Waco

In this movie Keel is NOT a unloving-turned-loving Adam Ponifee nor a kind Wild Bill Hickok. Rather, he is about the meanest man anybody can find anywhere. He knows no bounds to treating people mean. Of course, in this particular movie he is the sheriff of a wild town which tries to be run by vengeful outlaws, outlaws who meet their match with him. The beautiful Jane Russell is superb as his love interest, but even she sometimes is frustrated with him. He is excellent in this role as the mean, no-nonsense marshal. A great acting feat for him. But I would hate to think for the people that knew him that he was ever this cold, hard, and mean!

This is another obscure western that I just watched on Netflix streaming. It stars Howard Keel as Waco, a formerly jailed gunman who's pardoned by the governor and sent to Emporia to tame that town. Unfortunately for him, his former lover Jane Russell is now married to preacher Wendell Corey who was a former gunman himself. I'll stop there and just say that while the triangle that I just described makes some of this oater dramatically compelling, it's not the only exciting part of this movie. There's also the Jenner family who holds a grudge against Waco for killing one of their members and then there's DeForest Kelley who's the bouncer at the local casino who's also anxious to eliminate him. Oh, and there's also a pretty good story-song about the title character as told by Lorne Greene. So on that note, I highly recommend Waco. P.S. Not long after Kelley made this, he would soon become a Sci-Fi icon when he began playing Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy on the original "Star Trek".

You might be surprised when you hear the film's title song as it's performed by Lorne Greene. Greene's style was odd--talking the lines more than singing them. But it was also very effective and he made some very well-selling albums during this era.

Like other A.C. Lyles productions during the 1960s, it's a 'geezer western'--a film starring lots of actors who were well past their prime--thus, inexpensive to cast. Few of these films were brilliant but they were consistently entertaining. In the case of "Waco", it features Richard Arlen (67), John Agar (45), Brian Donlevy (65), Howard Keel (47), Jane Russell (45), Wendell Corey (52), DeForrest Kelley (46), Gene Evans (44) and Terry Moore (37). Several of these folks were in MANY of Lyles' films (Arlen was in almost every one), as he seemed quite loyal to these actors.

The film begins in a town that's become more and more lawless. In reaction, Waco is sent there--even though he's a violent man with an awful reputation. I guess the thinking is that with the town in trouble, they have nothing to lose! Naturally, the evil element in town isn't about to fall into line with the arrival of this gunman. However, at each turn, Waco is able to get the better of the baddies. Will he continue to be THAT lucky throughout the film--especially when three groups of evil jerks band together to off the new sheriff? Throughout the entire film, Waco snarls and acts constipated--all the result of him learning that his girlfriend has married. At first you can understand that but after a while it became a bit tiresome and one-note. Even when the townsfolk offer to help him in his ultimate battle with the baddies, he's STILL a snarly jerk! It made little sense and got old. I also thought it strange that although Waco is supposed to be so tough, every time he beat up a baddie, he did NOT arrest them or hang them! What gives?! Some tough guy! It's a shame, as some of the other characters in the film were pretty interesting--such as the preacher, the deputy and that crazy lady with a shotgun! Not a terrible film but it sure could stand room for improvement! The best thing about the film? Greene's singing.

Waco is directed by R.G. Springsteen and adapted to screenplay by Steve Fisher from the novel Emporia written by Max Lamb and Harry Sandford. It stars Howard Keel, Jane Russell, Brian Donlevy, Wendell Corey, Terry Moore and John Agar. Music is by Jimmie Haskell and cinematography by Robert Pittack.

Gunfighter Waco (Keel) is given a pardon from his jail term to go clean up the town of Emporia.

Released in 1966 but feeling like it belongs in an earlier decade, Waco is a poor Western. As most Western fans will tell you, the "B" Western has its place in the heart and can quite often bring enjoyable rewards when the mood fits, unfortunately Waco is bad film making all round. Everything about it is tired, it's like it's desperately clinging on to the glory Western days of the 50s but doesn't know how to grasp with any conviction.

Filmed in Technicolor and Techniscope, not that you will notice, from the very beginning where Lorne Greene sings a cheese sandwich theme tune, film plays out as some sort of amateur dramatics production. Keel thinks he's in a hard-boiled film noir and voices it as such, often resorting to auto-cue line reading, and Donlevy shows up after an hour looking awful and literally doing a cameo to pay for his next bottle of Rye. Russell doesn't fare much better, phoning it in and the most memorable thing about her input is her bullet brassier!

The action is poorly constructed, with the big shoot-out proving to be more along the lines of a Keystone Cops skit, Haskell's music is simply rubbish, while what interesting character threads are in the story are sadly given short shrift by the writers (for example Corey's Reverend is briefly noted to have been part of Quantrill's Raiders). There's a level of glib humour about Keel's performance that keeps it just about watchable, while his indestructible capabilities makes him come over as a Captain Scarlet of the West. But really he's never convincing as a tough mutha and that just about sums up what an out of time Oater this is. 3/10

Producer A C Lyles made several low budget Westerns in the 60's and they invariably featured -like this movie -a cast of veteran stars whose golden days may have been but a distant memory but who were still very able performers .The pictures never scaled any dizzy heights but provided satisfying B movie experiences Waco does not refer to the town in Texas but is the name of the hero,played with authority by Howard Keel.A town is being terrorised by gunmen under the leadership of the black garbed Ace Ross (Brian Donleavy) who kills a prominent citizen (Richard Arlen- a regular member of Lyles stock company)The citizens then realise the one man who might be able to save them is Waco but the problem is that he is in gaol but he is released in order to tackle the bad guys and in the process stake a claim in society.

The performances are good especially from Wendell Corey as a gunman turned preacher ,Sam Stone ,and the ever radiant Jane Russell as Jill Stone with whom Waco has a romantic dalliance .Other veterans in the cast include DeForrest Kelley ,John Agar and Gene Evans It is more violent than most Lyles movies but not excessively so and certainly not by today's standards Good solid B movie making and worth your time if you like Westerns