Caxambu! (1971) User Reviews

A little bit better than a mere time passer.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 23 September 2012]

My summary is hardly a glowing endorsement, but you could certainly do a lot worse than watching "Caxambu!". While the story is a bit familiar and the budget apparently rather low, it worked well enough that after it was over, I was glad I'd seen it--even with its shortcomings.

John Ireland plays the leader of a gang who steal a bag of diamonds in South America. They take a diamond cutter and his wife hostage and steal a plane in order to escape. However, the plane crashes and the group is stranded in the middle of a VERY hostile wilderness. The main problem are the local natives--who pick off several in the group, one-by-one. The other problem is greed, and the thieves soon start bickering with each other.

I've seen several films and TV shows that remind me of "Caxambu!" but despite being familiar and having some difficult to believe characters (particularly Ireland and his unbelievable change of heart), it kept me engaged throughout and was a decent little film. The location shoot didn't hurt.

Typical sixties movie.

[lonniebeale56 · 4/10 · 6 August 2014]

Poor John Ireland and Keith Larsen, who must have been desperate for the cash. Both good working actors I do not understand why they needed to film this movie. Did they read the script before accepting the roles? The writing is substandard and the direction disappointing considering that the Director is the brother of Billy Wilder. Obviously shot on a shoe string budget and filmed in the Philippines rather than the actual film location setting in Brazil.I put up with the movie to the end just to see how it ended. I also find it hard to believe that the female cast member ( who I will not name as she is still alive ) was once considered to be a rival to the great Marilyn Monroe in the fifties. Spend the afternoon at the beach or shopping rather than watch this movie.

Slow-moving, uninvolving b-movie

[VinnieRattolle · 19 May 2011]

After their plane is hijacked, a small group of people find themselves wandering in the jungles of Caxambu, where they're stalked by the natives, subjected to local dangers, and paranoia causes them to turn on each other.

It's hardly surprising nobody else has commented on "Caxambu!" -- I can't find any evidence that it ever played theatres or drive-ins before it began airing on TV infrequently throughout the '70s and '80s. It feels like one of those bad public domain b-movies from the era that Elvira and the gang from MST3K would mock.

I don't mind a slow-moving film, but this one is paced at the speed of evolution. It takes a good 40 minutes of the movie's 75 minute running time before much of anything happens. And when stuff finally DOES begin to happen (amazonian and rubber alligator attacks, quicksand, etc.), it really isn't that interesting.

Although the actors aren't bad (for the most part), the characters' actions are questionable and the dialogue is thoroughly inane. (Sample: As the movie begins a telephone rings, and John Ireland exclaims: "That could be the phone!" Duh.) The hypnotic Carol Ohmart spent her too-brief Hollywood career playing an assortment of ballsy, larger-than-life characters, but she's totally wasted here playing what starts out seeming like an interesting part which immediately degenerates into a stock '60s woman-in-peril role. Similarly, western great Ireland has virtually nothing to do but skulk looking badly constipated. I find it baffling that either actor agreed to appear in this movie.

The one thing the film does have going for it is the location. I dunno whether or not it was actually filmed in Caxambu, but there is a great jungle locale that made for some nice visual compositions. Unfortunately, that's not enough to make up for the rest of the movie's shortcomings. Also the ending isn't bad, but it's abrupt and you can see the twist coming from a mile away.

Bottom line: It's only worth seeking out this rarity if you're a hardcore fan of the actors. And even then it's not really worth amazon/ebay reseller prices for the long out of print VHS.

Never Mess With A Witch Doctor!...

[azathothpwiggins · 22 July 2021]

After pulling off a big diamond heist, criminal mastermind, Vince Neff (John Ireland) and his fellow thieves call in a diamond cutter and his wife (Carol Ohmart). While making their airborne escape, trouble occurs, and the plane goes down, deep in the Brazilian rain forest.

Lost and wanted by the authorities, the group soon realizes that these are minor concerns compared to what awaits them in the bush!

Grave peril and death ensue.

CAXAMBU! Is an entertaining adventure film that builds rather slowly. Thankfully, there are some indigenous people around to keep things very interesting for the intruders!

For her part, Ms. Ohmart is great as always, with her hair cut short this time out.

Highly recommended for the jungle movie fan...