The Texican

You can tell by the actors (minus Audie Murphy and Broderick Crawford) and the pretty fake gunshot sound effects that this movie is a low-budget production, but in fact, it's quite an enjoyable movie. A rather decent plot (back in 1966, which this film was made, almost all Westerns, even the big-sellers, had simple plots), somewhat believable dubbing for those who spoke Spanish, and a few very enjoyable gunfights. I can't really say which is my favorite part, since, in my opinion, none of the scenes were dull. I just simply like this Western. I haven't seen a whole lot of Audie Murphy Westerns, but enough to say that this is my favorite out of all of them.

What makes this paella western standout is Audie Murphy and Broderick Crawford, both of them were at the nadir of their career. Audie, in particular, is good as a gun fighter crossing the border to avenge his brother's death, and its really strange - and enjoyable - to see him ride the Spanish plains, dodging spaghetti style gunshots with the sound of orchestral music - it's like tradition-style meets spaghetti. Old guard mingled with new, and it works. Years of acting experience has boded well for Audie, he seems confident, is quite humorous and his playful romantic antics with the pretty Diana lorys is quite engaging. There's some exciting gunplay, good atmosphere and a windswept finale. Pity he didn't make more of these paella westerns as it could've prolonged his career, but Audie didn't like to travel aboard to make westerns, plus, as he said, he had to do all his stunts and pack his own lunch.

Although this movie was made in Europe with a predominately Spanish cast, you can tell this movie was made with stateside distribution in mind.Especially when you have Audie Murphy and Broderick Crawford in the leading roles.Good story about a fugitive who crosses back into the United States from Mexico to avenge his brother's death and clear his own name.This movie was directed by one of my favorite western directors, Lesley Selander.It has great widescreen photography. The dubbing of the supporting actors is better than usual.Far from original, but fast moving and well acted.Not as good as "No Name On The Bullet" or "Night Passage", but worth a look.

Wanted man Audie Murphy risks his life returning to Texas in order to avenge his newspaperman brother who was murdered by sleazy town boss Broderick Crawford and his number one hired killer Aldo Sambrell.

Essentially American made, this is different than most U.S. helmed westerns shot in Spain in that it uses a primarily local crew and supporting cast, making it seem more like a real spaghetti western than other films Hollywood passed off in those days as Italian or Spanish made.

Into the film's heavy atmosphere walks a strangely out of place Audie Murphy. Short, neat, clean-cut and all-American, he's the last person you'd expect to see in a dirty, gritty spaghetti western town. He's almost like a visitor from a parallel universe! That said, it is interesting to see him in something different.

Fitting right in though is Crawford, playing the type of seedy character he built his Academy Award winning career upon and Aldo Sambrell, one of the most recognizable faces in European westerns, though virtually unknown by name.

As a film, The Texican isn't the most memorable of the genre, but it's pretty good with a nice wind-swept finale.

The Texican is directed by Lesley Selander and written by John C. Champion and Jose Antonio de la Loma. It stars Audie Murphy, Broderick Crawford, Diana Lorys, Luz Marquez and Antonio Casas. A Technicolor/Techniscope production with music by Nico Fidenco and Robby Poitevin and cinematography by Francisco Marin.

Murphy and Crawford find themselves in Spain making a Paella Western that quite frankly is for completists only. Plot essentially has Murphy as a man seeking the truth of what happened to his recently deceased brother. Crawford is the town bully, resplendent with scowls and henchmen, a collision course is inevitable.

It's professionally enough mounted and has the requisite pasta flavourings; clumsy dubbing, parched vistas, catchy music, moral ambiguity and etc etc. It's not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, it's just very lazy and not challenging, either narratively or for the named stars. In the traditional sense it's a throwback to the American "B" Westerns of the 1950s, only it lacks zip for the action scenes and the stars are going through the motions. But fair credit to Murphy, he looks in great condition, as slick as ever, something which belies the problems he was having with his mental health off screen. Crawford on the other hand looks ill and fumbles through his dialogue with boredom evident.

Average fare here all told. 5/10