Valdez Is Coming (1971)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Edwin Sherin

Writers:

Roland Kibbee (screenplay) and
David Rayfiel (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 April 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Honor is Always Worth Fighting For.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Evil Landowner | Stagecoach | Mexican | Intimidation

Cast

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

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | West Germany:16 (f) | UK:15 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG-13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Estudios Roma, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Ira Steiner Productions

Quotes:

Gay Erin: [referring to Tanner] Is he coming?
Bob Valdez: He's coming - but not alone. No, not alone.

"Before I knew better..."

...was Bob Valdez's reply when he was asked when he used to hunt and shoot down Indians to eradicate them from rangeland. This is a great movie, one that deserves watching by anyone interested in the Western, and any Elmore Leonard fan. Burt Lancaster gives a great, artistic and very reserved performance as a very tired, lonely man who looks unassuming but should just not be messed with. His history makes him a very dangerous man, although he now only wants to live in peace. Of course, when he tries to do the honorable thing, he is treacherously dealt with, which leads to one of the most entertaining and compelling westerns ever filmed. Also of special note is Barton Heyman, who plays the world-wise Segundo, who quickly realizes that they are not after any ordinary man, and provides a great surprise ending. This is just a crackerjack movie, compelling from start to finish without losing a carefully crafted artistry that any movie lover would appreciate. Highly recommended.