MartinHafer
Aaron Spelling made a bunch of made for television films and they mostly fell into categories like romance, suspense and horror. So imagine my surprise when I found that he also produced a western-- and it stars an actor you wouldn't suspect would be in a western, Sammy Davis Jr.!When the film begins, Sam and Dora Paxton (Ernest Borgnine and Julie Adams) arrive at their ranch to find their son dying and daughter abducted. When Sam contacts a famous lawman and tracker, instead of this old friend arriving to help he sends his deputy...Ezekiel Smith (Davis). What follows are the sort of racial tension you have seen in films of the era. Sam is, like most folks of his day, a racist and slowly he and Ezekiel work through this as they set out on their cross-country adventure.This is a film that offers few real surprises and ends about where you'd expect. This doesn't mean it's a bad film. It's well intentioned and entertaining but not a whole lot more.
inspectors71
the original plan for this movie coming to fruition? John Wayne and Sammy Davis, Jr., directed by Burt Kennedy? It fairly screams "hit!" Alas, we get an Aaron Spelling production with Ernest Borgnine sleep-walking through his performance (and what was with that silly way he kept firing his pistol?) and Sammy Davis, Jr., restraining his entertainer voice while looking embarrassed.Or was that me being embarrassed for them.The Trackers is so cheap and disposable as a standard search plot that the tension, created when white rancher Borgnine has to accept black cop Davis for his sidekick, is the only thing worth the 75 minutes of air time. Throw in a weird pack of evil-doers in Mexico who are holding Ernie's daughter (a non-actress named Connie Kreski who was a Playboy Playmate in 1969; yes, dammit, I looked her up, and I read the article!), led by an urbane Englishman, and I simply gave up.William Katt gets wasted in the first five minutes of the flick. Julie Adams gets wasted--in a different way--with a thankless role of Borgnine's missus. What's weird is that she's the only believable character in this silly blob of cinematic dryer lint. Oh, well. It was free.
TheUnknown837-1
Of course, we all know Sammy Davis Jr. for his signing talent, but he was also a very fine Western actor and very handy with a six-gun, as Dennis Weaver once commented. According to him, Sammy Davis Jr. was one of Hollywood's fastest draws. Aside from Sammy Davis Jr., this film also features the well-known Ernest Borgnine and small part for the somewhat famous Jim Davis (no relation to Sammy Davis Jr.) I watched The Trackers on the Westerns channel (obviously) and thought it was pretty good, although I have seen a lot better. The plot is simple and not original, for the idea of Indians kidnapping girls and taking them the Mexican border only to be followed by the families of their captives, has already been used many times. But it is good enough for me. There is a lot of gunfire in this Western and it is enjoyable enough. Overall, this is a pretty good Western and I recommend it for any Western fan.
JHC3
A mysterious band of killers raids isolated homesteads. In their latest crime, they raid Sam Paxton's place, kill Sam's son, and kidnap his daughter, Becky. Sam is desperate to get the killers and recover his daughter. The efforts of a posse prove ineffectual, but Sam is determined to continue on. He sends for an old Army buddy who is a well known tracker. Unable to come, his friend sends another tracker, Ezekial Smith. Sam, a Confederate veteran, is extremelydispleased when it turns out Ezekial is black. However, the posse is making no progress so Sam reluctantly accepts this help. Ultimately, the pair gradually gain each other's respect as they pursue Becky's trail into Mexico.Though it has some occasional comedic elements, this is a serious westernfeaturing a very credible performance by Sammy Davis, Jr. The supporting cast is composed largely of veteran actors with a wealth of experience in the western genre. The result is an effective and entertaining western. This is particularly remarkable given the type of material many viewers associate with producerAaron Spelling. The issue of racism isn't sugarcoated. None of the possemembers ever really accept Ezekial Smith and even Sam is very slow to give up a lifetime of bigotry. Recommended.
AD
