Customer Reviews

The Comancheros

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

John Wayne as the texas ranger whose job it is intially to bring in gambler Stuart Whitman is great fun with a great score to support this technicolor action and buddy film. The title refers to a group of white outlaws who rile up the indians against the settlers. Ina Balin is the lady with a connection to the outlaw clan that Stuart lays claim to and eventually wins. Wayne as the senior member of this buddy team helps out in the romance department being a little long of tooth to be the romantic focal point though there is a brief indication of a love interest for his character as well. Stuart becomes a reluctant ranger in order to save himself from deportation back to Louisiana and an appointment with a hangman for winning a dueling contest and he is teamed with Wayne to locate the outlaw gang. The scenes between the two while they travel together initially as ranger and prisoner and finally as evolving friends and allies are most entertaining.
Pleanty of action and entertaining dialogue. Cast is populated by a number of Wayne's stock company of actors and includes Lee Marvin in a relatively brief role as, what else, a bad guy. One of the most fun of Wayne's westerns before he started playing parodys of himself.

Finally, "The Comancheros" is released on DVD. This is one of Wayne's best, and most enjoyable westerns(that says a lot, because the Duke's westerns were always classic). The acting is superb, Stuart Whitman turning out one of his best performances, and John Wayne underrated as usual. Lee Marvin also makes a powerful, short performance. That cast alone makes for a classic. Michael Curtiz's("Casablanca"-1942) last film, he creates one of the better 1960's westerns. Several people have mentioned the guns in the film. Historical facts are often changed to create entertaining films. This film is not a history lesson, it is an example of classic hollywood at it's best. A well crafted, fun, classic western. Recommended for both fans of classic westerns, and classic films in general.

You can see by the title that I am a John Wayne fan, and this rip-roaring Western is one of the reasons why. With equal portions of rousing action, humor, and drama, this film keeps your interest and, like the Duke's performance, never loses its authenticity. It's said that John Wayne took over direction of some of the action sequences, and they're great. There are well-drawn, clear differences between the good guys and bad guys, but the characters are human and developed enough for the actors to sink their teeth into, which all do with gusto. By this time in his career, the Duke only had to show up on screen to be the authentic Western hero, but as usual he goes 'way beyond that, giving a colorful, humorous, absolutely real and terrific performance as the Texas Ranger who helps a man on the wrong side of the law redeem himself and find the woman he loves--as well as stopping a motley, dangerous bunch of white renegades (Comancheros) who are selling weapons to warring Comanche Indians. It's great movie-making and a great couple of hours with the Duke, so check it out!

John Wayne rules in this big, sprawling western adventure film. The screenplay, co-written by western novelist Clair Huffaker, struggles with the historical accuracy of Texas in the 1840s and the rifles seem a little advanced for 1843, but, nit-picking aside, this is an entertaining film. Texas Ranger Jake Cutter (Wayne) and sometime gambler Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman) go under cover after a vicious army of outlaw raiders known as "Comancheros," led by the diabolical Graile (Nehemiah Persoff). Hard-hitting, large scale action sequences deftly directed by Michael Curtiz, who directd some of Errol Flynn's better adventure films, will please action-adventure fans. The movie includes a comfortable blend of action, suspense, and humor with occasional serious overtones of duty, friendship, and the love of a good woman. Taken within the context of the film that isn't as corny as it might sound. Great outdoor color photography adds to the appeal. A pulse-pounding musical score by Elmer Bernstein matches the excitement. Lee Marvin makes the most of his costarring role as Tully Crow, one of the West's wildest bad men. Watch for the hilarious vignette featuring Edgar Buchanan as a judge of dubious integrity. Ditto the comic relief segment with Guinn "Big Boy" Williams as a seemingly bewildered gunrunner. There is nothing intellectual or artistic to say of this movie, but it's good old fashioned fun. Recommended viewing.

The Comancheros is another great John Wayne western with a great supporting cast. The story follows Captain Jake Cutter, a Texas ranger, and his efforts to capture a prisoner, and then to infiltrate a group of gunrunners and bandits, the Comancheros. This group has been supplying the Comanches with repeating rifles who then wreak havoc on the area. There is plenty of action here with numerous shootouts, and also plenty of great characters. At parts during this movie, I wondered why the Duke never took more comedic roles since he is very funny in several scenes.

John Wayne plays Captain Jake Cutter, the big, brawling Texas Ranger who attempts to bring in a prisoner who keeps escaping his grasp, "Monsoor" Paul Regret, played by Stuart Whitman very well. Another notable performance is Lee Marvin's Crow, the contact between Cutter and the Comancheros. He doesn't have a very big part, but what is there is very good. The film also stars Ina Balin, Nehemiah Persoff, Michael Ansara, Patrick Wayne, Bruce Cabot, and Joan O'Brien. Elmer Bernstein also turns in another excellent score that has elements of the Sons of Katie Elder and The Great Escape. The DVD offers a widescreen presentation which looks very good, two trailers(one in Spanish), and also Movie Tone News about an award presented involving the movie. More John Wayne movies should be put out like this, and I give credit to the companies putting out so many new ones recently. A very exciting, enjoyable Duke western that all his fans will love!

