The Appaloosa (1966)

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writers:

James Bridges (screenplay) and
Roland Kibbee (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 October 1966 (West Germany)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Southwest to Sonora rode the lustful, the lawless... to live on the edge of violence!

Plot:

Man tries to recover a horse stolen from him by a Mexican bandit.

Plot Keywords:

Bandit | Appaloosa | Confession Booth | Deep Focus | Scorpion

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Matt Fletcher
Anjanette Comer	...	Trini
John Saxon	...	Chuy Medina
Emilio Fernández	...	Lazaro (as Emilio Fernandez)
Alex Montoya	...	Squint Eye
Miriam Colon	...	Ana
Rafael Campos	...	Paco
Frank Silvera	...	Ramos
Larry D. Mann	...	Priest

Also Known As:

Southwest to Sonora (UK)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

According to co-star John Saxon, Marlon Brando's relationship with director Sidney J. Furie got to the point where Brando, when getting ready to do a close-up, would be reading a book. He would only lower the book when Furie yelled "Action". When he yelled "Cut", Brando would raise the book again.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Appaloosa which portrays the title character was actually a registered Appaloosa stallion named Cojo Rojo. He was born in 1960 and just prior to being used for the film he was racing on the California tracks. He sired several foals, including several race champions. During filming a few other similarly marked horses were used as stunt horses, but the majority of work was done by Cojo Rojo.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Priest: Madam.
[enters confessional booth]
Matt Fletcher: I'm having a little trouble getting started, Father.
Priest: You are in the House of God now, my son. Speak from your heart.
Matt Fletcher: Well, I've done a lot of killin'. I've killed a lot of men and sinned a lot of women. But the men I killed needed killin' and the women wanted sinnin', and well, I never was one much to argue.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Brando (2007) (TV)

Absolutely

I also saw this when I was in my "tender" years(pre 24). It made a lasting impression on me. A man who was a looser came back to his roots to not only pay homage to them but too use them to make something of what he had left of his existence. There were the vultures that were more than ready to pick the meat off his flesh. With his guard let down he was humiliated. The worst thing in the world: To be humiliated.

He tried to "make amends." Not enough. His previous life came into play. Note the hat that he wore at the beginning of the movie. Still it was not enough. His anger was slow to arise.

Even at the last of the movie the angst was subdued. He called gunfire justice only with the utmost reluctance. This was the ultimate strength of the movie.

It truly was one of Brando's finest!