Take a Hard Ride

source: Take a Hard Ride

Well, a lot of naysayers for this film in the reviews section. I have to be honest, this was a lot better than I expected it to be, especially after seeing Jim Brown's name above Lee Van Cleef in the opening credits. He earns it by virtue of a lot more screen time and a generally decent performance while balancing out Fred Williamson's take on the flashy gambler character Tyree. I thought Williamson put a little too much Seventies street vibe into his dialog, so that was a negative. Another one, if it hadn't been so entertaining, was Jim Kelly's portrayal of an 1870's Tarahumara Mexican/Indian with no tongue and a kung fu gimmick! All those high flying moves and spinning back kicks? - I don't think so, but like I say, it WAS entertaining. But what I did like was the twist with Catherine Spaak's character, and all those crazy horse spills! When Pike (Brown) and Tyree maneuvered the chasing posse over that near ninety degree angle hillside, I just couldn't believe it. The stunt-men earned their pay on that escapade, and if you kept a close eye on the background when the camera shifted back to the heroes, you could see a horse continue to slide down the hill. There were a few more single instances of horse and rider going down, but I've never seen so many at a time in a maneuver like that. Simply incredible. Then there was the sleight of hand with former New Orleans call girl Catherine. I have to admit, I didn't see that coming when she made off with the satchel leaving the big money behind. In fact, I don't recall any character making a sacrifice like that in any other Western, so chalk one up to the writer who created that scene. So with all that, I wasn't too concerned about the eventual showdown between Pike and Tyree. It was hinted at more than a half dozen times between them so you knew it would have to happen. The kicker was Pike's neat hand-off to Chico to thwart everyone in on the chase for the picture's final twist. As if to acknowledge Pike's clever ruse, bounty hunter Kiefer (Lee Van Cleef) just laughed it off right then and there. Uncharacteristically so, he still had a shot at the money if he continued the chase, but I guess that's where the budget called for The End. Two final thoughts - who came up with the idea of a character named Dumper (Harry Carey Jr.) actually taking a dump in the picture? And with Fred Williamson's early and frequent use of snakes to create a diversion, why didn't they use it in one of the final segments to outwit the bad guys? With a little more work, this could have been called "Snakes on a Plain".

Trail boss Jim Brown is asked by dying boss Dana Andrews to carry a large payroll across the Mexican desert. He is pursued by bounty hunters and crooks led by Lee Van Cleef. It's an exciting old fashioned western that die hard western fan should like. If you like westerns with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood you should love this. Jim Brown and Fred Williamson make very good heroes. It's not up there with The Searchers or Fort Apache but it's very good. Watch out for veteran actors Harry Carey, Jr. and Robert Donner as bad guys. Can't think of anything else to say so I have to keep typing until I get 10 lines. If you like this movie also check out Rio Conchos.

Rugged trail boss and reformed criminal Pike (an excellent and convincing performance by big, bad Jim Brown) promises his honest wealthy employer Morgan (a fine cameo by Dana Andrews) that he will venture across the dessert to deliver $86,000 dollars in payroll money to a ranch in Sonora, Mexico. Pike makes an uneasy alliance with smooth, yet shifty gambler Pyree (ably played by the ever-suave Fred Williamson) in order to successfully complete his dangerous mission. During their perilous trek Pike and Tyree encounter desperate prostitute Catherine (an appealing portrayal by the beautiful Catherine Spaak) and her loyal ace martial artist half-breed companion Kashtok (amiable Jim Kelly in sturdy fighting form). Meanwhile, ruthless bounty hunter Kiefer (a perfectly steely Lee Van Cleef) and numerous greedy others give dogged chase. Director Antonio Margheriti, working from an offbeat and engrossing script by Eric Bercovici and Jerrold L. Ludwig, relates the lively and exciting story at a snappy pace, makes terrific use of the dusty Canary Islands locations, and stages the spirited shoot-outs and dynamic action set pieces with rip-roaring skill and gusto. The top-rate cast rates as another major asset: Brown and Williamson display a winningly easy'n'breezy chemistry and play off each other well (they also vigorously mix it up in a satisfying rough'n'tumble fisticuffs confrontation about an hour into the movie), Van Cleef makes for a marvelously menacing main villain, Barry Sullivan snarls it up nicely as brutal corrupt lawman Kane, Robert Donner and Harry Carey Jr. contribute pleasingly slimy turns as no-count cowpoke members of Kiefer's gang, and Charles McGregor provides some amusing comic relief in a regrettably minor part as the bumbling Cloyd. Riccardo Pallottini's sharp cinematography offers plenty of breathtaking shots of the vast and desolate dessert scenery. Jerry Goldsmith's twangy and robust score hits the stirring'n'sweeping harmonic spot. An immensely entertaining sagebrush saga.

