100 Rifles (1969)

In 1912 Sonora, Mexico, native revolutionary Yaqui Joe (Burt Reynolds) robs a bank to buy arms for his oppressed people, but finds himself sought by an American lawman and the Mexican Army.

Director:

Tom Gries

Writers:

Clair Huffaker (screenplay), Tom Gries (screenplay)

Stars:

Jim Brown, Raquel Welch, Burt Reynolds

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jim Brown	...	Lyedecker
Raquel Welch	...	Sarita
Burt Reynolds	...	Yaqui Joe
Fernando Lamas	...	Verdugo
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Grimes
Eric Braeden	...	Von Klemme (as Hans Gudegast)
Michael Forest	...	Humara
Aldo Sambrell	...	Sgt. Paletes
Soledad Miranda	...	Girl in Hotel
Alberto Dalbés	...	Padre Francisco (as Alberto Dalbes)
Charly Bravo	...	Lopez (as Carlos Bravo)
José Manuel Martín	...	Sarita's Father (as Jose Manuel Martin)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Akim Tamiroff	...	Gen. Romero (scenes deleted)

Storyline

Yaqui Joe (Burt Reynolds) is an Indian who robs a bank in order to buy guns for his people, who are being savagely repressed by the government. Set in turn-of-the-century Mexico, it tells the story of his flight into Mexico and his pursuit by an American lawman. They eventually become allies and team up with Sarita (Raquel Welch) to take up the cause of the Indians.

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Plot Keywords:

yaqui indian | ambush | mexican revolution | train | rifle | 

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Taglines:

Meet the Slaughterers!

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Genres:

Adventure | Romance | War | Western

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was filmed in the same Almeria, Spain, region as Director Tom Gries' television series The Rat Patrol (1966). Both featured Eric Braeden.

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Goofs

Jim Brown goes around with a torn sleeve on his shirt, then the sleeve was sewn up. During the interrogation of the American businessman, the sleeve is again torn.

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Quotes

Yaqui Joe Herrera: I know all about them small town barber shop cutting sheriffs. I know all about them big town, big belly, billy club swinging policemen from St. Louis.
Lyedecker: YOU DON'T KNOW NOTHIN'!
Yaqui Joe Herrera: THE HELL I DON'T! They look you up and down and you're guilty! You don't get no trial, just like we ain't gonna get one now.

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Alternate Versions

Originally rated R upon its initial release, in 1973 the film was edited and re-rated PG. The recent Region 1 DVD by FOX is this PG rated version.

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Connections

Featured in The Black Godfather (2019)

User Reviews

A bit clumsy sometimes, but good fun

Sheriff Lyedecker (Jim Brown) comes to Mexiko as he chases the bank robber Yaqui Joe (Burt Reynolds). As a victim of circumstance, Lyedecker becomes the number 1 enemy of a Mexican general who wants to kill the Yaqui Indians. The sheriff has no other choice than to fight side by side with the bank robber and the Indians now...

The years 1969-1971 mark the beginning of the modern western with the irony of „Little Big Man", the cruelty of „Soldier Blue", the myth awareness of „Butch Cassidy And the Sundance Kid", the depression of „McCabe & Mrs Miller" and many more. „100 Rifles" is a kind of missing link between 1960s westerns and the new approach as from 1970 onwards. It makes deliberate, obvious attempts to break taboos, telling the love story between a black guy and a white woman, pushes violence to the level of an Italian western of that time, includes nudity not only in Raquel Welch's famous shower scene, but also in Soledad Miranda's hotel scene at the beginning, and the screenplay adds a left-wing political, anti-racist theme. „100 Rifles" gets carried away by its own enthusiasm sometimes, putting forward its messages a bit clumsily compared to the elegance of „The Professionals", a movie which took much more careful steps into the revolution movie direction 2 years earlier. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching the picture for being a (wild) child of its time, speedy narration and a gorgeous Raquel Welch.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

26 March 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

One Hundred Rifles

Filming Locations:

Villamanta, Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$3,920,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Marvin Schwartz Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1