into pulling off one last job by Angela Tresler (Giovanna Ralli).

They break into a bank in Pamplona during "The Running of the Bulls" to steal jewels that are the centrepiece of the upcoming parade of giant figures during the Festival of San Fermín. Although Peter's girlfriend, Grace (Yvette Mimieux), is against the whole thing, she gets on board mainly to stop him becoming more involved with Angela.

There are subplots involving Walter Slezak's police chief and ex-members of the OAS (more relevant in 1967), but there is almost too much happening.

The director Russell Rouse was a well-regarded writer of Noir thrillers. This film was the last of his few directorial efforts. A more visually inspired director would have made more of the Spanish location, however it was probably a tricky shoot, especially as Boyd and other members of the cast actually ran with the bulls in Pamplona. Nevertheless the whole robbery sequence is exciting, and the shirtless Boyd impresses doing some of his own stunts.

Vic Mizzy's Mancini-like score sets the tone of this film. Although it isn't a spoof, it's lighter than a plate of frisuelos. But I find the combination of Stephen Boyd, Yvette Mimieux and Giovanna Ralli irresistible.

This is a very enjoyable movie, especially for fans of Stephen Boyd and Yvette Mimieux. It isn't grim or gloomy or dark; it has that polish and cheerful charm that distinguished a number of fine 1960's films, such as Charade, Arabesque, Our Man in Marrakesh and The Prize. It may not be quite at the level of the best of those, but it was made in the same spirit: some adventure, a handsome leading man and lady, but without the huge, over-the-top effects, big budgets and set piece scenes of the James Bond movies, with which other films such as this could not compete.

Fans should know that as of now, there is both a Blu-ray and dvd available of this movie. This is especially welcome news for Stephen Boyd fans! Boyd is very good in his role here and is a pleasure to watch. This is a classy movie worth seeing.

Stephen boyd is peter, who confesses to his girlfriend that during the war, he was part of the crew who robbed banks to rebuild cathedrals which had been destroyed by the enemy. It's no coincidence that his last name is "churchman". Grace and angela (yvette mimieux, giovanna ralli) have reasons of their own for being involved. Mimieux was in SO many euro films. This must have been a pretty big budget film, since the wardrobes are by edith head. The story is pretty good, but there's just some chemistry missing between the actors. Some twists and turns. Boyd has a rather cardboard delivery, which takes away from the film. They DO show the running of the bulls in pamplona, which is exciting. Directed by russell rouse...he had won his oscar for pillow talk. Novel by william mcgivern. Music by vic mizzy, who had done the music background for so many tv series, like green acres. Stephen boyd died quite young at 45 from a heart attack. It's a pretty good film. Not terrific, but good.

If you enjoy your heist pictures with an excess of fluff and an absence of moral dilemmas, this mid-60's romp is the perfect pillow propper for the weekend.

Stephen Boyd is a handsome, stoic thief who's inevitably drawn back into a life of crime by a former tantalizing flame. Together with her weasly playboy sweetheart, on the run from a pair of Turkish hitmen (one being played by 'Live and Let Die's' down-home sheriff, Clifton James) Boyd's former gal pal and her friend mandate he enlist a team of crack heist men to break into a bank vault in Pamplona.

Did someone say the 'running of the bulls would be a fantastic diversionary tactic?' Well, if you did, then you too can be a heist caper writer! Between the noise of the bulls and the musical gala of the town's festival, our boys figure they'll be well-concealed in their quest to obtain Spain's finest jewels that are supposedly being held in the bank that week. But, of course, there's always complications...

Harold Stine's enriching colors bring this confection a glossy '60s cinematic sheen, and as always, Vic Mizzy has both melodic and comedic elements in his wonderful score.

After "Ben-Hur," Boyd rarely found much of a chance to exude depth in his characters, and this popcorn-light characterization does not allow him much elbow room to emote. Still, he's a commanding enough protagonist to keep our interest. The kittenish Yvette Mimieux is all blonde hair and smiles as his (seemingly) unsuspecting girlfriend. Although she receives second billing, the lovely Ms. Mimieux is only on-screen for less than a third of the picture.

With a wonderful shot of the Rock of Gibraltar and intimate locales around Pamplona, the scenery plays like a nostalgic postcard your folks might have sent you while on vacation to Europe in an earlier era. The inevitable heist twist, a la "Rififi," "The Hot Rock," on up to 2001's "The Score," take place here, yet the ending can easily be discerned. However, if all you seek is an easy-to-digest caper, sans humor and complex ingenuity, by all means, swipe this bull from your neighborhood rental shelf. My rating ** out of ****.

I was quite surprised to see a 6.0 IMDB picture with so much real quality. I thought it was quite excellent and very well crafted for a heist picture. The 2 female leads are really visually stunning and do their part to enhance this picture with quality performances. In fact, Giovanni Ralli really has the most essential role in the film as the beautiful seductress and recruiting specialist for this team of ex-WW2 compatriots who re-unite & plan a heist at the Pamplona Nationale Bank. Stephen Boyd is debonair and very charming in the lead as the man sort of blackmailed into leading the old team by the former beauty, Ms Ralli. Yvette Mimieux is luxuriously lovely playing his girlfriend, who gets pulled into the plot when Boyd's character let's the cat out of the bag. The entire cast of characters from many former film adventures keep a light comedic balance, while the beautiful Spanish setting in fabled Pamplona comes off perfectly. Easily 8 stars. Anyone should really enjoy this one!