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IMDbPro

They Came to Cordura

  • 19591959
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, Michael Callan, and Dick York in They Came to Cordura (1959)
An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.
Play trailer2:41
1 Video
27 Photos
AdventureDramaHistory
An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
    • Robert Rossen
    • Ivan Moffat(screenplay)
    • Robert Rossen(screenplay)
    • Glendon Swarthout(novel)
  • Stars
    • Gary Cooper
    • Rita Hayworth
    • Van Heflin
    • Robert Rossen
    • Ivan Moffat(screenplay)
    • Robert Rossen(screenplay)
    • Glendon Swarthout(novel)
  • Stars
    • Gary Cooper
    • Rita Hayworth
    • Van Heflin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 43User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:41
    Watch Trailer

    Photos27

    Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, and Tab Hunter in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, and Tab Hunter in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Rita Hayworth in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Rita Hayworth in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Rita Hayworth and Michael Callan in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Gary Cooper, Van Heflin, Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, and Dick York in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    They Came to Cordura (1959)
    They Came to Cordura (1959)
    Gary Cooper and Van Heflin in They Came to Cordura (1959)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gary Cooper
    Gary Cooper
    • Major Thomas Thorn
    Rita Hayworth
    Rita Hayworth
    • Adelaide Geary
    Van Heflin
    Van Heflin
    • Sgt. John Chawk
    Tab Hunter
    Tab Hunter
    • Lt. William Fowler
    Richard Conte
    Richard Conte
    • Cpl. Milo Trubee
    Michael Callan
    Michael Callan
    • Pvt. Andrew Hetherington
    Dick York
    Dick York
    • Pvt. Renziehausen
    Robert Keith
    Robert Keith
    • Colonel Rogers
    Carlos Romero
    Carlos Romero
    • Arreaga
    Jim Bannon
    Jim Bannon
    • Capt. Paltz
    • (as James Bannon)
    Edward Platt
    Edward Platt
    • Colonel DeRose
    Maurice Jara
    • Mexican Federale
    Sam Buffington
    Sam Buffington
    • 1st Correspondent
    Arthur Hanson
    Arthur Hanson
    • 2nd Correspondent
    Clem Fuller
    Clem Fuller
      Wendell Hoyt
      • Cavalry Trooper
      • (uncredited)
      Maggie
      • Parrot
      • (uncredited)
        • Robert Rossen
        • Ivan Moffat(screenplay)
        • Robert Rossen(screenplay)
        • Glendon Swarthout(novel)
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

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      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        During filming, Gary Cooper arranged for his daughter to "date" gay actor Tab Hunter. He'd previously arranged for her to "date" gay actor Anthony Perkins while they were filming Friendly Persuasion (1956), a film he hated.
      • Goofs
        Major Thorn improperly salutes Colonel DeRose in the opening scene when he is dismissed. He should have saluted and held his salute until it was acknowledged. Instead, he lowers his arm even before Colonel Rose acknowledges it.
      • Quotes

        Major Thomas Thorn: Did you ever see the Medal of Honor?

        Private Renziehausen: No, Sir.

        Major Thomas Thorn: It's the most beautiful decoration of all, as it should be. I'd trade an ear for one any time, two in fact.

        Private Renziehausen: Excuse me, Sir, but I'd rather have the ear.

      • Crazy credits
        Opening credits prologue:

        On the night of March 8th, 1916, a large mounted force of Mexican rebels under Pancho Villa crossed the American Border and attacked the town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing and wounding both American civilians and soldiers.

        As a result of this action,the United States Army sent an expedition into Mexico with orders to capture Villa and disperse his forces.

        It was during this campaign that one man, an United States Army officer,was forced to come face to face with two of the great fundamental questions that affect mankind:

        What Is Courage? What Is Cowardice?

        This is the story of his search for an answer.
      • Connections
        Featured in Stars of the Silver Screen: Rita Hayworth (2011)

      User reviews43

      Review
      Review
      Featured review
      6/10
      Cooper , Hayworth and a large support cast give good performances as a motley group lost in Mexico .
      This particular Western deals with human conflicts about courage and cowardice . On March 8, 1916, Pancho Villa and his army crossed the border, destroying the city of Columbus, the state of New Mexico. The U.S. government in retaliation launches a punitive operation, which only meets resistance at the ranch called ¨Guerrero¨ . An army officer (Gary Cooper), himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommended soldiers (Van Heflin , Richard Conte , Dick York , Michael Callan, Tab Hunter ) for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916 . Meanwhile , they meet on the way a suspicious lady (Rita Hayworth) with dark secrets .

      Coooper is pretty well as an Army major sent to find five men worthy of Medal of Honor and Rita Hayworth is attractive as a shady lady . Robert Rossen directed this unusual Western that explores human conflicts in an intelligent way as representative of this genre such as cowardice and bravery of the soldiers , but is paced with some flaws and gaps , including an unfairly adulterated final . A phrase of Rita Hayworth is developing the evolution of the movie : ¨The man who once was a coward not to say that it is all his life and the man who once was a brave does not mean that all his life living as such". Human conflicts designed by the screen-writers turn tiring , repetitive and somewhat artificial as well as the plot progresses . The search for the contrast between valor and cowardice and reflections on the protagonists results to be forced and unnatural , some discussions are inappropriate for its intended significance . Nice and emotive musical score by Elie Siegmaster with ordinary conductor Morris Stoloff . Colorful and evocative cinematography by magnificent cameraman Burnett Guffey and mostly filmed in Mexico where is set the action . The motion picture is professionally directed by Robert Rossen , though in ups and downs . Rossen was a prestigious writer and filmmaker , directing notorious actors and various successful titles of all kind genres as Noir film as ¨Body and soul¨ with John Garfield , ¨Johnny O'Clock¨ with Dick Powell ; Drama as ¨Mambo¨ with Silvana Mangano, ¨Brave Bulls¨ with Anthony Quinn, ¨Island in the sun¨ with James Mason , ¨Lilith¨ with Jean Seberg , Epic as ¨Alexander Magnus¨ with Richard Burton . His greatest hits were ¨The political¨ in which won Oscar for Broderick Crawford ¨and ¨The hustler¨ with Paul Newman .

      The real events in which are based this film are the following : For a time Villa,who seemed in line for leadership of Mexico ,enjoyed the sympathetic interest of the US government who then dropped Villa and supported his rival,Carranza.Villa's resentment resulted in the vengeance raid on Columbus.Villa slapped the United States in the face by mounting a surprise raid on the town of Columbus,New Mexico,on 9 march 1916, killing eight American soldiers and ten civilians.In retaliation,President Woodrow Wilson sent General Pershing and a Punitive Expedition into Mexico in hot pursuit of Villa . General Pershing's column included the Seventh Cavalry and Apache scouts,chased Villa deep into Mexico,the Americans captured and killed several of Villa's lieutenants but failed to catch the guerrilla leader.Because of Mexican protests,Pershing's command returned to the US.Villa was assassinated in 1923 when gunman ambushed his car.
      helpful•8
      4
      • ma-cortes
      • Feb 27, 2012

      Details

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      • Release date
        • August 20, 1959 (Japan)
        • United States
        • English
      • Also known as
      • Filming locations
        • St. George, Utah, USA
      • Production companies
        • Columbia Pictures
        • Goetz Pictures
        • Baroda Productions
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

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      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

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      • 2 hours 3 minutes
        • Color

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