THE BRAVADOS on dvd

The Bravados (1958)

Run time: 93 mins

Screenplay by Philip Yordan based on the book by Frank O'Rourke.

Directed by Henry King

Gregory Peck as Jim Douglass

Joan Collins as Josefa Valverde

Stephen Boyd as Bill Zachary

Albert Salmi as Ed Taylor

Henry Silva as Lujan

Lee Van Cleef as Alfonso Parral

Jim Douglass rides into the town of Rio Arriba just to see four men hang. After taking a look at the men who he doesn't really know he meets up with an old flame, Josefina, and they have a meal together. She is looking after her father's ranch but as soon as Jim tells her he has a daughter Josefina seems to lose interest. Later, though, she gets the whole story and she gets interested again.

Enter the hangman who joins Jim for a drink and they while away their time together. When it gets dark and everyone has gone to church the hangman goes into action. He stabs the lawman who shoots him dead but the four men get the keys and escape.

Jim Douglass becomes a part of the posse because he wants the four men dead for the rape and murder of his wife.

One by one he catches up with them and disposes of them until only Lujan is left. But when Jim catches up with him he finds out that everything is not as it had seemed to Jim.

This film has a plodding start but was worth staying with once the men escaped from jail. Most of the revenge killings are hinted at rather than shown. Each time he meets up with an outlaw he shows them a photo of his wife but he doesn't get the message that they have no idea of who she is.

This film may not appeal to everybody but worth, at least, a look.