The cavalcade of generally stunning 20th Century Fox Cinemascope/Color westerns that were produced in the fifties really came to an end with "Warlock" in 1959. The sixties saw a diminishing public appeal for them but during the new decade there were a few excellent examples of the genre still to come in the shape of RIO CONCHOS (1964), a reasonably good remake of "Stagecoach" (1966), the outstanding "Hombre" (1967) and the hearty "Butch Cassiday & The Sundance Kid" (1969). The latter two regretfully dropping the Cinemascope extension from the Fox logo and renaming the same process Panavision.
After "Hombre" the best of them is by far RIO CONCHOS! A rugged rip roaring adventure in the best action packed tradition of the Hollywood western. Produced for the studio by David Weisbert the picture's basic premise gave an assertive nod to the studio's earlier "The Comancheros" (1960). Deriving from the novel by Clair Huffaker it was written for the screen by Joseph Landon and Clair Huffaker (who also wrote "The Comancheros"). The amazing Cinemascope cinematography came from genius cameraman Joe MacDonald and it was all solidly directed by the somewhat underrated Gordan Douglas.
Richard Boone is Apache hating Major Jim Lassiter, late of the confederacy, who - with a furtive Mexican companion Rodriquiz (Tony Franciso) - is seconded into a Yankee undercover operation to find out where 2000 repeating rifles have disappeared to. Under the leadership of Captain Haven (Stuart Whitman) and his black Sgt.Franklyn (Jim Brown in his first movie appearance) Lassiter learns that his old Confederate commanding officer - the demented Colonel Theron Pardee (Edmond O'Brien) who is holed up on the Rio Conchos - is in possession of the guns and plans to arm the Apaches so as to reignite the Civil War. The mission is to thwart the Colonel's intentions and destroy the guns. In a marvellous set piece the picture ends literally in an explosive finale as the cache of arms goes up in a mushroom of smoke.
Performances are generally good throughout. Whitman is fine in the lead in what is probably his best movie. But Richard Boone is a tad excessive in his playing. His Lassiter character is over-stylized even to the point where some of his scenes are rendered weak and unconvincing. However the acting honours has to go to Tony Francioso in one of the best roles he ever had. He is superb as Rodriquiz the wily, unscrupulous and womanizing Mexican. It is an Oscar winning performance! And there is an interesting bit of casting for an Indian girl played by the little known Wende Wagner. Here the actress perfectly creates an impressively authentic portrayal of a young Apache female.
Conveying the action along is the terrific score by Jerry Goldsmith. Although he had previously written the music for a few westerns such as the forgotten "Black Patch" (1957) and his fine wistful effort for "Lonely Are The Brave" (1962) nothing before or after can compare to his work on RIO CONCHOS. It is a driving propulsive score! The main theme - first heard under the titles - is quite brilliant with the accordion gently introducing the tune accompanied by clunking banjo, guitar, scratcher comb and whip before the strings take up the tune to full flight. This cue is used later in an up tempo treatment for an escape and river crossing sequence with the strings screaming out the theme against repeated figures in the brass. The use of music here makes the scene simply breathtaking. There is also a plaintive reflective cue to characterize the Indian girl in a melancholy movement and there's some attractive indigenous folk tunes played on guitar for a Cantina sequence. RIO CONCHOS is Jerry Goldsmith's best score for a western!
Jerry Goldsmith's music is just one exceptional element that makes RIO CONCHOS a remarkable, memorable and exciting action picture and gets my vote as one of the best westerns Hollywood ever conjured up.
After "Hombre" the best of them is by far RIO CONCHOS! A rugged rip roaring adventure in the best action packed tradition of the Hollywood western. Produced for the studio by David Weisbert the picture's basic premise gave an assertive nod to the studio's earlier "The Comancheros" (1960). Deriving from the novel by Clair Huffaker it was written for the screen by Joseph Landon and Clair Huffaker (who also wrote "The Comancheros"). The amazing Cinemascope cinematography came from genius cameraman Joe MacDonald and it was all solidly directed by the somewhat underrated Gordan Douglas.
Richard Boone is Apache hating Major Jim Lassiter, late of the confederacy, who - with a furtive Mexican companion Rodriquiz (Tony Franciso) - is seconded into a Yankee undercover operation to find out where 2000 repeating rifles have disappeared to. Under the leadership of Captain Haven (Stuart Whitman) and his black Sgt.Franklyn (Jim Brown in his first movie appearance) Lassiter learns that his old Confederate commanding officer - the demented Colonel Theron Pardee (Edmond O'Brien) who is holed up on the Rio Conchos - is in possession of the guns and plans to arm the Apaches so as to reignite the Civil War. The mission is to thwart the Colonel's intentions and destroy the guns. In a marvellous set piece the picture ends literally in an explosive finale as the cache of arms goes up in a mushroom of smoke.
Performances are generally good throughout. Whitman is fine in the lead in what is probably his best movie. But Richard Boone is a tad excessive in his playing. His Lassiter character is over-stylized even to the point where some of his scenes are rendered weak and unconvincing. However the acting honours has to go to Tony Francioso in one of the best roles he ever had. He is superb as Rodriquiz the wily, unscrupulous and womanizing Mexican. It is an Oscar winning performance! And there is an interesting bit of casting for an Indian girl played by the little known Wende Wagner. Here the actress perfectly creates an impressively authentic portrayal of a young Apache female.
Conveying the action along is the terrific score by Jerry Goldsmith. Although he had previously written the music for a few westerns such as the forgotten "Black Patch" (1957) and his fine wistful effort for "Lonely Are The Brave" (1962) nothing before or after can compare to his work on RIO CONCHOS. It is a driving propulsive score! The main theme - first heard under the titles - is quite brilliant with the accordion gently introducing the tune accompanied by clunking banjo, guitar, scratcher comb and whip before the strings take up the tune to full flight. This cue is used later in an up tempo treatment for an escape and river crossing sequence with the strings screaming out the theme against repeated figures in the brass. The use of music here makes the scene simply breathtaking. There is also a plaintive reflective cue to characterize the Indian girl in a melancholy movement and there's some attractive indigenous folk tunes played on guitar for a Cantina sequence. RIO CONCHOS is Jerry Goldsmith's best score for a western!
Jerry Goldsmith's music is just one exceptional element that makes RIO CONCHOS a remarkable, memorable and exciting action picture and gets my vote as one of the best westerns Hollywood ever conjured up.