Movie Review: The Undefeated (1969)

Genre: Western  

Director: Andrew V. McLaglen  
Starring: John Wayne, Rock Hudson, Ben Johnson, Jan-Michael Vincent  
Running Time: 118 minutes  

Synopsis: After the end of the Civil War, Union Colonel John Henry Thomas (John Wayne) resigns from the military and leads his men on a round-up of 3,000 wild horses, intending to sell them to the army. Meanwhile, Confederate Colonel James Langdon (Rock Hudson) embarks on a journey to relocate his family and surviving soldiers to Mexico. Thomas is offered a better price to sell his horses in Mexico, and crosses paths with Langdon. The two former enemies have to cooperate to confront bandits and the murky alliances of an unfolding Mexican revolution.

What Works Well: This is a sturdy if unspectacular Western focusing on post-Civil War reconciliation, John Wayne and Rock Hudson representing the two sides of the conflict and developing a quick but still spiky rapport. The concept is extended to an inter-racial romance featuring Thomas' adopted Cherokee son and Langdon's daughter. Andrew V. McLaglen fills the screen with impressive shots of thousands of horses galloping to Hugo Montenegro's grandiose music score, and the final act surprisingly avoids genre cliches. 

What Does Not Work As Well: At 62-year-old, John Wayne mostly stands to the side and contributes quips and reaction shots. The bad guys are non-descript bandits and imported French troops, robbing the narrative of meaningful antagonists. The middle act is a low energy waiting game with not much plot advancement, and in the context of late 1960s westerns from Peckinpah and Leone, this one is almost quaint.

Key Quote:

James Langdon's sister-in-law Ann: You went out there to talk, why did you have to shoot the man?

John Henry Thomas: Conversation kinda dried up, ma'am.

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