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Released by: CBS
Released on: May 20th, 2014.
Director: Daniel Mann
Cast: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine
Year: 1972
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The Movie:
Made as what appears to be a late period bid to cash in on the enormous success of Sam Peckinpah's THE WILD BUNCH, 1972's Daniel Mann helmed western THE REVENGERS suffers from a couple of distinctive problems. The first is a dearth of real action and the second is its patchwork script.
Protagonist John Benedict (William Holden) is a peaceful rancher on a lovely homestead with two sons, a pretty wife and a thriving horse trading business. Before we have any time to get to know these people we run into the first clichéd sequence with John off hunting and his whole family brutally massacred by a white killer named Tarp (Warren Vanders) who travels with murderous Indians. Their business is horse stealing and in the course of their raid they kill John's entire family and some visitors. After this ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST homage our hero sets off in his quest for revenge. Having somehow figured out where Tarp is headed he ditches his lily-livered American compadres who won't willingly cross the state border and heads into Mexico to assemble a mercenary posse. This is done at a Mexican prison where men can be bought like cattle for cold hard cash.
At this point the film turns into a DIRTY DOZEN riff with Benedict recruiting a bunch of iffy criminals to help him out in exchange for cash, horses and clean clothes. Included in this group is Ernest Borgnine as Hoop, Jorge Luke as Chamaco, Roger Hanin as Quiberon, Woody Strode (of SPARTACUS and VIGILANTE fame) as Job and German actor Reinhard Kolldehoff as Zweig. Most of these individuals are defined by one rather obvious character trait such as sadism, poor temper control or underhandedness. When the gang head back into the USA they bicker and double-cross each other constantly but come to give Benedict a begrudging respect by the time of the film's climax with an assault on an army encampment. This is probably the film's strongest action sequence but it's too little too late.
And that's it. While Holden looks quite authentic with his weathered face and overall air of badass gravitas he isn't enough to make this all that interesting. Strode's character is also deeply problematic as an ex-slave just looking for a white master to follow. It was an offensive trope then and hasn't aged any better since. Then there's Borgnine. His character is extremely obnoxious. The attempts to leaven his chronic liar and cheat with humor fall flat as a pancake. The script poorly juggles all these characters and has little depth. Towards the end of the film, Holden's Benedict has a strange romantic interlude with legendary actress Susan Hayward (in her final role) as a widowed Irish nurse. These wistful scenes slot poorly into the overall tone of the film however.
THE REVENGERS ultimately cones off as clichéd and kind of tame. It doesn't have the unique vision and craft of THE WILD BUNCH. It doesn't even deliver the visceral blood and guts of something like the Spanish exploitation western CUTTHROAT'S NINE.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Paramount's 2.35.1framed anamorphic transfer looks pretty good despite being interlaced. Print damage is minimal and image detail is on the upper end of the scale for standard definition. Black levels aren't prefect but acceptable with some mild crush evident. Colors look robust enough and balanced (you won't notice any over saturation). The Dolby Digital Mono audio is clear and focused though lacking much depth or power. The score occasionally sounds weak but all of these issues are in line with the period in which the film was made. It's never unlistenable. Optional English subtitles are also provided. Lastly, a theatrical trailer in beat up shape is offered.
The Final Word:
A bit of a missed opportunity, THE REVENGERS is the cinematic equivalent of comfort food. It goes down pleasantly enough but is almost immediately forgotten. This bare bones package is perfectly watchable but the appeal of the film really relies on how much of an aficionado of this genre you are.
