Better Late Then Never

The first must-see film of the year.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

If you want an easygoing movie that employs likable actors to pleasing effect, you may wind up accepting "The Undefeated" for what it is. But if you are like me and want a story that keeps your attention and moves you to a satisfying conclusion, this makes for a tough sell.At the end of the American Civil War, a Union and Confederate colonel separately lead their people into Mexico. The Yank, John Henry Thomas (John Wayne), is bringing 3,000 horses to the Emperor Maximilian at $35 a head. The Rebel, James Langdon (Rock Hudson), is escaping the ignominy of surrender.Mexico, alas, is in the throes of a bloody revolution. If they are to survive, they must set aside their differences and work together.As John Henry explains it: "We got Maximilian on one hand and Juárez on the other, and bandits in between. And on top of that, we're Americans in Mexico taking a cavvy of horses to a very unpopular government. Why should we expect trouble?" A product of that last great year for Westerns, 1969, "The Undefeated" has amazingly crisp and dynamic cinematography. William H. Clothier knew about shooting horses and horizons, and showcases both talents to majestic effect. The dialogue is often funny. But the film itself offers a hodge-podge of undernourished subplots, sweet talk, and sudden bursts of action that never gels.Director Andrew V. McLaglen liked to cram his films with lots of different stories and people. Sometimes, like with his Wayne movie the next year, "Chisum," it worked. Here it doesn't.There's a listless quality to the crux of the movie, John Henry and Langdon working together. Hudson's character is introduced as headstrong ("I got no taste losin' to a lot of Yankee rabble") but seems too easygoing with his former foe. Much time is wasted on a gormless romantic subplot involving Langdon's daughter and John Henry's adopted Cherokee son. Ben Johnson as John Henry's chief buddy has little to do but shrug and make wisecracks. The cast list includes John Agar and Richard Mulligan, but there's only a brief glimpse of the former and no sign of the latter in the finished film. McLaglen must have bit off more than he could chew in post- production.Wayne is perfectly adequate, settling into the role of senior presence rather than a major player. McLaglen has fun setting up Duke's gruff charm and understated reactions, but as Oscar material, he hardly posed a threat to that year's winner, John Wayne in "True Grit."Goofy subplots include surly cook Dub Taylor, whose main bit of business is telling everyone but his faithful tabby to go to hell; and a Rebel civilian no one will talk to because he didn't serve in the war. So why did he join them on this dangerous journey? It's never explained, but you hardly notice when nothing else is.SPOILER ALERT - The ending is a strange one, where John Henry and Langdon turn on Maximilian after Juárez's people take the Southerners hostage. To spare their being massacred John Henry gives up the horses and rides home. Perhaps he realizes the Juáristas despite being ungentlemanly have a point, it being their land, but it's never explained: "You win one, you lose one," John Henry shrugs, and that's that. SPOILER ENDThere are fun scenes in the movie, and everything is beautiful to look at, so I won't carp too much at all the loose ends. My real beef is wishing McLaglen, a solid pro in other efforts, did more with his cast and opportunities here.

I'd watched this movie for first time in 1978 on TV and more two times now on DVD colorful,widescreen and dubbed version of course l found it better than before,John Wayne and Rock Hudson did a good job indeed,together with a great supporting casting...the story is really unbelievable if you has a minimum brain,how a rich southern Colonel will move to Mexico after lost the war??...leaving behind a large property...such wrong decision...well the film was funny like others John Wayne's movies...like Dub Taylor and his Cat a priceless characters....the other plot Wayne leaving the Army to catch wild horses to sell isn't untrue,but to sell all 3.000 horses and delivery inside the Mexico having the possibility to make this on the safe border,it's another stupid thing....Undefeated just a pleasant movie and so!!!

Beautifully shot on location, somewhere in the vast American west. The scenes with hundreds, perhaps thousands of horses were quite impressive and owe nothing to CGI technology.On the other hand the music in older movies doesn't age well and the soundtrack in this film is pretty dreadfully intrusive and often rather annoying.As far as the story we get more of the myth of the noble rebel cause. The righteous southern plantation owner (Rock Hudson) is immediately besieged by carpetbaggers out for his slave holdings in some unnamed southern toilet. As in the myth of Gone with the Wind his slaves see him as some sort of father figure instead of someone they'd like to draw and quarter…like he probably did to many of their family.And, of course, the Mexicans are portrayed as thieving scoundrels after gold and the white biznitches. And of course the Native Americans are pretty much a bad parody of those proud people but this was a western, after all, and that's what they mostly did. Thank god they don't make many these days.Let's be honest, many old movies are pretty terrible and age horribly. I think it was only in the 1970s when films began to take on a simulacrum of reality.

The Undefeated is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and adapted for the screen by James Lee Barrett from a story by Stanley L. Hough. It stars John Wayne & Rock Hudson, features a musical score by Hugo Montenegro and William H. Clothier provides the South Western cinematography.Much yee-hawing and lots of patriotic fervour, The Undefeated is a fun and undemanding way for the Western fan to spend a couple of hours. Plot basically revolves around some post Civil War rivalries between Union and Confederate leaders played by Wayne and Hudson respectively. Both men and the groups they have under their control, get mixed up in the Maximillian/Juarez revolution in Mexico. Cue moral quandaries, big decisions and life affirming human interests; as McLaglen (aided by Wayne apparently) directs unfussy without pushing the envelope of Western directing. True enough at times the tone is uneven, it's hard to tell if it's meant to be light hearted or serious during some passages (kind of why John Ford was a genre master since he could achieve it comfortably), and some casting decisions are rather baffling (hello Roman Gabriel); but it's all very spirited, especially Hudson, to round it out as a solid genre offering from the late 1960s. 6.5/10