"Support Your Local Sheriff" director Burt Kennedy takes no time out for either comedy or romance in "The Deserter," a gritty, violent frontier fracas written by western novelist Claire Huffaker. Previously, Huffaker and Kennedy had teamed up on the superlative western heist caper "The War Wagon" (1967) co-starring John Wayne and Kurt Douglas. This time around Kennedy and Huffaker are dealing with the U. S. Cavalry and bloodthirsty renegade Apache savages on the warpath. "The Deserter" qualifies as one of those ensemble, military actioneers with a diverse bunch of hardcases selected because they are either prisoners or specialists who hurled into the breach to thwart a menacing villain and his army. Beautifully lensed by "Valachi Papers" cinematographer Aldo Toni, the brawling 100-minute "Magnificent Seven" meets "The Dirty Dozen" oater mixes and matches genres and ranks as a solid shoot'em up bolstered by a 'who's who' supporting cast of Hollywood veterans who were already western icons. You've got Chuck Connors of "The Rifleman" fame. You've got Patrick Wayne, the son of the biggest western star ever: John Wayne. You've got John Ford stock player Woody Strode of "Sergeant Rutledge" fame. You've got Brandon De Wilde of "Shane;" he was the little boy who chased after Alan Ladd in the final scene screaming "Shane!" Moreover, you're got Slim Pickens, Ricardo Montalban, Albert Salmi, Richard Crenna, John Huston, and Ian Bannen. This dusty oater is worth watching just to see these guys assembled against the savage Spanish scenery that substitutes splendidly for the American southwest. "War and Peace" producer Dino De Laurentiis has lavishly blown a fortune on this western. Although it has formidable production values, a first-rate supporting cast, strong direction, sharp editing, and memorable dialogue, the one and only weakness is the lead played by Bekim Fehmiu, whose biggest movie was "The Adventurers." Fehmiu is appropriately laconic, but he lacks charisma. You can believe him as a character because Huffaker and Kennedy have incorporated his non-native status in the storyline the same way Warner Brothers use to justify Australian actor Errol Flynn in their westerns. Indeed, a high percentage of people who sought American citizenship were immigrants during the 19th century. Last but not least, prolific Italian composer Piero Piccioni of "Contempt" has furnished an orchestral score reminiscent more of American composer Neal Hefti of "Duel at Diablo" than Ennio Morricone with its jazz-like melodies. The offbeat thing about "The Deserter" is that our indomitable hero must led a platoon of marauders deep into Mexico, basically violating international agreements between Mexico and America at the time, to exterminate an army of sadistic Indians that threaten not only the peace of white settlers but also innocent Native Americans! Talk about politically correct! Nevertheless, "The Deserter" is a thoroughly enjoyable western that piles on drama at the expense of humor. If you are watching the Mill Creek version, prepare yourself for a mangled viewing opportunity as the print is pretty butchered.
Review of The Devil's Backbone
