I love this movie so much

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The only way to see this is a rather cropped version of Fox's movie channel, but that version does have all the Spanish language sub titled. Though that fact that "our heroes" don't know what is being said around them is also part of the plot. I assume the film had subtitles when it was released but it's possible it intentionally didn't--a bold move that might not have worked--again I don't know, the subtitles I saw on the film looked to be added for TV.It's often fascinating to watch and beautifully shot with some striking aerial shots and complex staging. Sydow is very good though his character sometimes slips out of being the central focus of the film. the ending is rather abrupt and more like films from the 1970's than the 1960's which may have been part of what kept audiences away.But there is real tension and a good set up for the story that develops as the group on their way for THE REWARD slowly divide into rival sectors. The sparse use of music is effective much of the music being source (a guitar and flute) played on screen. It seems to be building to a big pay off which doesn't happen and it loses steam towards the end and then ends too quickly. It is a modern day western perhaps that puts people off as well. Too bad there isn't a perfect version of it to see as it looks to be shot in a very wide Cinemascope aspect ratio, but it could prove to be an undiscovered pleasure for film fans who want to find new films to like--long after box office success of failure matter. Give it a try.

There are some films that you just know are never going to improve with time. I've no burning desire to see Rio Conchos again — though I wouldn't pass up the opportunity if a Scope print became available. On the other hand, there are movies that you just know you didn't fully appreciate at their first viewing. Maybe you were too young, maybe you had the wrong expectations, maybe the audience was distracting, maybe you missed the beginning, or maybe you were simply too tired or had too many other things on your mind. Such a movie for me is The Reward. Fox signed up Bourguignon after he scored such a big hit with Sundays and Cybele. But this movie, lukewarmly received by the critics, was utterly ignored by the public. Bourguignon tried to salvage his reputation with a Brigitte Bardot drama, Two Weeks in September (1967), followed by a Ray Bradbury story, The Picasso Summer, starring Albert Finney and Yvette Mimieux, in 1969. I'd love to see The Reward again. The acting may not be as heavy as I remember, nor the story so much of a twice-told tale; and the stylishly evocative cinematography may be even more tightly, broodingly atmospheric and rewarding.

A dream come true for anyone who wants to watch six people listlessly plod across desert terrain while speaking 65% of the dialogue in a language that not everyone knows, this deadening film will likely put most viewers to sleep. Von Sydow (not yet free of his contemplative, expressionless Jesus faces from "The Greatest Story Ever Told") plays a crop dusting pilot who loses everything, including his future freedom, after he crashes his plane on one final flight and destroys a water tank. He strikes a deal with Mexican police captain Roland to pay his fines off by aiding in the capture of a wanted man. Zimbalist plays the man, an American who attempted to kidnap a small boy, the act of which accidentally led to his death. With gal pal Mimieux in tow, he set outs across the desert in her convertible (!), only to be tracked down by Roland, von Sydow and a trio of helpers (police sergeant Fernandez and two young Mexican lads Castelnuovo and Silva.) Once it's discovered that Zimbalist has a $50,000 reward on his head, the five men begin to fracture at the seams, causing disagreement and death. Though this story idea has merit and sounds intriguing, the finished result couldn't be more muddled, dull or disengaging. There is virtually no dramatic thrust or momentum to the film. What's more, the bulk of the dialogue is in Spanish! So, without subtitles, almost nothing being discussed can be fully understood by a solely English-speaking viewer. Naturally, one can get the basic gist of the actions (and this sort of thing is all right in small doses), but it is extremely tiresome to have to try to figure out what is being said between characters over the course of an entire movie! The film also has obnoxiously loud sound effects and incidental music. (The broken guitar scene occurs way too late!) This is especially difficult since what little English dialogue there is is spoken by Swedish (!) von Sydow, Mexican-accented Roland, soft spoken Zimbalist and willowy Mimieux, who apparently used the Leigh Taylor-Young acting handbook here which requires every line to be whispered as breathily as possible. Von Sydow gives a vague and noncommittal performance. Roland attempts to inject a bit of character into his role, but has nothing to work with. Zimbalist is saddled with a smallish part that has confusing motivations. Every clichéd aspect of a Mexican character (loudness, annoying belly laughing, drinking, guitar-playing, obesity, etc...) is brought to the table by Fernandez and his portrayal is quite unpleasant. Mimieux is very attractive with her golden locks blowing and her lovely figure getting rained on, but she has nothing to say or do of consequence. Her role is complete window-dressing. Silva is intriguing and seems slightly homosexual in his role with his shirt tied like Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island". It's hard to gather what his character is about since all of his lines are in Spanish. One of the few assets to the film is Castelnuovo as a handsome, hunky, upstanding young man. His toothy smile and snug jeans go a long way in relieving the relentless tedium of this pointless film. The worthlessness of the story is brought home for good in it's non-ending.

A good cast, interesting premise and catchy direction all come to not-very-much here. Max Von Sydow and Gilbert Roland do very well in off-beat parts as a weary pilot desperate for money and a sickly Mexican Cop unwillingly heading up a rag-tag posse chasing across the desert after Ephram Zimbalest as a wanted killer. Emilio Fernandez and Henry Silva add solid support, and Yvette Mimieux is nice to look at, but as the movie goes on -- and on -- there's not much for anyone to do. Serge Bourguignon's direction has its moments, but he apparently didn't care much about keeping up the pace. The result is a film that's sometime interesting to look at but not to watch. It also has the disjointed look of a film that was chopped up rather badly before release. The print aired recently on the Fox Movie Channel also lacks subtitles, which may make the long stretches of conversation in Mexican rather tedious for viewers who don't speak Spanish.