source: Valdez Is Coming

Valdez Is Coming

I have watched this movie many times and enjoy it very much. It has great action, good acting, a superb plot, and a satisfying ending. Burt Lancaster is fantastic and show's why he is and was a superstar. This western is gritty, tough, bloody, and believable. Some movies should only be seen once, some such as this one, many times. This is not a spaghetti western!!! I think that spaghetti westerns have been way overrated. This western surpasses most if not all of the spaghetti's. Why you ask! I think Spaghetti westerns lack believability, you know the good guy is never gonna die, while in this show the good guy takes a beating and loses at the end but wins as well. Great unexpected ending!

An incident involving a black man who is holed up in a shack with his native American woman escalates after the man is killed by the town constable, a Mexican who had served in the US Cavalry chasing Apaches. Thus opens the film and sets the stage for the story of Valdez, the constable, who after killing the innocent man tries to set up a collection for his woman and runs into violent reaction from the wealthy, racist white rancher who wanted the man killed in the first place, and who runs roughshod over his own men, the Mexicans who hired out to him. The black man, the Native American woman, the Mexicans, the Anglos, and then the rancher's not so faithful mistress, give this movie a lot of great subplots to think about, but the central story of Valdez first asking and then demanding money for the dead man's woman is simple yet effective as it draws out into chases and ambushes while revealing the characters for who they really are.

A former Apache hunter, who has lost his taste for violence, becomes embroiled in a running duel across a scorched, rugged terrain with a gang of gunrunners...all over a lousy 100 bucks...and honor...and a woman. This film reminded me somewhat of Charles Bronson's first big box office hit, "Chato's Land". The band of thugs, unlike the group chasing Chato, were up to the job of killing Valdez, but found their quarry to be more elusive than they had bargained for. Very good western, right up there with Lancaster's film of the same year, "Lawman". I still can't feature Burt as a Mexican, though.

...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.

Adapted from the famous novel by Elmore Leonard. Burt Lancaster made three westerns all in a row. 'Valdez is Coming' was the first, then 'The Lawman' (which i have not seen) and of course the mighty 'Ulzana's Raid'. Here he plays a softly spoken (Mexican) constable, who is set up to kill an innocent man. Burt Lancaster shows he is an actor of such quality and class plus almost perfect as the quiet man; on a mission for bloody revenge. 'Valdez' is such an unusual Western and only someone of Lancaster's pedigree could have played the part of Bob Valdez and do it justice. This is a very well respected movie and was directed with a deft touch by Edwin Sherrin. A sure must for any serious Western fan.

Burt Lancaster is terrific in this well directed movie.Even with his pale blue eyes, he comes across as a believable character of the results a mixed relationship. Even though the storyline is typical of the era, wrong being righted against over powering odds, Lancaster pulls it off in believable fashion. The movie gets better and better as I age into an old man. With all the computer generated garbage being put in theaters today, it's good to be able to turn on the western channel and see some real acting again.