This is a kind of movie that is not made any more. It is an action movie with a gentle heart and a happy spirit. Even the bad guys are somehow awful, but we don't hate them. One interesting thing about this movie is John Wayne's role in the movie. Yes, he is the star, whenever he is on screen anywhere he dominates it, but the story is really more about Paul Regret (wonderfully played by Stuart Whitman) and Pilar Graile (glowingly done by Ina Balin). John Wayne's role, while central, isn't the guy who gets the girl, and plays more as the protector and guide to Paul Regret, who ends up saving Jake more than once. Jake's a widower and more than friends with the widow of his best friend. Not too subtly, Melinda Marshall (the beautiful Joan O'Brien) has fences that need mending, and Paul Regret asks Jake for a good reason why he doesn't marry her.

How Paul and Jake meet each other and how they become friends is a big part of the movie and a very enjoyable part. In fact, this is really a buddy film and a darn good one, even with the wiseacre line when they are hanging by their arms and helpless in the bad guy camp, "I wonder if they know how much trouble they are in."

The head bad guy and leader of the Commancheros is Pilar's father who is also a paraplegic (superbly done by Nehemiah Persoff) and he rules his society of ne'er do wells with intelligence and a great political sense. It is his right hand henchman, Amelung, who is the most sinister character in the movie and played to a turn by Michael Ansara.

This is a movie with a plot that chugs along like the cheery Elmer Bernstein score that supports it. It has its interesting moments, but mostly it is a lot of fun. If you enjoy John Wayne, and I do, you get a good story for him with all the fine performances of the other stars plus some fire, Indian battles, and even a duel.

Not great, but a very worthwhile entertainment.

Wayne as in any of his other great movies is larger than life. As a Texas Ranger his methods are not to be denied. Lee Marvin although only having a brief part plays it to the hilt as Crow, a hard as nails gun trader. Stuart Whittman is excellent as Monseur Paul Regret. We can understand why he was chosen to play in the TV series Cimarron Strip. He plays a credible Louisianan of class. Ina Balin does a fine job as the daughter of a wealthy outlaw. Several cameos including Patrick Wayne, the dukes son. The story, cast, and music add up to a sprawling western well worth owning. The DVD picture quality and sound are superb. I especially noticed how sharp the red credits are on the DVD since on most VHS or TV viewings they bleed like the bad guys.

THE COMANCHEROS is one of John Wayne's most entertaining Westerns. It has a great cast, story, photography and one of Elmer Bernstein's best scores. The widescreen DVD looks incredible. John Wayne and Stuart Whitman play off each other brilliantly. Lee Marvin as Crow has a small but effective and outrageous character part. There's plenty of action and heroics to go around in this great outdoor adventure. I wish they would make movies like this today.

I agree completely with every word the previous reviewer,Wayne,said about The Comancheros Blu-ray,this is a reference disc for the blu-ray format!!!!!! STUNNING/PRISTINE Picture Quality,and Audio too.
I have a fair collection of blu-ray films,and the "modern" films are excellent Picture Quality,as you would expect,however,it,s what blu-ray does to the "older" films,especially westerns,that is so amazing.
The Searchers/How The West Was Won/Zulu/The Outlaw Josey Wales are a joy to behold,Home Cinema of the highest calibre,A+++++,well,The Comancheros Blu-ray joins that List,REFERENCE DISCS FOR BLU-RAY!!!!!
I say this as somebody who watched The Comancheros when it was first released at the Cinema,I must have been 10 years old,but that did not prepare me for the absolute pleasure of watching this Duke western on blu-ray,simply put,FABULOUS!!!!!!
Davy Cairns,Scotland.

John Wayne's tough-guy character gets some choice zingers in this amiable, two-fisted, entertaining (and occasionally ricketty) western about a Texas Ranger who's out to bust up a gun-running gang that's selling arms to the Comanche renegades. It's one of those films where the Indians drop like flies every time the cowboys open fire, but it zips along at a pleasant pace, with a tad more plot than normal. Lee Marvin has a short but choice role as Mr. Crow, a sinister gunslinger who goes on a roaring bender with Wayne, paving the way for their interplay in the '62 sizzler, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence." This was the last film directed by Michael Curtiz, who is probably best known for his work on "Casablanca," and while this film is nowhere near the same league at that classic, it still has its moments.