El Condor (USA, 1970) 100 min color DIR: John Guillermin. PROD: Andre de Toth. SCR: Larry Cohen, Steven Carabatsos, based on a story by Carabatsos. MUSIC: Maurice Jarre. DOP: Henri Persin. CAST: Jim Brown, Lee Van Cleef, Marianna Hill, Patrick O’Neal, Iron Eyes Cody, Imogen Hassall, Elisha Cook Jr., Gustavo Rojo, Julio Peña, Angel del Pozo, Ricardo Palacios, Dan van Husen. (Warner Brothers)
El Condor was one of the rare westerns that Lee Van Cleef made in America during the 1970s, and while I prefer The Magnificent Seven Ride! out of that slim crop (because I’ve seen it far too many times to dismiss it out of hand), this underrated comedy-western is still enjoyable and somewhat rousing. This is Van Cleef’s favourite of his own roles, as the drunken cowboy Jaroo, who teams with ex-prisoner Luke (Jim Brown, in the first of his three films with Van Cleef) on a quest for the legendary stash of gold held at the El Condor fort, run by the sadistic General Chavez (Patrick O’Neal). Mariana Hill also stars as Claudine, Chavez’s kept woman, at first a caged bird who sings, feeling safe and secure under his however insular world. But one look at Jim Brown, and she begins to have other ideas. A lot of teenagers who saw this in 1970 fondly recall the scene where Ms. Hill goes full frontal, as a way to distract the soldiers long enough for the outlaws to break into the fort. Jaroo also has 84 Apaches (led by Iron Eyes Cody!) along to help loot the fortress.
While sometimes overacted, Van Cleef’s glassy-eyed, fleabitten Jaroo steals the film. This and The Stranger and the Gunfighter show that this movie bad guy could also play comedy. This is also an early credit for Larry Cohen, who co-wrote the film with Stephen Carabatsos. The action and comedy are ably directed by John Guillermin (soon to graduate to bigger budgeted fare of The Towering Inferno and the remake of King Kong), and Maurice Jarre offers a memorable score. Elisha Cook has a great cameo in the opening, as a prisoner who tells the inmates all about the El Condor gold. Even in this small role, he’s the typical little guy who talks big, yet can’t act upon what he preaches.
El Condor is no classic, but is very entertaining drive-in fare. This film was viewed on Warner’s VHS. However, they did eventually to DVD, if only in MOD, on their Warner Archives label.
