Rage

Hard-drinking medico, mourning the death of his family in a small Mexican village inhabited by construction workers and visiting prostitutes, is bitten by a dog he later learns was rabid; his journey to get proper medical help from the next town over is fraught with obstacles and calamities. Though low-budget, "Rage" is one of Glenn Ford's best movies from the mid-'60s, a rugged adventure filmed in Durango by a mostly-Hispanic crew. Ford, together with burnt-out prostie Stella Stevens and faithful amigo David Reynoso, digs deep to give us a full-blooded character, and the insanity surrounding him is aptly filmed by cinematographer Rosalío Solano (who does go all-out with the animated camera angles, yet which provides some needed relief). Stevens, as usual, is catty, sarcastic, but with a heart of gold--she's wonderful--and Reynoso is terrific standing by the doctor through the thickest of troubles. Unusual and gripping, this race-against-time is well-written, with peculiar but effective music from Gustavo César Carrión. **1/2 from ****

This movie is great. Yes, it is a low budget film but the concept is clear. Economy is this movie's middle name. It's shot in a somewhat, unforgiving documentary style. The story is plausible in the real world. You're curious to see how Glenn Ford's character ends his journey. So much could go wrong, how far can he go before he loses all his marbles in a foreign environment? A different culture has the potential to react in ways one doesn't expect. What would you do as a viewer if you were in his shoes with his medical condition? Sure, this small film could be more polished in sound design, cinematography, etc. See it for yourself not for how much the production cost but how well an original story was executed by a great actor. A great movie like "Rage" aka "El Mal" doesn't need excessive millions of dollars. You're taken along for an intense ride at a fraction of the cost to make a "blockbuster." Enjoy.

With the making of Rage, the Mexican film industry decided to do what the British have done for years. Get a Hollywood name for the lead and set the film in London with a British cast. That extra bounce of a name from the movie capital is good for box office.

In this case they got two. Glenn Ford as a dissolute doctor and Stella Stevens as a working girl are in Mexico at a construction site, each practicing their own trade when Ford is bitten by a rabid dog.

It's a simple story, they are out in the wilds and Ford has to reach civilization and fast before the case becomes incurable. With Stevens's help he sets out on the journey always as a medical professional looking out for the telltale signs of his condition going beyond the point of medical help.

I saw Rage in theater back when it was released and after some showings on television it seems to have disappeared. Peter Ford's biography of his dad tells little about it.

Ford and Stevens turn in some fine performances. Maybe this will be unearthed and put out on DVD soon.

Glenn Ford was VERY underrated as an actor as one other post has said. He was VERY GOOD in this movie and the story was equally enjoyable. The title says it all. If you've ever lived through the horror of MAYBE contracting rabies, this performance is VERY understandable. I saw this movie many years ago and still remember the performance that Glenn Ford gave. Now that he's gone MAYBE the Academy of Arts and Sciences will see fit to honor a great actor who should have been honored many many years ago. This man had a 4 or 5 decades worth of performances and everyone of them was top-notch. Good bye, Mr. Ford. I know that you're in Heaven and watching us at this very moment!

I really liked this movie. Glenn Ford has been completely believable in every role he's ever done. That is especially amazing when you look at the wide variety of roles that he has played. This role is definitely at one far end of the spectrum. He plays a drunken town doctor who has given up on his own life. He then meets a woman, the beautiful Stella Stevens, who makes him care again. She is attracted to Ford because he doesn't chase her because of her physical beauty like the other men do. When his life is in danger, he finds that he really wants to live but will he get help in time? This movie will put you on the edge of your seat but you'll also enjoy the sweet relationships of the characters. Glenn Ford and Stella Stevens are such a gentle pair here.

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.