Alvarez Kelly (1966)
Review Summary
William Holden stars as Alvarez Kelly in this Civil War actioner. While transporting 5,000 head of cattle to the Union forces, Holden is captured by Confederate officer Richard Widmark. Threatened with instant execution if he doesn't cooperate, Holden sets about the train the raw rebel troops to become cattle drovers in order to transport the herd below the Mason-Dixon line. Widmark turns out to be the least of Holden's problems when he tries to negotiate the cattle through Indian territory. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
"ALVAREZ KELLY" is a good picture—nice and crisp and tough. For this trimly entertaining Civil War drama that loped into neighborhood theaters yesterday we can hail Columbia Pictures, a cast headed by William Holden and Richard Widmark, the director Edward Dmytryk and a thundering herd of 2,500 steers. And let's not forget Franklin Coen, the writer, for blueprinting a fresh idea, and salting it with some tingling, unstereotyped behavior and gristly dialogue.
Based on a true incident, the idea is this (and how it ever eluded John Ford beats us): With all those healthy cattle delivered from Mexico to Union troops near Richmond, the hungry Confederates plan to filch the herd through enemy ranks. And this they do, of course, in a churning, rootin'-tootin' climax that provides a field day for everybody, steers included.
Naturally, two tough hombres like Mr. Holden and Mr. Widmark square off early, in roles cast and played to sardonic perfection. The former is an Irish-Mexican war profiteer who originally delivers the cattle and is kidnapped by the Rebs and forced to help them. As a one-eyed colonel, Mr. Widmark is his captor-tormentor who at one point airily shoots off the other's finger. Mr. Holden's revenge is his crafty dalliance with a bland Richmond belle he describes as "a female not a crinoline saint," played accordingly — and well — by Janice Rule.
The salt extends to a logical, cryptically amusing sequence in a "house of joy," a fact, that should veto the film for children.
But Richmond almost takes "Alvarez Kelly," for while this middle section of the film kindles the festering two-man feud and considerable color and tension—cutting from the suspicious Blue troops to the Gray capital city—it also dawdles. The other flaw is a nagging, standard musical score by Johnny Green, who should know better.
But the picture perks up beautifully in the ripely-detailed homestretch, as the determined Confederates sneak through the woods for the cattle prize and pound the herd hell-bent into the very teeth of the enemy, with Messrs. Holden and Widmark still at each other's throats. As various Blues and Grays, Patrick O'Neal, Victoria Shaw. Roger C. Carmel, Richard Rust, Arthur Franz, Donald Barry, Duke Hobbie, Harry Carey Jr. and Howard Caine all make incisive contributions. The color is first-rate.
Put down "Alvarez Kelly" as a cynically cut but well-seasoned side of beef, at its best on the hoof.
Nice, Crisp, Tough
ALVAREZ KELLY, screenplay by Franklin Coen; directed by Edward Dmytryk; produced by Sol C. Siegel for Columbia Pictures. At neighborhood theaters. Running time: 149 minutes.
Alvarez Kelly . . . . . William Holden
Col. Tom Rossiter . . . . . Richard Widmark
Maj. Albert Steadman . . . . . Patrick O'Neal
Liz Pickering . . . . . Janice Rule
Charity Warwick . . . . . Victoria Shaw
Capt. Angus Ferguson . . . . . Roger C. Carmel
Sergeant Hatcher . . . . . Richard Rust
Captain Towers . . . . . Arthur Franz
Lieutenant Farrow . . . . . Donald Barry
John Beaurider . . . . . Duke Hobbie
Corporal Peterson . . . . . Harry Carey Jr.
McIntyre . . . . . Howard Caine
http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B02EFD81338E43BBC4F52DFB767838D679EDE
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