When I read a brief synopsis of this film I thought, oh my, that old plot again? I'm surprised Gregory Peck fell for it. But, it's difficult for me to resist a Gregory Peck film, so I watched it and was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it is another revenge Western, but the script is much better than average, the acting excellent and -- I thought -- realistic, and the settings are often quite stunning.Let's begin with the plot. How many times have we seen the basic plot? Group of men kill man's wife...he seeks revenge. Well, this story goes a little beyond that basic plot. It involves a lovely village with good people. It involves mistaken identity. It involves a past love. It involves repentance. The only problem I had with the plot was that -- at the end -- there is no need for repentance. The outlaws killed were guilty of attempted murder, one was guilty of rape, another guilty of theft, all were guilty of escaping from jail. They were not innocent...they paid a price.In terms of the acting, Gregory Peck is marvelous; of course, wasn't he always? The big surprise came with Joan Collins...I guess she could actually act...at least on occasion...and for brief moments. Stephen Boyd was a nasty villain here, and accomplishe dhis acting duty. Albert Salmi was one of the bad guys in a pretty much nothing part. Henry Silva had several very good scenes near the end of the film. Was there some reason that Kathleen Gallant was smiling almost the whole time during her kidnapping. Nice to see Herbert Rudley as the sheriff...a good character actor. Lee Van Cleef, another of the bad guys had one good pre-death scene. Andrew Duggan had one good scene at the end of the film. The oddest casting was Joe DeRita as the fake hangman; DeRita is best known as one of the replacements for Curly in the Three Stooges!I rarely watch Westerns anymore, but this is a good one. Well worth your time.

Bravados it's one those movies to never forget,so powerful and so compelling,Peck is sad laconic and cold guy pursuing remorseless revenge,but the persecution is long and without respite,along the way he became a judge,each bad man has your final day,but in the end he found the awful truth,the killer was nearby the fence,excellent casting as still unknown Lee Van Cleef,Henry Silva and Joe De Rita in weird role,noteworthy is also a beautiful Mexican landscape,atypical western and essential for those love the real cinema!! Resume: First watch: 2007 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8

By 1958 the Works of Anthony Mann and Budd Boetticher, With the So Called "Adult" or "Psychological" Western had Made Their Mark and an Old Salt Like Henry King was Surely Influenced in This One.He Almost Manages it, but the Old School Hollywood was Just Too Ingrained in the Director and His Capitulation to Heavy Handed Religious Apologetics All But Destroyed This Otherwise Excellent Attempt at Pushing the Western Forward.The Story of Revenge and Rage is Well Done Until the Ending that Becomes Laughable (when Gregory Peck exits the Church). But Until the Sledgehammer Ending Where King and Yordan Beat Us Over the Head with Piety and Priests, it's an Edgy, Sometimes Brutal Display of the "New" Western.The Cast, Led by Peck, are All Pretty Good Featuring Lee Van Cleef, Stephen Boyd, and Henry Silva as the Outlaws on the Run, but Joan Collins is Virtually Background Scenery. Speaking of Scenery, the Cinemascope, Technicolor Landscape is an Attraction and Backdrop Some of the "New" Violence.Other Signs that is One of Those New Fangled Types is the Word "Rape" is Used More than Once and an Actual Rape Takes Place On Screen but Out of Sight and is Rather Unsettling.Overall, this is an Above Average Western with a Highly Polished Hollywood Look. It's Just a Shame About the Excessive Use of Religion, Especially in the Final Scenes.

Pleasant classic Western with magnificent Gregory Peck who steals the show as a merciless revenger gunfighter . He is relentless in his vengeance , deadly in his violence but he learns that he has become no better than those he hunts . A Hollywood production full of action , exaggerated characters , shootouts and lots of violence . For revenge, he doesn't care why he kills or how ¡ ... . An errant Jim Douglas (Gregory Peck) sees the atrocity over his family and executes a single-handedly revenge, as he ravages and murders each person involved in his vendetta . Douglas has been relentlessly pursuing the four outlaws (Albert Salmi , Henry Silva , Stephen Boyd and Lee Van Cleef) who killed his wife, but finds them in prison about to be hanged . But the prisoners escape and villagers enlist Douglas' aid to capture them . The conflict is a simple one between avenger Douglas and oppressors, nasties bandits commanded by cruel Bill Zachary (Stephen Boyd) . Douglas along with a posse set out in pursuit the outlaws and he faces the vicious bandits.It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonist Gregory Peck against four heartless bandits . In the film premiere attained success , nowadays is well valued and I think it turns out to be a good classic Western. The picture is fleshed out with a marvelous cast as Gregory Peck who is excellent as a good father turned revenger . Nice too is Henry Silva as the brash Mexican young gun and Andrew Duggan as the amiable Padre . Joan Collins gives a good performance as Jim's former girlfriend , she does a well measured portrayal of a woman who still loves her previous sweetheart and who promises to leave with him which ultimately can never be . Stephen Boyd as a cruelly baddie role also is terrific . The film packs violence , gun-play , high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining. There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shootouts or stunts every few minutes . This is a dark downbeat story of an avenger gunfighter perfectly performed by Gregory Peck told with genuine realism and honesty . Stylishly written by prestigious by Philip Yordan-Johnny Guitar- , the screenplay was based on an original story by Frank O'Rourke. The movie was directed with a positive flair by Henry King . There are many fine technicians and nice assistants as Lyle Wheeler and Walter Scott in charge of Art Direction and Set Direction respectively . Good production design creating an excellent scenario with luminous outdoors, dirty and rocky landscapes under a glimmer sun and a fine sets on the Mexican landscapes . The musician Lionel Newman composes a nice soundtrack and well conducted , being helped by the maestros Hugo Friedhofer and Alfred Newman , tough uncredited ; it's full of agreeable sounds, and a haunting musical leitmotif . Sharply photographed with striking cinematography by Leon Shamroy in Technicolor, Techniscope with negative well processed and outdoor sequences filmed in Jalisco, Mexico Morelia, Michoacán,St Jose Perua mountains, Mexico.Henry King 's direction is well crafted , here he's less thought-provoking and broody and more inclined toward violence and too much action , because he's a expert on compelling Adventure/Western genre . Henry King directed other classic Western as ¨ Jesse James(1939)¨and ¨The gunfighter(1950)¨ with Peck again . Koster was specialist on Adventure genre as proved in ¨Untamed , Captain King , Captain of Castilla , Black Swan , Stanley and Livingstone ¨and many others . Rating : Better than average . Worthwhile watching .