Madron

AKA : "Two Mules for Sister Sara --- without the budget" Take out Clint Eastwood - Add Richard Boone Take out Shirley McLaine - Add a gorgeous Leslie Caron

I can't figure out why she made this movie -for the money??? A shoestring budget that scrimpted on screenplay and .. well almost everything. This didn't play when I was a kid in my neighborhood; but it surely would have been at one of the closest 70 or 80 drive-in theatres first run. Not good, but I was looking for this film (to complete my Oscar films of 1970), so I can't complain too much.

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.

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

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...!

If you liked Two Mules for Sister Sara, check out Madron. Unfortunately for Richard Boone and Leslie Caron, their version of "the cowboy and the nun" was also released in 1970 - and no one remembers it. The main difference between the two is that Madron is a drama. Perhaps audiences in 1970 only wanted a cutesy story.

I'm sure Richard loved making this movie. He always had to play villains, but in this one, not only did he get to play the lead, he was also the title character! It's practically a two-person story, and even though he's less admirable than his costar, he's hardly a bad guy. Leslie just plays a nun, so anyone's going to look immoral compared to her. He's a tough gunslinger who comes across the remains of a wagon train after an Indian attack. Leslie is the sole survivor, and she tags along with him for safety. They hate each other at first, since they both represent the opposite of what each admires - but as the story progresses, they learn to like each other. I'd definitely recommend this one if you want to see the softer side of Richard. Next up, check out his turn playing a psychiatrist in Lizzie!