Bad Man's River

1971

1h 32m

IMDb RATING

4.4/10

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Western

Robber Roy King loses his wife, Alicia, to revolutionary Montero. Despite their rivalry they collaborate in an attempt to rob the Mexican government of one million dollars.

Directors

Eugenio Martín

Writers

Eugenio Martín(story by)

Philip Yordan(story by)

Stars

Lee Van Cleef

James Mason

Gina Lollobrigida

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Top cast

Lee Van Cleef

Roy King

James Mason

Francisco Paco Montero

Alicia

Angel Santos

Dolores

Ed Pace

Canales

General Duarte

Colonel Enrique Fierro

Tom Odie

False Montero

Orozco

Conchita

Mexican Soldier

Directors

Writers

Eugenio Martín(story by)

Philip Yordan(story by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

When I saw the billings for this, I admit that it piqued my interest. Who'd ever have pitched the epitome of style that is James Mason into a western with Lee Van Cleef? Well, Gene Martin did - and he made a mess of the whole thing. Mason actually features quite sparingly as "Montero", the gent who has pinched "Alicia" (Gina Lollobrigida) from her train-robbing husband "King" (Lee Van Cleef). Not only did she abandon him, but she managed to get him sectioned at the same time for being mad, and she absconded with all his loot. Anyway, he escapes and they rendezvous some years later on a river boat where she outlines a cunning plan to rob the Mexican government of $1m in gold. Philip Yordan wrote the screenplay, but perhaps he was only engaged for a few days because what we have is really a poorly scripted, stylised, collection of almost slapstick "comedy" scenes as they firstly destroy an arsenal and set about obtaining their treasure. Lollobrigida is the star here, she has her tongue firmly in her cheek and really does rescue this from the comedic doldrums to which it is heading. There are a few other fun scenes - turning an old Model T-type car into an armoured car by nailing planks of wood to, for instance; and they are undoubtedly aided by the Mexican troops who couldn't hit a barn door with a Howitzer at ten paces. It's colourful and it doesn't hang about - and the ending is little bit apt, but the film itself is all over the shop and struggles to engage above the puerile.

Geronimo196729 May, 2023