Alvarez Kelly

I was sleepy when I started watching this movie thinking I was going to fall asleep, but after 15 or 20 minutes I was caught in the story and I remained fully awake during the whole movie. I agree with everybody's reviews posted here. It is a good movie with a good story well told. Based on the true event known as "the Hampton's Cattle Raid" or "The Beefsteak Raid". I am giving the movie 4 stars because fictitious Alvarez Kelly was supposed to be Mexican-Irish and he did not look or sound either Mexican or Irish. Hollywood legend William Holden was too "John Wayne" like. But this is what was working at the time, not exactly OSCAR material, but it sold, this is what characterized the 60's movies. Putting that aside, the movie is enjoyable. My respects to the real cattlemen during the filming of this movie. Thats a lot of cows! The DVD has both full and wide screen, which I always appreciate.

Wonderful adult adventure story with a story that reaches beyond its genre, mixed with subtle humor,an anti-war and anti-hero message, with just enough violence to make it real without making you sick, but no gratuitous sex to help keep the focus of the average 3 1/2-minute attention span. All with a cast that doesn't remind you of your Grade 13 High School class.

Definitely a good Civil War Western, Alvarez Kelly, brings to the screen the story of an American cattle rancher from Mexico who has been hired to deliver a herd of steers to Union troops taking part in military operations during the late stages of the American Civil War. Things get a bit complicated when the Bluebellies decide that they want the livestock sent to General Grant's army (which is laying siege to Richmond) deep in Grayback territory, instead of the pre-arranged rendezvous point.
The cast carry out their performances very well, though neither the actor, William Holden, nor his character, Alvarez Kelly, are all that wonderful.
Moreover, the title for the movie is not really that great, and the dialogues could have been better too.
Nevertheless, the plot, the setting, the battles and the costumes are all excellent.
Alvarez Kelly brings to life the American Civil War and those desperate moments before the fall of Richmond and the collapse of the Confederacy.
For other wonderful Westerns I would strongly recommend The Outlaw Josey Wales, Major Dundee and The Undefeated.

He loved all the westerns! But this one has Holden & Widmark! Not only are their scenes together a blast but Holden's scenes with Richard Rust as Sgt. Thatcher made me smile - especially when Rust was Holden's "watchdog!" Not a bad storyline, probably because it really happened, a true story, and there are no dull moments. This is one of those films that you'll just have to take out of the box again some rainy Saturday when you want to remember how fun the 60s were, and our favorite actors of the 40s-50s were making their last cool movies.

Its funny how (to me) lines from movies sometimes bubble to the surface of consciousness from out of nowhere. I hadn't thought about "Alvarez Kelly" in years. Recently, in my minds's eye, I recalled the image of an eye-patched Confederate leader named Col.Tom Rossiter,(Richard Widmark) silently and solemnly inquire "Did you please her.....Kelly"? That simple line was so fraught with innuendo and suggestion that it always stuck with me. So on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I popped a widescreen version of "Alvarez Kelly" into my DVD and sat back to review and enjoy this 1966 Civil War oater (or should I say "beefer")? It was a decent ride. Alvarez Kelly (William Holden) enjoys pursuing the finer things in life, his earthly habits subsidized in part by trading as a cattle speculator or war profiteer depending upon your point of view. In this capacity, he has no particular loyalty to the North or the South. However, and as the opening credits point out, all armies in all times require food as well as armaments to prevail. As the Yankees and the Confederates fight for control over Kelly's 2500 head of cattle, he is unwillingly forced to provide his services to the boys in Gray. This fact in no way serves to curb his rather prodigious libido, and he continues the shameless pursuit of any woman who has the slightest physical beauty. Released in the mid-Sixties, Bond mania was in full swing and I would argue that this film was influenced by and shared some obvious similarities in attitude and tone with agent 007. Anyway, enter Liz Pickering (Janice Rule), the shapely but long suffering intended of Rossiter, a physically diminished yet gallant and honorable leader of the Southern cause. Liz is instantly drawn to Kelly's virility and earthly ways and inevitably, favors are shared. Her rather brief on screen appearance only serves to provide a convienient source of personal friction between Rossiter and Kelly. Inevitably though, the war intrudes and a battle for control of the cattle looms. Kelly, awarded with a battlefield commission takes charge of a desperate situation in his own unique way. The cinematography of this film is crisp. The strong performances by Holden and Widmark really play off each other well. All in all, this Western is elevated a notch or two above the average because of Edward Dmytryk's solid direction, an acceptable musical score although they could have lost the hokey song at the beginning, decent photography, good character actors, an interesting premise and manages to deliver all this in under two hours. Given contemporary standards, I can't help but wonder how Hollywood would handle a randy character like Kelly today.