Nonureva
Really Surprised!
Protraph
Lack of good storyline.
Bessie Smyth
Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
runamokprods
From a funny, complex, dark and political script by Larry Gelbart, with a smashing lead performance by Antonio Banderas, and lovely support by a number of actors (first and foremost Alan Arkin cast way against type as a mercenary machine gunner, who makes the part completely his own) – this is a terrific retelling of a hard to believe but true story of the revolutionary Pancho Villa getting Hollywood to film his real life war as a way of netting good publicity and public support. I love the way the film effectively mixes the tragedy of war with comedy, an epic feel (amazing considering it was made for HBO) with intimate character moments. Not everything works. There's a love story that feels a little shoe-horned in, and some ideas get repeated a few too many times, but this is a terrific satirical look at Hollywood, war, politics and how they all dance together. And it's not afraid of making Pancho Villa a hero with a dark side, a man of good intent but huge, unchecked ego as well.
rlsharp_1999
This film tracks very closely the content of the 1913 nitrate film of Dr. Charles A. Pryor "Associated Press Reporter and President, El Paso Feature Film Co." held by the Library of Congress as the AFI/Seffens Collection.The Banderas film credits Mary Pickford's long-time cameraman George Rosher as the cinematographer covering Villa's battles, although it appears there were a large number of foreign cameramen filming both Villa's rebel army and the Federal defenders, including Charles Pryor, with Rosher one of those confirming Pryor's cinematic efforts in the form of a notarization dated "Presidio, Texas, Jan 12, 1914."Pryor's effort "The Great Mexican War," was shown in theaters in San Francisco and Sacramento in April 1914 and later in Europe. I have jpgs of the original lobby posters if anyone is interested.
jojo-acapulco
This film is a highly interesting account of a little-known episode in the Mexican Revolution. It is as historically accurate as almost any other film biography, and better than most. In any case, it is very close to the reports John Reed published as Insurgent México in 1914.The Spanish actor Antonio Banderas does a creditable job as Mexican Pancho Villa, but for me it was sometimes hard to reconcile the face of that actor with memories of the real man, rather like watching Leonardo de Caprio do a great job playing George Washington. But movies are produced to make money, not as classroom texts, and Banderas undoubtedly sells more tickets than almost anyone else who might essay the role.Wallace Beery fit the role very well when he played Villa in 1934, but the Mexican accent was a problem and the short, stocky Stuart Erwin was cast as the tall, blond John Reed. Of today's actors, James Gandolfini would physically fit and could certainly play Pancho Villa, but he probably doesn't have the drawing power of Banderas, and the accent would be a bigger problem.
tributarystu
Whether one can make a film about two revolutions and its leaders while debating over "just causes" and "interests" has been proved possible. The step forward (maybe not entirely a revolution) in cinematography, with Frank Thyer propelling it, is just as worth mentioning as Villa's strife with the law and those behind it. The struggle to find the human being behind the revolutionary is, however, rather poorly contrived, with Villa nothing more than a seemingly bombastic leader - luckily enough, though, not all the time. With someone like Banderas portraying a Villa(in), one can but achieve bombastic results - in a good sense.The film may have lost its guidance at certain points and it may even have left you wondering what it truly tries to convey. I must concede, that it's three stories for the cost of one. The planes are as obvious as they come, divided on artistical, humane and political level. Yet, the reasonably short span of the movie doesn't truly leave room for any mishaps and wrong doings in intertwining these stories. As a whole, they seem a bit bland, adding little to our repertoire of knowledge. However, on a visual level, they come together more sensefully, despite avoiding depth on all levels.It's a simple film, this gig about Pancho and life. But it's, least to say, a good, spectacular romp, with an exuberant Banderas; as spectacular as they come. Villa is a curious enough guy to make you feel well in your seat.
