I’ll tell you, Lucas, if I had somewhere to run, I’d run. But I don’t, so I’ll stand.
In the mood for some classic western revenge? With a big Hollywood star? Well, my year-long look at the greatest decade of cinema – the 70’s – has an iconic Actor in two terrific westerns!
“Tell him: Valdez is coming.”
When Burt Lancaster tells you something, HE MEANS IT. Lancaster was one of Hollywood’s great leading men – noted for his athletic physique, blue eyes and distinctive smile (which he called “The Grin”).
Lancaster was nominated four times for Academy Awards and won once — for “Elmer Gantry” in 1960. He also won a Golden Globe for that performance and BAFTA Awards for The Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and Atlantic City (1980).
In the early 70’s, Lancaster jumped on a horse and starred in two great westerns..the first based on a classic Elmore Leonard book!
Elmore has written dozens of great novels, including his Hollywood spoof “Get Shorty!” But in this case, Leonard wrote a book filled with cowboys, indians, and a pissed off “Valdez!”
Valdez Is Coming!
Check out this classic newspaper ad:
And check out the trailer:
Here’s the plot: Burt Lancaster plays a Mexican-American sheriff – who must resort to violence against a powerful rancher in order to get just compensation for the pregnant Indian widow of a wrongly killed black man.
The town sheriff, Bob Valdez, is forced to kill someone accused by Frank Tanner of being a murderer. Valdez asks Tanner for monetary help for the man’s wife, but he is ridiculed and almost killed by Tanner’s henchmen. Veteran character Actress Susan Clark co-stars with Lancaster.
Susan Clark was a popular actress at the time, starring in a number of films like “Coogan’s Bluff” with Clint Eastwood and “Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here” with Robert Redford.
Of course, you don’t try to kill Burt Lancaster and get away with it. Valdez recovers and the revenge begins. Valdez wounds one of the henchmen and sends him back to Tanner with the message, “Valdez Is Coming!”
When MGM producer Ira Steiner took Elmore Leonard’s novel to Lancaster, the actor agreed to co-produce and co-star as Tanner with Marlon Brando starring as as Valdez!
After the picture was postponed to allow Lancaster to do “Airport,” the actor decided he wanted to play the title role – so check out this terrific revenge western!
And if one pissed off lawman isn’t enough for you, well I’ve got you covered with more Burt Lancaster!
“Lawman!”
Burt Lancaster stars as a lawman from Bannock arrives in Sabbath to arrest all the cattlemen whose wild celebration the year before resulted in the accidental death of an old man.
Check out this classic movie trailer:
What a cast! Veteran character actors Robert Ryan and Lee J. Cobb, plus Robert Duvall in a role a year before “The Godfather.”
As Lancaster says with his usual gravity and depth:
“I’m a lawman. Do you know what a lawman is, Crowe? He’s a killer of men. That’s what the job calls for. There are new ways to put it, but it reads the same. That’s the difference between us, and it’s all the difference I need.”
Sheree North co-starred with Lancaster in this one…including a number of love scenes that were more adult than westerns normally showed…
North was in a number of big movies at the time, including “The Shootist”, which was John Wayne’s final film!
In 1971, United Artists distributed this film on a double bill with “The Organization” starring Sidney Poitier – which Sheree North was also in!
A Cold Hole In The Ground!
Westerns in the early 70’s were gritty and raw, like this exchange:
Harvey Stenbaugh: “Marc was a good man with a gun.“
Sabbath Marshal Cotton Ryan: “He was a big mouth who thought he was a good man with a gun. There’s a cold hole in the ground between the two.“
Needless to say, Burt Lancaster’s “Lawman” is a cold-blooded killer – just as focused and determined for revenge as Valdez was…
These are two early 70’s westerns that are gritty and terrific – with an iconic star who rises to the occasion…speaking of icons:
Walter Matthau was a classic comedic Actor, but in the 70’s he had a great run of action thrillers!
Click here to see them:
If you want a terrific action double bill, you can also watch this great New York action thriller:
It features one of the great car chases ever!
Click here to see the trailer and more:
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Let me know if you’ve seen these great 70’s westerns!
Categories: 70's Cinema, Action Films, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Movies, Pop Culture, Revenge Movies, Talent/Celebrities
johnrieber 
Thanks for recommending this read, John! Really enjoyed your summary and analysis of these movies. I have come late to the Lancaster Appreciation Club, myself! Am recalling seeing a few movies, including ‘Airport’, contemporaneously, and really liking the “conspiracy movies” like Scorpio, Twilight’s Last Gleaming, and Executive Action. But my recent revisiting of Lancaster’s movies, including the two you write about here, included “The Swimmer” based on a short story by John Cheever. Not a sympathetic character, and I really grew in my admiration for his acting. Thanks again for the share!
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Those three films you mention are really a fascinating “conspiracy” trio indeed….I bought a book about Director Robert Aldrich, who made huge hits like “Dirty Dozen” and “Baby Jane”, then massive misfires like “Twilight’s Last Gleaming” – a unique filmography to be sure1. Thanks for the comment! Of course, many only know Lancaster for his small role in “Field Of Dream!”
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Hmmm! This name is not ringing bells for me, John. He certainly does a very nice grin. I’ve never been much of a Westerns fan other than Clint Eastwood.
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He was a famous Actor in the 60’s and 70’s…I was exposed to him through my parents!
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Yes, parents do influence us. My mom introduced me to Flanders and Swann.
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Not familiar with that…a duo? Anyway, that’s exactly how we influence our children – by exposing them to Artists who can help inspire their creative instincts and talent!
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Yes, they are quite a famous English pair of musicians. Quite dated now, but their songs are very funny.
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I love the old westerns and used to watch them with my dad, but never saw ‘Valdez.’ I’m going to look for it. p.s. I watched ‘the late show’ today, per your recommendations, and I loved every minute of it. a classic that should have been seen by more people.
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Great walk down memory land John 🙂
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I saw both of those Lancaster westerns at cinemas in London, John. Both great films, especially ‘Valdez’. Unusually, I have never seen either of them since. There must be some reason they are not shown on TV here.
Best wishes, Pete.
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They are quite neglected here as well Pete…but I have both on DVD and they are great 70’s westerns…hope all is well there!
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