Right up front I have to say I liked Gregory Peck's character, and the story in general had the makings of a good revenge Western. However I can't get past some rather large plot holes in the story that leave me puzzled even now as I write this. Jim Douglass (Peck), on his arrival in Rio Arriba, states to the sheriff (Herbert Rudley) that he's traveled a hundred miles from Winthrop to witness the hanging of the four outlaws. Now if it was better explained how he covered all that ground I wouldn't be so perplexed. However Douglass's ranch was only four miles away! The Padre (Andrew Duggan) knew that, and even told Josefa Velarde (Joan Collins) how to get there through the San Marcos Pass.
Which brings up my next point - how would the sheriff of San Arriba be unaware of such a large ranch so close to his town? Or have never heard of the owner? Is it possible the sheriff never had to leave town during the execution of his duties? It didn't make sense to me.
So as one point leads to another, the inconsistencies continue to pile up. Rio Arriba didn't strike me as a very big place, and the outside view of the local church offered a structure in keeping with the town's size. However once you got inside, it was as big and as ornate as a cathedral! On top of that, the church was packed for services in the middle of the week, and in a screen freeze of the choir I counted twenty eight boys singing! Where would they all have come from? I don't know, all of this stuff kept intruding on my paying attention to the story.
Had all this stuff been dealt with a bit more carefully, I think the irony of Jim Douglass's mistake would have been a lot more thought provoking. As it is, I've never seen Lee Van Cleef grovel in a Western before, and to say that the gunning of Bill Zachary (Stephen Boyd) was one of the strangest looking showdowns I've ever seen in a Western is an understatement. The icing on the cake here was when the Indian Lujan (Henry Silva) managed to convince Douglass that he and his outlaw friends had nothing to do with the murder of his wife. When it finally dawned on Peck's character that the Butler did it, well that about did it for me too.
So I guess this is one of those rare occasions where I liked the story while watching it, but upon reflection of what transpired I've managed to talk my way out of it. Well maybe not all the way. Like I mentioned earlier, I liked the way Gregory Peck carried himself in the story, and Joan Collins' character didn't irritate the way I thought she would. Now if I can only figure out what the title had to do with the picture.
Which brings up my next point - how would the sheriff of San Arriba be unaware of such a large ranch so close to his town? Or have never heard of the owner? Is it possible the sheriff never had to leave town during the execution of his duties? It didn't make sense to me.
So as one point leads to another, the inconsistencies continue to pile up. Rio Arriba didn't strike me as a very big place, and the outside view of the local church offered a structure in keeping with the town's size. However once you got inside, it was as big and as ornate as a cathedral! On top of that, the church was packed for services in the middle of the week, and in a screen freeze of the choir I counted twenty eight boys singing! Where would they all have come from? I don't know, all of this stuff kept intruding on my paying attention to the story.
Had all this stuff been dealt with a bit more carefully, I think the irony of Jim Douglass's mistake would have been a lot more thought provoking. As it is, I've never seen Lee Van Cleef grovel in a Western before, and to say that the gunning of Bill Zachary (Stephen Boyd) was one of the strangest looking showdowns I've ever seen in a Western is an understatement. The icing on the cake here was when the Indian Lujan (Henry Silva) managed to convince Douglass that he and his outlaw friends had nothing to do with the murder of his wife. When it finally dawned on Peck's character that the Butler did it, well that about did it for me too.
So I guess this is one of those rare occasions where I liked the story while watching it, but upon reflection of what transpired I've managed to talk my way out of it. Well maybe not all the way. Like I mentioned earlier, I liked the way Gregory Peck carried himself in the story, and Joan Collins' character didn't irritate the way I thought she would. Now if I can only figure out what the title had to do with the picture.