File this one under one of the better Westerns you probably never heard of. It pits a pair of good bad guys (Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson), against a bad, bad guy in a tale of retribution and revenge that's full of clichés that play out refreshingly well when doled out by Lee Walker (Nelson) and Jesse Ray Tarence (Kristofferson). It probably helps if you're a fan of the musicians, as the film offers a couple of well placed numbers to move it along; Nelson's tune is particularly effective if you listen to the words carefully.
The pair are joined by young Chad Willett, portraying the son of Waylon Jennings' character Tobey, who's murdered in the film's opening scene to set up the story. Holden Bonney (Sancho Gracia) seeks vengeance on all three men for a perceived ill toward him; he's the only one of their former gang who did prison time. All the others opted to join the Confederate Army in exchange for pardon upon completing their service. Failing to break their cohort out of jail, Holden has had years to stew about how to get even.
What's not made clear is Holden's alliance with a Mexican colonel (Simon Andru), who he hires to help take out his former partners. It's pretty transparent that the two are not very fond of each other, and it seems a bit overdone for him to need an entire Mexican Army regiment to do a Butch and Sundance on the boys.
Waylon Jennings offers the film's narration after his brief appearance, in a diary given to his adopted son Brice by Lee. Brice reads the diary during his ride with the former outlaws, and gains new perspective on their life and the code they live by. One confusing element though, Brice's claim to fame was as "intecollegiate heavyweight boxing champ" - in the 1870's??? You just know he'll come to regret that claim, especially after he falls asleep during his first night watch and the group is robbed. He loses his title rather quickly to Tarence.
Brice never learned how to handle a gun, his college training taught him how to be a farmer. So it comes as a surprise when he shoots Holden's gun out of his hand in the final showdown. Backing off, Holden uses a hidden derringer at close range to put down his young opponent. As Holden approaches at arm's length, Brice uses a Bowie knife that Tarence gave him earlier acknowledging his lack of skill with a firearm. As the Mexican soldiers are waved off by their leader, Brice collects his "business associates", and heads into sundown with time to ponder on just who these men are that once rode with his father.
The pair are joined by young Chad Willett, portraying the son of Waylon Jennings' character Tobey, who's murdered in the film's opening scene to set up the story. Holden Bonney (Sancho Gracia) seeks vengeance on all three men for a perceived ill toward him; he's the only one of their former gang who did prison time. All the others opted to join the Confederate Army in exchange for pardon upon completing their service. Failing to break their cohort out of jail, Holden has had years to stew about how to get even.
What's not made clear is Holden's alliance with a Mexican colonel (Simon Andru), who he hires to help take out his former partners. It's pretty transparent that the two are not very fond of each other, and it seems a bit overdone for him to need an entire Mexican Army regiment to do a Butch and Sundance on the boys.
Waylon Jennings offers the film's narration after his brief appearance, in a diary given to his adopted son Brice by Lee. Brice reads the diary during his ride with the former outlaws, and gains new perspective on their life and the code they live by. One confusing element though, Brice's claim to fame was as "intecollegiate heavyweight boxing champ" - in the 1870's??? You just know he'll come to regret that claim, especially after he falls asleep during his first night watch and the group is robbed. He loses his title rather quickly to Tarence.
Brice never learned how to handle a gun, his college training taught him how to be a farmer. So it comes as a surprise when he shoots Holden's gun out of his hand in the final showdown. Backing off, Holden uses a hidden derringer at close range to put down his young opponent. As Holden approaches at arm's length, Brice uses a Bowie knife that Tarence gave him earlier acknowledging his lack of skill with a firearm. As the Mexican soldiers are waved off by their leader, Brice collects his "business associates", and heads into sundown with time to ponder on just who these men are that once rode with his father.