Die Unbesiegten (1969)
16KDie Unbesiegten: Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. With John Wayne, Rock Hudson, Antonio Aguilar, Roman Gabriel. After the Civil War, ex-Confederate soldiers heading for a new life in Mexico run into ex-Union cavalrymen selling horses to the Mexican government but they must join forces to fight off Mexican bandits and revolutionaries.
“u0026quot;The Undefeatedu0026quot; is one of the finest of John Wayneu0026#39;s later westerns, u0026quot;True Gritu0026quot; excepted and taking into consideration that u0026quot;Big Jakeu0026quot; is nothing to slouch at.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;The Undefeatedu0026quot; is the Dukeu0026#39;s biggest large-scale epic since u0026quot;The Alamou0026quot; a decade earlier. The battle scenes and the shots of the horse drive are stirring and impressive.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnother thing that separates this film from other post-1965 Wayne westerns (except for u0026quot;The Cowboysu0026quot;) is the dialog. Itu0026#39;s sharp, crisp, witty and often fun. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHereu0026#39;s a good example of that sharp, witty u0026amp; pointed dialogue: Duke and co-star Rock Hudson had just returned to their camp after being forced to kill a Mexican bandit leader, who, with his gang wanted Rock u0026amp; Dukeu0026#39;s valuables, their horses and their women. When one of the women asks the Duke why he had to kill him, he replied matter of factly, u0026quot;The conversation sorta dried up.u0026quot; Classic stuff! u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnd Hugo Montenegrou0026#39;s memorable score is terrific – the best work I personally have heard from him. It helps perpetuate the whole notion that this is indeed an epic western.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIu0026#39;m amused at some of the wanna-be Rex Reedu0026#39;s here, the u0026quot;I am a critic so I canu0026#39;t really, actually, truthfully admit that I loved something like thisu0026quot; with their u0026quot;ho hum, itu0026#39;s passable, I guessu0026quot;; and their u0026quot;itu0026#39;s an okay time killer if youu0026#39;ve got nothing better to do.u0026quot; How too, too cool. Give me a break, you elitist wanna-beu0026#39;s! u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;The Undefeatedu0026quot; is long on length and even longer on entertainment. This is a grand western.”
