The 1960's saw a new kind of western on its horizon. Throughout the decade, the "man with no name" type films overtook the simpler "good guys vs. the bad guys" westerns. Morally ambiguous protagonists became the order of the day. Sidney J. Furie's The Appaloosa was one of those films. Marlon Brando stars as Matt Fletcher, a morally ambiguous roughneck returning to his home in the southwest after the Civil War. He gets sucked into a quarrel between Anjanette Comer and John Saxon (in a terrific performance). Eventually the loss of Brando's horse motivates him to take action against Saxon and his pistoleros. There is lots of flashy camera work, including Sergio Leone-style close-ups as well as great cinematography of the landscapes. The pace is slow and deliberate, but the film does build to a resolution; however, it's not completely satisfying. Some standouts are Comer's beauty, the dialog, the colorful supporting characters, and of course Brando. He gives a relatively good performance of a troubled character just trying to return to a quiet life but then realizing he's being drawn into a deadly game with Chuy Medina (Saxon) and Trini (Comer). **1/2 of 4 stars.
Review of The Appaloosa
