Vera Cruz (1954)

Second viewing; first viewed on an indeterminate date before 1987.

After the American Civil War, a former Confederate officer goes to Mexico where another Civil War is going on. There he befriends another American who steals horses to resell them. They join the army of Emperor Maximilian as mercenaries and their first assignment is to escort a society woman to the seaside city of Vera Cruz, whence she will travel back to Europe. They suspect there is something more to that expedition, though.

It has been influential on subsequent American productions, and Italians too, over at least two decades. Viewed from today's perspective, it is basically a series of clichés; from a non-American point of view, it seems a bit arrogant in its glorification of Americans abroad. It is still an entertaining movie, though, and well filmed too. The stupidity of one piece of dialogue aroused my attention:

[begin quote]
Trane: They say that a thief in Mexico today can disappear like a puff of smoke. Is that true?
Nina: You can see smoke disappear.
[end quote]

Rating: 67 (down from 81)