The Good Guys and the Bad Guys

This movie was directed by Burt Kennedy, who also directed another great western in 65 called The Rounders, that had Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford. This one is sort of different but they both had some comedy in them. This one stars Robert Mitchum as an old sheriff who is retired against his wishes by the mayor, played by Martin Balsam, who only cares about the election coming up. George Kennedy plays an outlaw who used to big in his day but now is the third wheel in a gang run by David Carradine. Both Mitchum and Kennedy, even though they used to be enemies, sort of team up together to stop Carradine from robbing the train even though they don't have too. This movie came out in 1969 the same year as The Wild Bunch, which Mitchum turned down but this movie is closer to Peckenpah's earlier film Ride The High Country.

This is a good old fashion western starring two codgy cowboys. One is an aging Marshal named Flagg played by Roger Mitchum and his old nemesis bank robber buddy McKay played by George Kennedy. This western portrays both men as past their prime players in their respective fields of Marshal and Bank Robber, who are harshly being put out to pasture.

But movie goers "hold tightly on to your horses reigns" as these two feisty old geezers are not ready to hang up their guns just yet since their replacement much younger Marshal and Gunslingers just don't have the right stuff to take over these old geezers place in the sun just yet.

Similar to the musical score theme of the earlier 1965 western film Cat Ballou, this films movie theme is heard throughout the film at just the right times to remind the movie goers that something good or something bad is about to happen.

A train is going to be robbed and its up to these two old gunslingers to agree to join forces and stop this younger band of desperados led by Waco played with pizazz by David Carradine.

Of course there has to be a love interest for Marshal Flagg and that happens to be stay at home mom Mary played by the lovely Lois Nettleton. Most of the comedy light is provided by the towns Mayor Wilker played by Martin Balsalm.

I found this western quite entertaining with a good cast and an even better story with a great soundtrack and enjoyable cinematography. So get yourself a big bowl of popcorn and your favorite drinks and sit back and enjoy this light hearted western

I give the film an entertaining 8 out of 10 IMDb rating.

If your westerns Must be more along the lines of The Unforgiving or High Plains Drifter then The Good Guys and the Bad Guys is not for you.

But if you Love westerns like Support Your Local Sheriff and Silverado then you will love this movie!

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys is just plain old Fun! Robert Mitchum and George Kennedy are great together. Martin Balsam's Mayor is like an earlier version of Mel Brook's The Governor in Blazing Saddles.

Why the don't make westerns like this anymore is beyond me. But then again why they don't make westerns at all is really beyond me.

Whenever I come across this movie on TV I stop to watch it. You cant go wrong with The Good Guys and the Bad Guys :) .

"The Good Guys and the Bad Guys" doesn't work that well. It has a split-personality the good cast can't overcome. The serious scenes work well. The scenes between Robert Mitchum and George Kennedy are very good. The comedic scenes, however, don't work at all. The chase scene is silly and way too long. Inside "The Good Guys and the Bad Guys" there is a great serious western but it is smothered by all of the lame jokes. Honorable mention: Tina Louise's all too brief flash of her rump.

For those who like western's, this one has it all. For those who don't, the same applies.

The ageing Marshal teams up with the ageing bandit to oust the bad young guys, hopelessly out-numbered of course. Naturally with age comes experience and the bad guys are defeated as the (ex) Marshal (played brilliantly by Mitchum) walks into a hail of pistol fire flanked by his new(ish) best friend (Big John Makay- aka George Kennedy)and dispenses justice with both barrels.

The likable old drunk is shot in the back by one of the bad guys, the whores aren't shown as harlots, the mayor gets it anywhere he can and the new Marshal is stupid. Hardly surprising.

Oh, and of course, there's a love interest for the Marshal- and a cute little blonde boy who looks to Mitchum as a substitute father. There's an almost hilarious train sequence and a train chase with a difference. For those women who find westerns aren't really their thing but are made to watch them by boyfriends, this one has a big plus: Robert Mitchum, for all that he is playing a character who is supposed to be past it looks pretty fine. Likable enough, but don't take it too seriously- its not meant to be.