What immediately separates "Take a Hard Ride" from the multitude of post Sergio Leone "spaghetti westerns" is the preponderance of American actors in this film. Very little dubbing is the first thing you notice. The actors mouths are actually speaking. Second, for Lee Van Cleef admirers this is a real treat. He has lots of screen time, with plenty of his patented menacing closeups. Jim Brown and Fred Williamson play off each other quite well, and the entire cast seems to be enjoying their work. Though cartoon-like at times, this is easily overlooked in favor of the humorous touches. Though not exactly a parody of the fast fading "spaghetti western", "Take a Hard Ride" approaches the western in a light and fast moving manor. This is without a doubt one of the better "spaghetti westerns". - MERK

Take a Hard Ride is directed by Antonio Margheriti and written by Eric Bercovici and Jerrold L. Ludwig. It stars Jim Brown, Lee Van Cleef, Fred Williamson, Catherine Spaak and Jim Kelly. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Riccardo Pallottini. Trail boss Pike (Brown) promises his dying employer Morgan (Dana Andrews) that he will travel across the dessert to deliver $86,000 in payroll money to a ranch in Sonora, Mexico. Forming an uneasy alliance with dandy gambler Tyree (Williamson), Pike quickly realises that many other people are aware of his task and want the money; including Bounty Hunter Kiefer (Cleef). What do you get if you take a large pan and throw in some Spaghetti and Paella, add some Blacksploitation beef and season with Kung-Fu? The answer is Antonio Margheriti's Take a Hard Ride. It's a fun movie, even unique in some ways, but it ultimately doesn't add up to much more than a series of action scenes, some good - some poor, glued together by a very ordinary and adventurous screenplay. Cast are hugely watchable, with the leads supported by Western pros Barry Sullivan and Harry Carey Junior, and the Canary Islands location is beautifully utilised. Bonus is the score from Goldsmith, who tinkers with traditional Spaghetti Western strains and adds in his own harmonious grace. Apparently Margheriti rearranged much of the score to suit his own editorial purpose, it's testament to Goldsmith's skills that even though the chronological flow of his piece has been defiled, what exists still marries up superbly with the vistas. It flopped at the box office and it has over the years been the source of much rib poking, however, from an action stand point it often delivers the goods. Bodies pile up, stunt-men and horses (PETA would go nuts!) fly about everywhere, and explosions are not in short supply. Yes it's poorly written and directed without due care and attention, but you may find it hard to dislike on account of its machismo and oddity value. I mean, if you can't enjoy a Western that has Jim Kelly suddenly turning into Bruce Lee and laying Kung-Fu down on some outlaws? Then entertainment is dead... 6/10

Rousing old school western(..not a spaghetti western, as you'd might be led to believe, but more closer to the Hollywood classics) which has two charismatic black stars(..former football players Jim Brown and Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson) as the heroes, from prolific Italian director Antonio Margheriti. Brown is a reformed criminal named Pike who is asked by his dying employer to take their hard-earned cattle money to his home town of Sonora. Carrying $86,000 in loot obviously makes you a marked man, but Pike gains an ally in flashy gambler Tyree(Williamson)who is eyeballing the cash, agreeing to help him get most of the way to Sonora..but Tyree vows to battle for the loot once they come to the half-way point. Meanwhile, a pipe-smoking, quick-drawing bounty hunter, Kiefer(Lee Van Cleef, wearing longer hair than usual)remembers Pike's past and plans to arrest him, also quite interested in attaining his money. Understanding Pike's skills as a gunfighter, when he has to be, and knowing the talents of Tyree, Kiefer will enlist the aid of cutthroats and other hired guns in order to complete his mission. But, no matter the number of hired goons he adds to his entourage, Kiefer knows that his target will not be easy to retrieve. Along the way, Pike picks up a New Orleans *, Catherine(Catherine Spaak)whose kind husband was butchered by a mob of nasty cowboys and a high-kicking Negro(..raised by Indians), Kashtok(Jim Kelly, whose martial arts skills are well utilized in the film as he often subdues his foes by dropping them before they can even draw their weapons)who doesn't ride a horse, opting to travel on foot instead. Lots of shootouts and stunning action set pieces, well photographed by Riccardo Pallottini using the location of Spain's Canary Islands to great effect. Terrific suspense sequence as our heroes must cross a bridge before others catch up to them. Brown and Williamson make an entertaining duo, their being African-American adding a unique spin to what is otherwise a familiar formula western..the idea of getting cash to another place avoiding gunfighters who wish to steal it is nothing new(..hell, Peckinpah's RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY is an example). Brown has never been as humane and considerate an on screen character, checking his ego at the door, allowing Williamson the opportunity to show off his pearly whites, playing the flamboyant, sharply dressed swindler who always has us questioning whether or not he can be trusted. Williamson lays on the charm and steals his scenes with Brown willing to be the straight man of the team. Lee Van Cleef doesn't stretch his persona..he's still a highly skilled sharpshooter with expertise and knowledge in the field of bounty hunting. When others do not heed his warning, they wind up dead. While he's a man of principle, he's not above aligning himself with nefarious characters if the odds are not in his favor. Dana Andrews appears in a cameo as Brown's boss who dies before he can enjoy the fruits of his labor, a welcome presence who earns our respect and admiration in minutes compared to many who fail to do so in a movie length's time. Classy Jerry Goldsmith score, and well orchestrated gun battles, shot with an epic scope and grandeur. I think director Antonio Margheriti is able to rise above the so-so material thanks to his cast and smooth style(..his trademark zooms which close in on the faces of his actors are on display). This was a big role for Jim Brown with Williamson complimenting him nicely. Throw in Lee Van Cleef, who has such a fascinating face, and you have a western worthy of pursuit.

