Bandolero! (1968)

One boy goes with Quantrill, the other goes with Sherman.

Bandolero! is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and written by Stanley Hough and James Lee Barrett. It stars James Stewart, Dean Martin, Raquel Welch and George Kennedy. A Panavision/De Luxe color production, music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by William H. Clothier.

Initially set in Texas, 1867, the pic in short plot form entails the leading men, ruffian robbers with a glint in their eye, and leading lady, on a road trip of some discomfort. They are being pursued by the law led by George Kennedy, whilst having to deal with internal fighting and a date with blood thirsty Mexican bandits.

Bubbling away in the mix is the tale of two brothers (Stewart and Martin) who went different ways during the Civil War, the conversations of such between the two most potent and worth sampling. Add in Welch for dressage and sexual tension, with Kennedy's stoic lawman in pursuit of both her and the outlaws, and it's got firecrackers simmering in the narrative. Hanging and the threat of sexual assault further stokes the fires, all while we are asked to take seriously guys with names like July Johnson and Roscoe Bookbinder!

McLaglen directs with competent hands befitting the occasion, in other words let your star named cast operate without mugging for the camera - with the visual ticks of Stewart and Kennedy a joy as opposed to doing down the material. Goldsmith's score is a bit too modern sounding for the time period of story setting, but as expected it's a blood stirrer. While locales are most pleasing as the great Clothier cements his status as a Western genre legend.

Ultimately with the cast assembled it really should be a far better film than what it is, but if nothing else, the odd blend of humour and serious themes makes for an intriguing viewing. Whilst as Kennedy slots in to steal the film from his more illustriously named co-stars, it's enough to just enjoy a cast and director comfortably at work. 7/10