The Flowers of St. Francis (1950) Rossellini - Film No 346

Co-stars: Brother Geradi as St. Francis

Plot: The film dramatizes about a dozen vignettes from the life of St. Francis and his early followers.

"The Flowers of St. Francis" is a well-directed, well-acted film that bored me. Its difficult to make a serious movie about Medieval Christianity entertaining or interesting. But that's my own eccentric opinion. I'd rather read about St. Francis than watch a movie about him.

Summary: I found it well-done but dull. Others will probably rate it higher. Rating **1/2

Villa Rides (1968) Buzz Kulik - Film No. 345

Co-stars: Robert Mitchum, Yul Brenner, Charles Bronson

Plot: Mexican rebel Pancho Villa (Brenner) lead a revolution helped by an American aviator (Mitchum) imprisoned in Mexico.

Pros: Scenery, Action scenes, Charles Bronson

Cons: Script, Too long, Brenner isn't very Mexican

Villa Rides is a fairly entertaining Western/Historical drama about the Mexican Revolution. Needless to state its cartoon history and entertainment trumps everything. The script isn't very good. Whenever someone starts shooting its pretty interesting. Whenever they stop its dull. The leads don't help. Mitchum looks sleepy and bored - while Yul seems to thinks he's playing the King of Siam with a Mexican accent. The movie is well shot and the scenery pretty. Bronson, and the Mexican actors are solid.

Summary: An average Shoot-em up about the Mexican Revolution with some good action scenes and production values. Rating **1/2

The Last wagon (1956) Davis - Movie No. 344

Stars: Richard Widmark, Nick Adams, Felicia Farr,

Plot: After surviving an Apache attack, settlers must put their lives in the hands of  "Commanche Todd", who's wanted for murder.

Pros: Location scenery, Widmark, brisk pace, good action scenes

Cons: Underdeveloped supporting characters, perfunctory romance, mediocre script

The Last Wagon is a fairly predictable Western that boasts an excellent performance by Richard Widmark as a hard-bitten, somewhat nasty White man raised by Indians. Widmark was always at his best playing "edgy"characters - and Comanche Todd is about as cuddly as a Bowie Knife. Widmark dominates the movie -and its a good thing too - because none of the supporting characters add much.

 The 3 female characters are pretty look at, but aren't given much to do. Poor Stephanie Griffin (very good-looking but absurdly made-up for someone in a wagon train) gets the whining ninny/racist part, while Susan Kohner plays an Indian maiden who's long on suffering and short on talk. Even Felicia Farr (a sorta love interest) is treated in a perfunctory manner. As for the men, they're forgettable except for Nick Adams who seems very Un-western.

Also, notable are the location shots of Northern Arizona and some well-directed action.

Hollywood Western Cliches

As can be expected in a Delmar Davis film (Broken Arrow), there's a lot of discussion of the Indian way (good) vs. the White man way (bad). The movie also includes three cliches popular in Hollywood after 1950.

•  First, the "half-breed" or white man "raised by Indians" who typifies the best of both groups. Examples: John Wayne in Hondo, Newman in Hombre, McQueen in Nevada Smith and lastly - and most absurdly - Stallone in Rambo. 
•  Second, the Indian wife/girlfriend/mother being killed by white racists (usually in a vile manner) or the US Calvary. Examples: Nevada Smith, Last Train to Gun Hill, Duel at Diablo, Little Big Man, and The Searchers. 
• Lastly, the "Injun Hating" ninny. Normally a secondary character he/she is usually stupid/obnoxious/vapid/crooked and mouths some racist rhetoric without any justification thereby sending us the message that racism is only for stupid/evil people.  Examples: too many movies to list.

Summary: A mediocre script and story made above average by Widmark and some great location shots. Rating ***