Valdez Is Coming (1971)

A Mexican-American sheriff must resort to violence against a powerful rancher in order to get just compensation for the pregnant Indian widow of a wrongly killed black man.

Director:

Edwin Sherin

Writers:

Roland Kibbee (screenplay), David Rayfiel (screenplay),

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Susan Clark, Frank Silvera

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Lancaster	...	Valdez
Susan Clark	...	Gay Erin
Frank Silvera	...	Diego
Jon Cypher	...	Frank Tanner
Richard Jordan	...	R.L. Davis
Barton Heyman	...	El Segundo
Hector Elizondo	...	Mexican Rider
Phil Brown	...	Malson
Ralph Brown	...	Beaudry
Werner Hasselmann	...	Sheriff (as Werner Hassleman)
Lex Monson	...	Rincon
Sylvia Poggioli	...	Segundo's Girl (as Sylvia Paggioli)
José García García	...	Carlos (as Jose Garcia Garcia)
María Montez	...	Anita (as Maria Montez)
Juanita Penaloza	...	Indian Woman

Storyline

The town constable, Bob Valdez, is forced to kill someone accused by Frank Tanner of being a murderer. Valdez asks Tanner for monetary help for the man's wife, but he is ridiculed and almost killed by Tanner's henchmen. Valdez recovers and summons up his days in the U.S. Cavalry in order to fight them. Valdez wounds one of the henchmen and sends him back to Tanner with the message, "Valdez is coming."

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Plot Keywords:

violence | widow | native american | photograph | christ figure | 

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Taglines:

Honor is Always Worth Fighting For.

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Genres:

Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, brief nudity and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

9 April 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Valdez

Filming Locations:

Estudios Roma, Madrid, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ira Steiner Productions, Norlan Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When MGM producer Ira Steiner took Elmore Leonard's novel to Lancaster, the actor agreed to co-produce and co-star as Tanner with Marlon Brando as Valdez, David Rayfiel as writer, and Sidney Pollak directing. After the picture was postponed to allow Lancaster to do "Airport," the actor decided he wanted to play the title role and engaged Roland Kibbee to rewrite the role for him. According to Lancaster's biographer Gary Fishgall, none of Rayfiel's writing was used although he received co-credit.

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Goofs

At the end of the film, when Valdez is riding hidden between two horses, a wire is visible holding the horses' bridles together, so that they won't separate during Lancaster's close-up.

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Quotes

Frank Tanner: Any last words?
Bob Valdez: Hundred Dollars!

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Connections

Referenced in Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)

User Reviews

Interesting social commentary by rookie director

The opening scene begins like a Sunday picnic/Turkey shoot: well-dressed couples in period costumes milling around, young boys plunking away with their new rifles. It takes a minute or so to realize that this is stand-off with a man sealed inside a log cabin. A few racial epithets later and we realize the man is (a) black and (b) possibly innocent of the crime he is accused of.

Director Edwin Scherin lucked into a fine script co-authored by Elmore Leonard, one of the pioneers among popular writers to take up the subject of racism in best-selling detective and action novels. He uses Burt Lancaster, the title character, judiciously at first, having him enter inconspicuously and a little awkwardly, like a man who knows he is out of place. But soon Lancaster assumes control of the deadlocked situation, and but for the interference of a trigger-happy shooter (Richard Jordan), almost manages to end it peacefully.

This scene sets off the plot events that follow, as Valdez tries to obtain money to compensate the man's Native American widow. Most of the action - except for the bizarre humiliation of Valdez at the hands of a wealthy gun-runner - follows standard formulas, but Lancaster underplays his role so well that the clichés turn to his and the movie's advantage. Add solid supporting roles by John Cypher, Susan Clark, and an offbeat ending, and you have a surprisingly engaging Western that delivers what we expect and then some.