mwillyk-00336
While slavery and Japanese internment has its proper place in the U.S. history books, what does not is the forced deportation of any person who had the misfortune of having a Spanish name (or looked "Mexican) during the Great Depression, when these people were rounded-up by local and federal agents and simply thrown across the border with little more than what they could carry, with no due process rights. It is estimated that 60 percent of these people were U.S. citizens.During the 1950s, several films--Giant, Trial and Man From Del Rio--provided commentary on anti-Hispanic prejudice in this country, and obviously nothing has changed since then. Today the media and Hollywood fear to tread into the topic of this ongoing prejudice (usually disguised under the guise of "immigration" and "crime"), so it is fortunate that films like this still exist to tell us the ugly truth. David Robles (Anthony Quinn) is seen as just a "thug" who is good with a gun after he arrives to find a man who helped shoot-up his town of Del Rio. Even the only other Hispanic in town, Estella (Katy Jurado) is so desperate to "fit-in" with the Anglos that she also wants him gone. The townspeople offer him a job as sheriff, not to enforce the law, but to be a ready gun when needed. They will not socialize with him, they just want him to do their "dirty work." Sound familiar? There are several ugly scenes that manifest this racism, especially ones involving white women.To Estella's credit, she witnesses one of these debasing incidents and changes her tune. As the film progresses we discover that Robles is not the ignorant "Mexican" the townspeople think he is; he is not just good with a gun, but he displays a cunning level of intelligence that even if the townspeople probably still won't socialize with him, they cannot underestimate him, and he wins the only things he wanted since coming to the town, his self-respect and the love of the only person in town capable of giving it to him.
edwagreen
Very slow moving film where Anthony Quinn comes to town to gun down a fellow shooter who evidently had done him wrong 5 years before. There is no explanation whatsoever of why Quinn had the grudge.In a lawless town, Quinn kills 2 more guys and the town asks him to be their sheriff. He complies but he is socially ostracized by the people living in the town as observed at the town dance.He is a drinker and the saloon person, a former gunslinger, wants his aid in promoting Lord knows what.Katy Jurado is the woman who divides her time working in the general store and assisting the town doctor. Married and widowed from a gunslinger, she spurns all advances made by Quinn.There is an inevitable showdown between the Quinn character and the saloon keeper that will keep you wondering if Quinn had really broken his writs in the film.The part of town drunk Breezy, played by Whit Bissell was an interesting character that should have been explored more.
bkoganbing
In The Man From Del Rio Anthony Quinn rides into town on a mission, kind of like James Caan in El Dorado. Both are after a group of men and both kill the last they were after. But whereas Caan takes up with John Wayne as a mentor and fights for law and order, Quinn starts to hang out at Peter Whitney's saloon with a whole collection of prize specimens of fast guns who are nothing but bullies.Whitney has a plan to recreate his sleepy prairie town into a wide open cattle drive town and make a ton of money, never mind what the solid citizens want. Quinn likes the idea and becomes the sheriff, but soon the solid citizens see him as their savior. Will Quinn step into the role?The Man From Del Rio is a minor western that did not even rate color back in the Fifties. Rarely seen today it's in that category of adult westerns so popular in the Fifties and Sixties with some very adult themes. Quinn and Katy Jurado have some truly adult dialog and she most of all persuades Quinn to step in the role of hero.Not a film often shown today, The Man From Del Rio with a bit better in the production values department could have been a big hit. Quinn, fresh off his second Oscar for Lust For Life does well in a part perfect for him. Check this one out if broadcast.
marktime
This "dank" little Western (as Leonard Maltin has described it) may star the estimable Anthony Quinn and it sure is obscure enough, but that deft little (and far too often unheralded) character actor Whit Bissell pulls off the only indelible moments in the film as the town drunk Breezy Morgan. Whit subtly sneaks in and simply steals the film from the rest of the cast. As usual, he isn't given a lion's share of screen time to do it which makes the skillful economy of his performance all the more noteworthy. So watch closely for the subtleties he is able to bring to the pathetic Breezy. If you believe such a stock character as a town drunk in a Western is usually played far too broadly and has only been satisfactorily realized by the likes of Victor Mature or Val Kilmer as erstwhile foppish Doc Hollidays, check out Whit's little gem of a performance here. You're in for a surprise.
AD
