SYNOPSICS
Charro! (1969) is a English,Spanish movie. Charles Marquis Warren has directed this movie. Elvis Presley,Ina Balin,Victor French,Barbara Werle are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1969. Charro! (1969) is considered one of the best Western movie in India and around the world.
With his criminal days behind him, Jess Wade, a rugged horseman who used to ride with the dangerous outlaw, Vince Hackett, and his cut-throats, tries to distance himself from the murderous gang, and go straight. However, no one betrays Hackett. As a result, Vince decides to frame Wade for the theft of the Victory Gun: a powerful cannon of gold and silver that fired the last shot against Emperor Maximilian and freed all Mexico. Before long, Jess finds himself on the run from the Federales, bearing the hideous mark of a thief and hunted down like prey, as Hackett threatens to wipe the small town of Rio Seco off the face of the earth. Now, everyone thinks that Jess is guilty. Can he clear his name and save the town?
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Charro! (1969) Reviews
What was so bad about it!?
So I bought a new box set of Elvis movies. In it was "Charro." I thought it looked refreshing to see Elvis play a more serious role instead of the usual musical. I did some research and found this generally to be poorly received. Well I watched the film anyway. . . I honestly was expecting this to be utter garbage. The first five minutes went by. I thought it was pretty good so far - I was wondering when it would start to suck. 20 minutes go by. I was being drawn into the plot and finding the action riveting and exciting, with a nice musical score, too (Still isn't bad yet). Then I get to the climax - - - Original and intense. What was so bad about it? The acting was solid, it had a good script, and I found it a very pleasurable experience. Is it just the general bias towards any Elvis film after the '50s or is it because it's not some hoity toity British trash? I say, if you're a fan of westerns and/or Elvis. You should certainly give this movie a chance. *** / **** stars.
A must see. Elvis is an ex-outlaw trying to go straight.
Elvis Presley plays Jesse Wade who tries to leave a gang of thieves led by Victor French. Jesse's neck is branded in order to frame him for stealing a Mexican war cannon. Jesse becomes sheriff as one of the gang is arrested. The bad guys now threaten the town with cannon fire until the leaders little brother is released from jail. Elvis sings only the title song under the credits. This is a different Elvis, with beard and a hat hung low over his eyes. Well known critic, Leonard Maltin, calls this a BOMB! Produced, directed and written by Charles Marquis Warren, this flick is better than the bad rap it has received. Also in the cast are Ina Balin, Solomom Sturgess, and Lynn Kellogg.
my favorite Presley pic
I don't know what makes me enjoy this movie more, being an Elvis fan or being a fan of western movies (my favorite is El Dorado). This movie shows some pretty good acting, an impressive soundtrack, beautiful cinematography, some wild action and an Elvis, that is pretty rough and tough. Warren hadn't made a movie for ten years before "Charro" and I think he shouldn't have been producer, writer AND director. He did his weakest job as the writer, his directing is a lot better, but I wonder what Peckinpah might have done out of this story. In fact the two-former-friends-now-enemies plot is typical for Peckinpah. The story reflects a lot of Elvis' own career, most obvious: the bad guy in "Charro" USES the Elvis character to make money, which is exactly what Elvis' real life manager did, too, in fact that guy (who called himself Colonel, although he wasn't) was highly unscrupulous and Elvis too weak (sorry fellow fans but let's face the truth!) to have his own way. This often underrated movie is highly recommendable to anyone who likes western movies. Let me add that this movie is NOT a musical; in one scene Elvis is opening a door to look into a saloon where a band is playing, in one of his awful musical comedies, the man would jump onto the stage and perform some tune, but here he turns around and closes the door.
Don't agree with first comment
As much as I like Flaming Star, I like Charro a whole lot more. Elvis's acting was more refined. You could tell he was better trained than in some earlier films. Yes, it's a western, and westerns are hardly ever Oscar material. But in its own genre, it's very entertaining. The plot is as good as any other western movie I've seen, John Wayne notwithstanding, and the acting (again for the genre) was quite good. I wish Elvis had been allowed to make more serious movies. As much as I like most of his musicals, the three dramatic ones (Love Me Tender, Flaming Star, and Charro) and his supporting appearance in Change of Habit, were by far the best and the ones that showed his real talent for acting.
Finally....an Elvis movie that wasn't so cheesy!
OK, I love Elvis movies a LOT, but he made some serious clunkers all in the name of the almighty dollar and contracts Col. Parker made him sign. Why Elvis couldn't break away and do more films like this, we'll never know. We'll also never know 'what could have been', had Elvis escaped the movie musical grind sooner. This is a pretty good western, I have to say, and I have seen a LOT of westerns and I am a huge fan of the genre. It's pretty cool that he only sings the title song over the opening credits of Charro! and doesn't break into song in the middle of a scene like in his usual Hollywood formula musicals. He was offered the Kris Kristofferson part in 'A Star Is Born', and I think he would have been GREAT in that. For whatever reason, he turned it down. He was more into making concert films at that time, plus he was deeply involved in his prescription drug addiction and had put on a lot of weight, so maybe those were big issues that kept him from doing more good film roles. Elvis, I thank you for making Charro! I wish there had been more films like this in your Hollywood resume.