I'd place this western somewhere in the middle of the seven director Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott made together in the 50s and early 60s. The main flaw for me is that the title character is a too unblemished good guy. I frankly miss the darker, more psychologically damaged men Scott played in darker, more psychologically probing entries in the cycle like "Decision At Sundown" and "Ride Lonesome". I also found the tongue in cheek tone of the first half a bit off putting, especially on Scott's part, as he constantly smiles, smirks and chuckles to himself, as if he's in on a joke to which the rest of us are denied access. And I sure would have liked a better actor for the key role of Juan De La Vega than Manuel Rojas who strikes me as a typical Hollywood, 50s pretty boy.
However, about halfway through, once Pecos (well played by L Q Jones), decides, out of Texan loyalty, to switch sides and help Buchanan, Boetticher's pace becomes tighter and more tense all leading up to the wonderfully staged, climactic shootout in a dusty border town street involving the dueling Agry brothers, Buchanan, a most interestingly ambiguous character named Abe Carbo (a nice, Tarantino-ish turn from Craig Stevens), and a saddle bag full of cash. And in Lucien Ballard's always evocative camera this scene has never looked so stark. You can almost feel the dust in your throat!
Bottom line: If you can surmount the too cute first half this movie pays off. Give it a B minus.
PS...As to the absence of women noted by reviewer PatrynXX below it can be argued (and has been by both straight and queer film critics) that the romance in this film is between Buchanan and De La Vega. I'm not quite sure except to note that the embrace they share seems a tad more than comradely.
However, about halfway through, once Pecos (well played by L Q Jones), decides, out of Texan loyalty, to switch sides and help Buchanan, Boetticher's pace becomes tighter and more tense all leading up to the wonderfully staged, climactic shootout in a dusty border town street involving the dueling Agry brothers, Buchanan, a most interestingly ambiguous character named Abe Carbo (a nice, Tarantino-ish turn from Craig Stevens), and a saddle bag full of cash. And in Lucien Ballard's always evocative camera this scene has never looked so stark. You can almost feel the dust in your throat!
Bottom line: If you can surmount the too cute first half this movie pays off. Give it a B minus.
PS...As to the absence of women noted by reviewer PatrynXX below it can be argued (and has been by both straight and queer film critics) that the romance in this film is between Buchanan and De La Vega. I'm not quite sure except to note that the embrace they share seems a tad more than comradely.