SunnyHello Nice effects though.

LouHomey From my favorite movies..

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

SnoopyStyle It's 1867 Val Verde, Texas. Dee Bishop (Dean Martin) and his gang try to rob a bank. They are captured but Maria Stoner (Raquel Welch)'s husband is killed in the process. Mace Bishop (James Stewart) arrives in town posing as hangman Grimes looking to free his brother. The gang escapes pursued by Sheriff July Johnson (George Kennedy) and the entire town. Mace decides to take the opportunity to rob the bank himself. The gang takes Maria hostage and reconnects with Mace. They ride south of the Rio Grande into bandit country followed by Johnson and his men.It's a traditional old fashion western where Raquel Welch's perfect hair and make-up is never messed up. There are great actors but they are doing nothing special. It takes no risks and doesn't feel gritty. The bandits are non-descript. There is no tension.

Wuchak Released in 1968 and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, "Bandolero!" stars James Stewart as Mace, who masquerades as a hangman in order to save his brother, Dee, from the gallows (Dean Martin). They and Dee's motley crew then flee to Mexico with a beautiful hostage (Raquel Welch). George Kennedy plays the lovelorn sheriff who pursues with a half-hearted posse.Everything about this Western clicks marvelously. The first 45 minutes involves the capture, attempted hanging, and escape of the Bishop Gang, and it's a memorable sequence. Some people complain about Stewart and Martin as brothers but I've seen many brothers in real life that look more different than they do.Even though Martin plays an outlaw he's portrayed sympathetically. It's implied that the war corrupted him and he simply doesn't know any other way of life. He's weary of the outlaw lifestyle and desperately wants out. Mace and Maria (Welch) offer him succor by way of lucre and love respectively. They dream of a new life in Montana. There are just two problems: Kennedy & his posse and a gang of wild Mexican bandits (bandoleros).Although there are some low-key amusing elements, the film is essentially a serious Western with quality adventure and drama. It potently explores themes of loyalty, temptation, seeking & finding true love, the repentance/forgiveness principle, the folly of the criminal path and dreams of a better life. Some complain that the ending is too downbeat, but I've always loved it. In fact, it wouldn't have been right to end it any other way.***SPOILER ALERT*** The climax supports the age-old notion that those who live by the sword (and stolen loot) WILL prematurely die by the sword. George Kenney is outstanding as the stolid Sheriff who has a puppy-love passion for Maria. She naturally finds him unexciting, however. As a hostage to the Bishop Gang, she slowly discovers true-love for the first time in her life.***END SPOILER*** The score by Jerry Goldsmith is notable. Jerry borrowed the basic melody from Neal Hefti's magnificent composition for "Duel at Diablo," which was released two years earlier. He took the melody and ingeniously created a completely different-sounding score. His composition has a fun Western vibe to it whereas Hefti's is ultra-dramatic. Yet Goldsmith's piece has some dramatic moments as well, which are reminiscent of his later outstanding piece for "Rio Lobo" (1970). All three of these scores rank up there with the all-time best Western compositions, like "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966), "How the West was Won" (1962), "Mackenna's Gold" (1969) "The Magnificent Seven" (1960), Bonanza and "A Fistful of Dollars" (1964), the latter ripping off "Rio Bravo" (1959).Too many Western films take place in Texas but were filmed elsewhere (like Arizona, etc.). Much of "Bandolero!" by contrast, was actually shot in Brackettville and Del Rio, Texas, not far from the Mexican border/Rio Grande; with additional portions shot in Utah (Kanab & Glen Canyon) and Arizona (Lee's Ferry). These locations are fabulous.FINAL SAY: "Bandolero!" is Western filmmaking of the highest order and not to be missed. It's inexplicable that it's not cited on more Best Western lists.The movie runs 106 minutes. The screenplay was written by James Lee Barrett from Stanley Hough's story.GRADE: A

Chris Is it possible that a western with a cast of Jimmy Stewart, Dean Martin, George Kennedy and Raquel Welch can be any bad? Yes, if the Director is Andrew V. McLaglen. I'm a bit jealous about this guy and how he managed it to work with all these great actors in his career. Most of his movies are mediocre or bad. I can only call one or two really good.My main critic about Bandolero is that this movie is shameless boring with a lot of meaningless talking and Horse riding without any action or suspense. The movie looks fine cause of the all time great cinematographer William H. Clothier. Shame on Hollywood this man never got the Academy Award! The music score of Jerry Goldsmith isn't bad either.Jimmy Stewart and Dean Martin are looking very old in this one. Both have some terrible make up in their faces. Both are playing brothers and they are less believable as the casting of the Sons of Katie Elder. No doubt Mrs. Welch is a Stunner but who was responsible for her over styled hair? As usual good old George Kennedy is underused. A last question: Why Mexican Bandits (Bandoleros) are attacking with an Indian Cry? I love westerns but I'm not a fan of this one.

comicdistortion I know this may sound ridiculous, but am I the only one who thinks Jimmy Stewart murdered the hangman? What else would he have done? Tied him up and left him to the wolves? Injured him badly enough he was unconscious for more than a day? Isn't it kind of silly that we're supposed to ignore that? He waltzes into town and scolds Dean Martin about 'What would Mother think', right after he murdered an innocent man! Preposterous, you might say...But could the bloodthirsty character of the hangman have been a way to justify his murder? No, no, I'm sure Jimmy just sat down with him and had a heart to heart about the situation, what with the war, and mother dead of heart break, and all, I guess the hangman decided to give him his clothes and horse and walk back to town naked and take the stage coach back to Oklahoma. Don't think so? Well then this movie is about Jimmy Stewart, cold blooded killer.Also, if he had just never rescued his brother, there would be like twenty less fatherless children in that town! Yeah, yeah, I know the response comments like this will get, but I really do think the disappearing hangman is a step too far.