George Sherman directed The Treasure of Pancho Villa, a Technicolor Western, shot on location in Mexico, starring Rory Calhoun, Shelley Winters, and Gilbert Roland.
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Set during the tumultuous Mexican Civil War of 1913, tale centers on mercenary Tom Bryan (Rory Calhoun) and his Lewis machine gun that he names (“La Cucaracha”).
He joins a band of revolutionaries headed by Colonel Juan Castro (Gilbert Roland), and though paid for services, Bryan is tired of the squalid life he is living, and now considers Cuba.
As is often the case, Bryan is offered one more highly paid job.
Castro is planning an assault and robbery of train with vast amount of gold belonging to the central government.
When Morales, Ruth and others are captured by the Federales, Morales offers them gold, and Bryan and Castro in exchange for money and amnesty.
American citizen Ruth is escorted to Tampico to be deported to America, while the others are to be executed.
Tracked by Yaqui Indians working with the government, Bryan is reconciled to Castro’s ideals, and they build gun emplacement out of the bags of gold to make a last stand.
In time, Castro is killed by the pursuing Mexicans and Bryan has to blow up the gold in order to prevent them recovering it. This starts an avalanche that buries both gold and pursuers. Unarmed and broke, solitary Bryan makes his way to Tampico to be reunited with Ruth.
As Bryan leaves, he looks up at the vultures circling around, he tells them that with Castro, they would feast on a real man.
Cast
Rory Calhoun – Tom Bryan
Shelley Winters – Ruth Harris
Gilbert Roland – Juan Castro
Joseph Calleia – Pablo Morales
Fanny Schiller – Laria Morales
Carlos Múzquiz – Commandant
Tony Carbajal – Farolito
Pasquel Pena – Ricardo
Rodd Redwing – Yaqui tracker
Credits:
Directed by George Sherman
Written by J. Robert Bren, story by Gladys Atwater
Produced by Edmund Grainger
Cinematography William E. Snyder
Edited by Harry Marker
Music by Leith Stevens
Production: Edmund Grainger Productions
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date: October 19, 1955 (US)
Running time: 92 minutes
Box office $1.15 million (US)
Films directed by George Sherman
Wild Horse Rodeo (1937)The Purple Vigilantes (1938)Outlaws of Sonora (1938)Riders of the Black Hills (1938)Heroes of the Hills (1938)Pals of the Saddle (1938)Overland Stage Raiders (1938)Rhythm of the Saddle (1938)Santa Fe Stampede (1938)Red River Range (1938)Mexicali Rose (1939)The Night Riders (1939)Three Texas Steers (1939)Wyoming Outlaw (1939)Colorado Sunset (1939)New Frontier (1939)The Kansas Terrors (1939)Rovin’ Tumbleweeds (1939)Cowboys from Texas (1939)South of the Border (1939)Ghost Valley Raiders (1940)Covered Wagon Days (1940)Rocky Mountain Rangers (1940)One Man’s Law (1940)The Tulsa Kid (1940)Under Texas Skies (1940)Frontier Vengeance (1940)The Trail Blazers (1940)Texas Terrors (1940)Lone Star Raiders (1940)Wyoming Wildcat (1941)The Phantom Cowboy (1941)Two Gun Sheriff (1941)Desert Bandit (1941)Kansas Cyclone (1941)Citadel of Crime (1941)The Apache Kid (1941)Death Valley Outlaws (1941)A Missouri Outlaw (1941)Arizona Terrors (1942)Stagecoach Express (1942)Jesse James, Jr. (1942)The Cyclone Kid (1942)The Sombrero Kid (1942)X Marks the Spot (1942)London Blackout Murders (1943)The Mantrap (1943)False Faces (1943)The West Side Kid (1943)A Scream in the Dark (1943)Mystery Broadcast (1943)The Lady and the Monster (1944)Storm Over Lisbon (1944)The Crime Doctor’s Courage (1945)Renegades (1946)The Gentleman Misbehaves (1946)Talk About a Lady (1946)The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946)The Secret of the Whistler (1946)Personality Kid (1946)Last of the Redskins (1947)Relentless (1948)Black Bart (1948)River Lady (1948)Feudin’, Fussin’ and A-Fightin’ (1948)Larceny (1948)Red Canyon (1949)Yes Sir, That’s My Baby (1949)Sword in the Desert (1949)Calamity Jane and Sam Bass (1949)Comanche Territory (1950)The Sleeping City (1950)Tomahawk (1951)The Golden Horde (1951)The Raging Tide (1951)Steel Town (1952)The Battle at Apache Pass (1952)Back at the Front (1952)Against All Flags (1952)The Lone Hand (1953)The Veils of Bagdad (1953)War Arrow (1953)Border River (1954)Johnny Dark (1954)Dawn at Socorro (1954)Chief Crazy Horse (1955)Count Three and Pray (1955)The Treasure of Pancho Villa (1955)Reprisal! (1956)Comanche (1956)The Last of the Fast Guns (1958)Ten Days to Tulara (1958)The Son of Robin Hood (1959)Hell Bent for Leather (1960)The Enemy General (1960)None but the Brave (1960)The Wizard of Baghdad (1960)The Fiercest Heart (1961)Panic Button (1964)Smoky (1966)Big Jake (1971)
