Texas Ranger Jake Cutter arrests gambler Paul Regret, but soon finds himself teamed with his prisoner in an undercover effort to defeat a band of renegade arms merchants and thieves known as Comancheros.
The film's production is almost as interesting as the film itself. Heck, maybe even more so. Paul Wellman's novel had been bought for the screen by George Stevens who wanted to direct it after "Giant" (1956). However, he then became interested in making "The Diary of Anne Frank" and sold the film rights to Fox for $300,000.
Clair Huffaker ("Seven Ways from Sundown") was signed by the studio to adapt it for producer Charles Brackett with Gary Cooper to star. However, Cooper was in ill health and in early 1961 Douglas Heyes was announced as writer and director. John Wayne and Charlton Heston were announced as stars, but Heston dropped out and was replaced by Tom Tryon, then Heyes dropped out and was replaced by Michael Curtiz. Fox had the script rewritten by Wayne's regular writer James Edward Grant ("Angel and the Badman"). Because of Wayne's involvement, Paul Regret (who was the lead in the novel) was played down and Wayne's part had to be amplified.
Ultimately, this is very much a John Wayne film. His preferred writer, him starring, and even him directing at some points when Michael Curtiz was too ill to come to set. There are many things about John Wayne as a person that are despicable, but as a Hollywood personality he is among the biggest.
The film's production is almost as interesting as the film itself. Heck, maybe even more so. Paul Wellman's novel had been bought for the screen by George Stevens who wanted to direct it after "Giant" (1956). However, he then became interested in making "The Diary of Anne Frank" and sold the film rights to Fox for $300,000.
Clair Huffaker ("Seven Ways from Sundown") was signed by the studio to adapt it for producer Charles Brackett with Gary Cooper to star. However, Cooper was in ill health and in early 1961 Douglas Heyes was announced as writer and director. John Wayne and Charlton Heston were announced as stars, but Heston dropped out and was replaced by Tom Tryon, then Heyes dropped out and was replaced by Michael Curtiz. Fox had the script rewritten by Wayne's regular writer James Edward Grant ("Angel and the Badman"). Because of Wayne's involvement, Paul Regret (who was the lead in the novel) was played down and Wayne's part had to be amplified.
Ultimately, this is very much a John Wayne film. His preferred writer, him starring, and even him directing at some points when Michael Curtiz was too ill to come to set. There are many things about John Wayne as a person that are despicable, but as a Hollywood personality he is among the biggest.