Madron

I am surprised that the other users did not mention the comparison between this film and Don Siegel's TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARAH, two different movies though, but in the new Italian western wave however. I prefer this one, despite the fact it is less good, but so downbeat, very gloomy with a very good Dick Boone's performance. I love this movie.

A talky imitation spaghetti western shot in the Negev Desert in Israel and released shortly after 'Two Mules for Sister Sara'; a bit too soon for it to be a straight copy. It probably owes more to 'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison' and the Dollars trilogy, with good girl Caron joining forces with bad & ugly brigand Richard Boone against a rugged backdrop and a sub-Morricone guitar score by Riz Ortolani. Pedestrianly directed by Jerry Hopper after several years away in TV, his occasional zooms are a poor substitute for Sergio Leone's frenzied cutting and clashing close-ups.

Boone of course is as usual good in the title role (although Caron didn't like him). Caron's smooth gamine features remain far too unblemished by exposure to such a harsh climate (likewise her long flowing, well-conditioned hair when allowed loose). But I'm not complaining...!

Madron is directed by Jerry Hopper who co-adapts the screenplay with Edward Chappell from a story written by Leo McMahon. It stars Richard Boone, Leslie Caron and Gabi Amrani. Filmed in Israel and Hollywood, cinematography is by Marcel Grignon and Adam Greenbereg and music is by Riz Ortolani.

A nun (Caron) survives a wagon train massacre and teams up with a gunslinger (Boone) in a battle for survival.

I'd like to say that the fact the similar themed Two Mules for Sister Sarah was released the same year is the reason this is little known. But that simply isn't true. For Madron (AKA: His Name Was Madron) is a poor movie, saved from stinker damnation by Boone's fun performance as the grizzled title character. Film consists of Boone and Caron trekking thru the barren sands finding each other as they fight off bandits and injuns in a series of poorly executed action scenes. Script is weak and plot holds no surprises, like wouldn't you know it, once Nun Caron throws off the Habbit, she's a foxy babe! The Israeli vistas hold up as a Western backdrop, but they are barely realised by the photography and the colour is decidedly flat, while the score and title song (Till Love Touches Your Life-Richard Williams & Jan Daley) sounds like something from a soft core porn movie of the 70s. The ending has a decent enough kick to it, and the odd spurt of violence lifts the film out of its stupor; with one scene probably more fitting for Soldier Blue, but really this is only one for Boone enthusiasts. 5/10

Richard Boone and Leslie Caron were great actors in near past and said that the bad movie's copy allowed to me make me extremely unpleasant to wrote something, firstly it was an used VHS transfer into DVD-R and worst dubbed in spanish, under such conditions is hard to make a suitable review, in addition about the storyline, l can write unreserved as it was shooting in Israel's desert and Hollywood, so stays a question that doesn't have an propper answer, why they didn't shooting in desert nearby of Hollywood, will be more easy and for economics reason more relevant, so l will pray so hard in near future to see this interesting picture in a full restoration, and try make a reappraise that l've been write today!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2011 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 5.5

MADRON is your typical kind of western with one twist: it was shot largely in Israel, in various sun-scorched desert locales which do a good job of standing in for the Old West. Otherwise, it's a middling kind of film that doesn't really have a lot going for it, as the production is kind of sloppy. The photography never really brings out the best of the surroundings and the characters are rather flat.

The protagonist is Leslie Caron, playing an uptight nun who survives an Indian massacre at the film's opening. She's rescued by Richard Boone's titular gunfighter, and the two then go on a trek through the land, fighting off various bad guys all the while. A handful of cheap action scenes prop up MADRON, but they're quite poorly conceived and lacking in excitement. Boone is the best thing in this and is reminiscent of Bud Spencer at times. Paul L. Smith (Bluto in POPEYE) has a minor role. The famous Italian film composer Riz Ortolani supplied the music, but that opening song really has dated in the worst kind of way.