Vera Cruz (1954)

Vera Cruz: Directed by Robert Aldrich. With Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster, Denise Darcel, Cesar Romero. During the Mexican Rebellion of 1866, an unsavory group of American adventurers are hired by the forces of Emporer Maximilian to escort a countess to Vera Cruz.

“Itu0026#39;s funny that I see this movie the way I do, perhaps Iu0026#39;m more perceptive to little dramatic, human touches, but I saw this movie and was satisfied with it. In fact, I fell in love with it. This movie is chilling, very spooky, with a few moments that will make you jump, but itu0026#39;s a movie that works itself up, and by the end of the movie you feel scared, and like someone has zapped you a few times, chilly from inside out, but fulfilled.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePeople have been comparing this to u0026quot;Sixth Senseu0026quot;. Though the movie may share similarities, this stands on itu0026#39;s own. Itu0026#39;s content is not trying to send a message, except for a universal theme that you want to grasp onto. There is historical and religious content, purely in context for the twists and turns and nuances to make this film so complete in every aspect. Everything works so well. This movie takes pride in each scene, and each is set up so that you get the most of it. Everything relates to everything, you are given clues the entire movie, but itu0026#39;s set up so masterfully the ending is the suprise youu0026#39;ve been waiting for.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe performance by Kidman and the two children are one of a kind. Itu0026#39;s a realistic interaction between siblings and a controlling, dysfunctional, but loving mother. The acting and writing (the script) is so well done, it adds for scattered scenes that will, hopefully, stick around with you for a long time. Thereu0026#39;s this one beautiful scene in the movie, itu0026#39;s where Grace (Nicole Kidman) is hugging her son, and her daughter (who is slightly estranged from her mom) runs up and hugs her, and there this look of absolute release on the face of Grace. Another great scene is when Grace carries her rifle around the house (shoot the ghost!), and sheu0026#39;s desperately trying to protect her house and children. There are more like that, so keep your eyes open.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe cinematography is innovative and brilliant, camera angles and the lighting set everything up so well. The lighting is very important as well, in fact, the subject of u0026quot;lightu0026quot; is so well mixed into the story, the dark feels safer and more secure than the light does. There are times when you long for the darkness, just as the characters long for the darkness (due to a part of the plot including a health condition of the children, which serves a basis for the mental thrill fest to come). To finish off this concoction, try to listen to the score, because itu0026#39;s very fitting.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is more of a drama than a thriller, though it deserves to be a thriller (itu0026#39;s scary), but the power of itu0026#39;s dramatic side comes bursting through. This is a beautiful movie, it has overtones of a more serious side, and itu0026#39;s a movie that hardly belongs in the horror section because of itu0026#39;s beauty, but itu0026#39;s too darned eerie, weird, and chilling to fit anywhere else.”