Bandolero!

PG-13

1968

1h 46m

Western

List

20%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

49%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

There is little hope for bandit Dee Bishop (Dean Martin) and his gang as they wait to be hanged. But at the last second, the hangman -- Dee's brother, Mace (James Stewart), in disguise -- helps them escape. After kidnapping a rancher's wife (Raquel Welch) and with the vengeful sheriff (George Kennedy) in pursuit, they retreat to an abandoned town. Tired of their desperado life, the brothers consider going straight. But when a gang of bandoleros attacks, their chances at starting over seem dim.

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Steve D

Completely by the numbers.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/26/24

Full Review

Liam D

It's rooting and tooting but it's too generic to be memorable

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

gene r

An imaginative yet realistic action flick with several character arcs and some fine performances, including that of Raquel Welch; even the wilder stereotypes are played with sensitive restraint. Despite what the viewer might expect from some of the actors involved and the advertising and cover graphics, this is a not a romp, but rather a semi-tragic drama with the classic moral imperative of the Western genre: crime does not pay, it taxes.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Posing as a hangman, Mace Bishop (James Stewart) arrives in the Texas town of Val Verde with the intention of freeing his brother Dee (Dean Martin) from the gallows. Dee and his gang have been arrested for a bank robbery in which Maria Stoner's (Raquel Welch) husband was killed by gang member Babe Jenkins. After freeing his brother, Mace successfully robs the bank on his own after the gang has fled with the posse in pursuit. Dee has taken Maria as a hostage after they come across her wagon, during which Gang member Pop Chaney shoots and kills the man escorting Maria. The posse, led by local sheriff July Johnson (George Kennedy) and deputy Roscoe Bookbinder, chases the fugitives across the Mexican border into territory policed by bandoleros, whom Maria describes as men out to kill any gringos (foreigners) that they can find. Maria further warns Dee that the sheriff will follow, because they have taken the one thing that he has always wanted: her... "Bandolero" is a so so western to my mind. The storyline is not very exciting and the mix between drama and comedy doesn´t work. The pairing of James Stewart and Dean Martin as Mace and Dee doesn´t work either as they don´t really connect. Maybe due to the fact that they were so different as actors and their acting styles simply didn´t match. Lovely to see the stunning Raquel Welch as always, but she is so underused as a "weak" female character. The characters are not really convincing which makes the story fall apart in the second half. "Bandolero" passed my eyes and it didn´t make any footprints in me.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Beautiful western highlighted by Jimmy Stewart's wry Hangman. It's difficult not be be delighted by his performance. The movie gets 5 stars in my book just for Stewart alone. However, it's still a fun romp across picturesque sandy backdrops and vivid desert skies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

jed i

3.5/10 — "Bad"/"Mildly Repellent"

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Andrew V. McLaglen

Director

James Stewart

Mace Bishop

Dean Martin

Dee Bishop

Raquel Welch

Maria Stoner

George Kennedy

Sheriff July Johnson

Andrew Prine

Deputy Sheriff Roscoe Bookbinder

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Bandolero! is chiefly distinguished by James Stewart's wry scenes as a phony hangman.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Jul 1, 2005

Full Review

Ryan Cracknell

Apollo Guide

Buoyed by a strong cast and carried by an interesting mix of genre sensibilities, it's a film that may not have much lasting value but is fun nonetheless.

Rated: 75/100

Aug 22, 2004

Full Review

Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

One of those movies you can't remember if you've seen until well into its first hour.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 20, 2004

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

An unpretentious and spirited, but uneven Western.

Rated: C+

Jun 15, 2004

Full Review

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Synopsis

There is little hope for bandit Dee Bishop (Dean Martin) and his gang as they wait to be hanged. But at the last second, the hangman -- Dee's brother, Mace (James Stewart), in disguise -- helps them escape. After kidnapping a rancher's wife (Raquel Welch) and with the vengeful sheriff (George Kennedy) in pursuit, they retreat to an abandoned town. Tired of their desperado life, the brothers consider going straight. But when a gang of bandoleros attacks, their chances at starting over seem dim.

Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 46m

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