Richard Egan is Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit missionary who’s lifelong ambition is to establish missions in California.
But there are many obstacles, most of them issues of how to get supplies to the land, believed to be an island.
There’s also little commitment on the part of the church to bring religion to the peaceful Indians there, though Father Kino assures church leaders that they’d be willing converts.
So Father Kino is assigned a mission with the Pima Indians in current day Arizona. He spends his spare time building a boat in hopes of one day venturing back to California.
The peaceful life at his missions is soon threatened when a band of Indians forced into slave labor conditions lash out, killing one of Kino’s comrades and burning the church.
The government reacts by dispatching blood-thirty Capt. Solis (John Russell) to squash the unrising.
Instead, he makes matters worse by killing peaceful members of the Pima tribe with little regard for who is innnocent or who is guilty.
Richard Egan as Father Kino, trying to find a way to restore peace in Mission to Glory (1977)
Rory Calhoun as Capt. Juan Monje, who helps Kino try to keep the peace in Mission to Glory (1977)
Review:
This is billed as the true story of a man who help settle the southwest with his saintly deeds, which includes bringing religion to Native Americans living there.
And if you interested in a game of spot the former Western star, you might have a good time watching. Because this film is packed with them, from John Ireland to Rory Calhoun.
But it’s also a lifeless affair with poorly filmed action sequences. And, confession time, I watched the 90-odd-minute version.
Which means if that version was chopped down to just the good parts, the complete film must be a total bore.
Ricardo Montalban as Gen. Lafuente, brought in to help quell an uprising in Mission to Glory (1977)
Stephen McNally as Father Juan Salvatierra, skeptical of Kino’s reports of peaceful Indians in Mission to Glory (1977)
Directed by:
Ken Kennedy
Cast:
Richard Egan … Padre Kino
Ricardo Montalban … Gen. Lafuente
John Ireland … Father Mora
Cesar Romero … Adm. Juan Atondo
Joseph Campanella … Father at San Bruno Mission
John Russell … Capt. Solis
Stephen McNally … Father Juan Salvatierra
Anthony Caruso …Father Rodriguez
Rory Calhoun … Capt. Juan Monje
Keenan Wynn … Father at Trading Mission
Aldo Ray … Mine boss
Micheal Ansara … Chief Coxi
Victor Jory … Father Zaya
William Dozier … Father Argula
Tristram Coffin … Father Francesco Saeta
Dannny Zaplen … Father Provenc
Runtime: 92 min. / 116 min.
aka:
The Father Kino Story
Savage Hunter
Kino: Padre on Horseback
Father Kino, Padre on Horseback
The Deadly Journey
Michael Ansara as Chief Coxi, eager to join the Christian faith in Mission to Glory (1977)
Cesar Romero as Admiral Juan Atondo, helping Kino on his California expedition in Mission to Glory (1977)
Memorable lines:
Father at Trading Mission: “Eighty-three head of cattle, 40 goats, 103 chickens, 20 roosters. You trying to outdo the arc?”
Father Kino: “I’m hoping I can get my share of the rain.”
Chief Coxi to Father Savatieera: “You watch. I ring bell; they all come. You can ring bell all day in (the mission at) Ramedeos. If one devil come, he come to steal bell.”
John Russell as Capt. Solis, finding himself pinned down by Pima warriors in Mission to Glory (1977)
Gil Escandon as Chief Tanak, negotiating with Gen. Lafuente in Mission to Glory (1977)
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