Andrew V. McLaglen directed Bandolero! a lazy Western, starring James Stewart, Dean Martin, Raquel Welch and George Kennedy.
The story centers on two brothers on the run from a posse, led by local sheriff who wants to arrest the runaways and free hostage they took along the way.
Unfortunately, they head into the wrong territory, which is controlled by “Bandoleros”.
Posing as a hangman, Mace Bishop arrives in the Texas town of Val Verde with the intention of freeing his brother Dee from the gallows. Dee and his gang have been arrested for a bank robbery in which Maria Stoner’s husband was killed by gang member Babe Jenkins. After freeing his brother, Mace robs the bank on his own.
Dee has taken Maria as hostage after they come across her wagon, during which gang member Pop Chaney shoots and kills the man escorting Maria.
The posse, led by local sheriff July Johnson and deputy Roscoe Bookbinder, chases the fugitives across the Mexican border into territory policed by bandoleros. Maria describes them as men out to kill any gringos (foreigners) they can find. Maria warns Dee that the sheriff will follow, because they have taken her.
Despite initial protests, Maria falls for Dee. She had never felt anything for the sheriff, nor for her husband, who had purchased her from her family.
The posse tracks them to abandoned town and captures the gang. The bandoleros also arrive, shooting and killing Roscoe, so the sheriff releases the outlaws. In the final showdown, almost everyone is killed.
Dee is fatally stabbed by the leader of the bandits, El Jefe, after Dee beats him when he attempts to rape Maria. Then Mace is shot by another.
Babe and gang member Robbie O’Hare die after killing several bandoleros. Pop Chaney is killed while going after the money Mace stole, and his son Joe dies after trying to rescue him. Maria grabs Dee’s pistol and shoots El Jefe dead, sending the leaderless bandoleros into retreat.
Maria professes her love to Dee and kisses him before he dies. Mace returns the money to sheriff Johnson, and then falls dead due to wounds. Maria and the sheriff, with little left of the posse, bury the Bishop brothers and dead members without markers.
After Maria notes that no one will know who was there nor what had happened, then begin the ride back to Texas.
Cast
James Stewart as Mace Bishop
Dean Martin as Dee Bishop
Raquel Welch as Maria Stoner
George Kennedy as Sheriff July Johnson
Andrew Prine as Deputy Sheriff Roscoe Bookbinder
Will Geer as Pop Chaney
Clint Ritchie as Babe Jenkins
Denver Pyle as Muncie Carter
Tom Heaton as Joe Chaney
Rudy Diaz as Angel
Sean McClory as Robbie O’Hare
Harry Carey, Jr. as Cort Hayjack (as Harry Carey)
Don “Red” Barry as Jack Hawkins (as Donald Barry)
Guy Raymond as Ossie Grimes
Perry Lopez as Frisco
Jock Mahoney as Stoner
Dub Taylor as Attendant
Big John Hamilton as Bank Customer
Robert Adler as Ross Harper (as Bob Adler)
John Mitchum as Bath House Customer
Patrick Cranshaw as Bank Clerk
Roy Barcroft as Bartender
The film was originally known as Mace.
The film was shot at the Alamo Village, the set originally created for John Wayne’s The Alamo. The Alamo Village is located north of Brackettville, Texas. The location closed in 2009 after being open to companies and public since 1960.
Larry McMurtry, author of the novel Lonesome Dove, paid homage to Bandolero! using similar names for characters in his book. Both tales begin near the Mexico border and involve bandoleros. Both have sheriff named July Johnson and deputy Roscoe who travel a distance in search of wanted criminal and the woman who has rejected the sheriff’s love.
Both stories have charismatic outlaw named Dee, about to be hanged, winning the woman before he dies. In Lonesome Dove, the characters pass directly in front of the Alamo.
Raquel Welch later said: “No one is going to shout, ‘Wow it’s Anne Bancroft all over again’, but at least I’m not Miss Sexpot running around half naked all the time.”
Bandolero! earned American rentals of $5.5 million in 1968. The film required $10.2 in rentals to break even, and by December 1970 it had made $8.8 million so it was a loss for the studio.
Andrew V. McLaglen Filmography
Man in the Vault (1956)
Gun the Man Down (1956)
The Abductors (1957)
Freckles (1960)
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come (1961)
McLintock! (1963)
Shenandoah (1965)
The Rare Breed (1966)
Monkeys, Go Home! (1967)
The Way West (1967)
The Ballad of Josie (1967)
The Devil’s Brigade (1968)
Bandolero! (1968)
Hellfighters (1968)
The Undefeated (1969)
Chisum (1970)
One More Train to Rob (1971)
Fools’ Parade (1971)
Something Big (1971)
Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973)
Stowaway to the Moon (1975)
Mitchell (1975)
Banjo Hackett: Roamin’ Free (1976)
The Last Hard Men (1976)
Murder at the World Series (1977)
The Wild Geese (1978)
North Sea Hijack (1979)
Breakthrough (1979)
The Sea Wolves (1980)
The Shadow Riders (1982)
Sahara (1983)
Travis McGee (1983) (TV)
The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission (1985)
Return from the River Kwai (1989)
Eye of the Widow (1991)