Take A Hard Ride is both a spaghetti western and a black exploitation film. In this film Jim Brown takes a really large sum to Sonora in Mexico where his dying employer Dana Andrews has started what sounds like a Utopian like settlement. Brown takes on the mission because as a former slave Andrews treated him like a human being. He's feeling a strong obligation there. But when you're carrying $86,000.00 and that's in 19th century dollars it's not something you keep a secret. Brown has all kinds of people after the money up to and including bounty hunter Lee Van Cleef and even the law itself in the person of Barry Sullivan. His allies are an uneasy group. Gambler Fred Williamson who is a fast gun and has a way with snakes goes along with Brown with Brown knowing full well Williamson could turn on him. They also pick up a mute Indian played by Jim Kelly who's learned a lot of good karate moves with his tribe. Take A Hard Ride is a pretty good western for a spaghetti western. I'm not a real big fan of the genre thinking that westerns are to be made in the USA as its our art form. Still with all the Americans in the cast, none of that ridiculous dubbing is here. Brown and Williamson have a good chemistry in their scenes. Should please devoted western fans.

The idea of a Western film with Black leading characters is a great idea. After all, in reality about a third of the cowboys were Black and you might have noticed that up until this picture debuted, there had been almost no Black men or women in most films of this genre. The few that had been in mainstream Westerns up until TAKE A HARD RIDE were mostly comic relief--with the horrible antics of Steppin Fetchit or Mammy types playing the only roles. Of course, there were a few anomalies, such as HARLEM ON THE PRAIRIE, but this and subsequent films starring Herb Jeffries in the 1930s were made on a shoestring budget for Black movie houses only--plus they were pretty lousy films. Black heroes or even normal supporting characters for wide audiences just didn't exist and TAKE A HARD RIDE could have done a lot to correct this omission. Sadly, however, this film isn't well made and is so anachronistic that it just doesn't do much to dispel the myth of the "White only West". Instead, it looks much like a Blaxploitation film out West, as one of the characters (played by Fred Williamson) looked much like he was starring in his films BLACK CAESAR or HAMMER--which were set in the 1970s with a "bad" leading man who fights "the man". Because of this, the film is in many ways a great opportunity lost. Now this doesn't mean there aren't some things to like. After all, Jim Brown plays a great character--a truly honest and decent Black man who does the right thing and is rather believable (despite his shooting ability that would be the envy of any Olympic marksman). And having the always scary Lee Van Cleef on hand to play, what else, a scary bounty hunter is great (for more of this, see FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE, THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY or any of the Sabata films). The problem is that a routine script (complete with many clichés and totally indestructible characters) and Williamson's character do so much to sink this film into obscurity that you can't help but get tired of the film and just want it to end. Seeing Fred fall about 500 feet and survive at the end was just too much. Even John Wayne or Clint Eastwood weren't THAT tough in movies!!

One of the last spaghetti westerns (though really, there was a good amount of American talent in front of and behind the camera), it does definitely have some novelty value - the cast, some good Canary Island scenery, a quick pace, and some good action sequences (best being the gunfight in the canyon). Still, there was clearly a bunch of potential wasted. Brown is good, Williamson does okay, but the rest of the cast isn't actually given that much to do. Kelly's character could easily be written out, and Van Cleef's bad guy character isn't fully developed (for one thing, the movie doesn't seem to know what to do with him at the end.) And the script really isn't that much - it more or less consists of either the protagonists riding through the desert, or engaged in action. Die-hard western fans (especially those who like spaghetti westerns) will probably find enough to enjoy about it, but this certainly won't convert anyone who normally avoids this genre.