Saturday, June 25, 2011

Another fine 1959 western

They Came to Cordura isn't quite Rio Bravo, but a very good western in its own right and a rather more subdued one. It isn't that well known, despite the casting of Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth and Van Heflin. Robert Rossen (The Hustler) proves he can direct a cavalry action sequence, but most of the film is about slow-burning conflicts and relationships between the seven main characters.

I was a little surprised how hard-edged it was. Heflin was a great bully, a big chance from his heroic western roles in Shane and 3:10 to Yuma. Cooper was a very flawed hero trying to live with his past cowardice. Hayworth's role was not just about looking sexy (which she of course did effortlessly, at 40 years) Everyone looks tired and dirty most of the time - perhaps this is one reason why the film is not better known. Another might be that it's set during the Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916, which was a military failure for the USA.

This seems to be post #99. I wonder what should be the hundredth...

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