#58: Texas Across the River (1966) September 20, 2008
Posted by badblokebob in : Comedy, Western, 4 stars, 1960s, 2008 , 1 comment so far1966 | Michael Gordon | 101 mins | DVD | PG
Texas Across the River hardly seems to be a well-remembered film — the only DVD edition available (as far as I can tell) is a legally-produced DVD-R, clearly in the wrong aspect ration, purchasable here. (At the time of publishing the site is down, but I’ll give the link in case it ever returns.) I only come to see it because a friend happened to have a VHS as a child, enjoyed it back then, and managed to track down that DVD.
And actually, it’s a fairly entertaining film. Little more than a comedic Western runaround, it sees Alain Delon — as a Spanish nobleman — trying to get to Texas to escape the Cavalry (led by Jim Phelps himself, Peter Graves) and marry his betrothed. On the way he enlists the help of Dean Martin and his Indian sidekick. Hilarity ensues! OK, so it’s probably funnier if you watch it before your age hits double figures, but it still has enough entertaining moments and decent gags that its complete expungement from almost anyone’s consciousness seems unwarranted.
I don’t expect it’ll ever undergo some miraculous revival (it’s not that good), and perhaps is of primary interest as a curio for fans of Dean Martin, Alain Delon or Mission: Impossible, but it made me laugh — and, as I believe I’ve said before, that’s all I really ask of a comedy.
#28: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) April 2, 2007
Posted by badblokebob in : Drama, Western, 2000s, 3 stars, 2007 , add a comment2005 | Tommy Lee Jones | 116 mins | DVD | 15 / R
Empire gave this film one of their rare five-star reviews, immediately making me want to see it. Shame they overrated it then. A confused first act (which jumps about in chronology for no discernible reason) gives way to a more linear second two that, while more pleasing, seem to do away with major characters for no reason other than the plot ran out of things for them to do. The film has its moments, and some pretty views, but five-star it ain’t.
