Western Action on a Grand Scale
A personal favorite.
Four men are teamed on a mission to find missing rifles; the trail leads to an ante-bellum Southern mansion built in the middle of the desert, and to a private army of ex-Rebel soldiers and Apaches led by a crazed, vengeful ex-Rebel general (Edmond O'Brien).
As much a fantastic adventure tale as a Western, "Rio Conchos" mixes "The Commancheros" with James Bond and keeps the action coming to a spectacular climax, somewhat reminiscent of the soon-to-follow "James Bond Western" TV hit, "The Wild, Wild West."
The four uneasily teamed men include two cool hipsters (charismatic Richard Boone and suave Anthony Franciosa) and two tough squares (smoky-voiced Stuart Whitman and muscular Jim Brown, in his film debut.)
Boone -- a TV star here in one of his few screen starring roles -- commands the screen, with Franciosa a smooth foil. Boone is playing somewhat of a pop variation on John Wayne's haunted character in "The Searchers" -- but less seriously.
Certain elements are dangerously politically incorrect -- bloodthirsty Indians, a "Frito Bandito" bandit squad, a "wily" Mexican in Franciosa's character -- but the Boone "unreconstructed rebel" character is also frankly flawed and Jim Brown's black soldier is respectfully presented.
Best of all: Jerry Goldsmith's flavorful, macho Western adventure score, which climaxes with immense power and emotion in the last moments of the film. Note: several scenes in this film match those in "The Professionals," made two years later in 1966.