Ride, Vaquero (1953)

Howard Keel plays King Cameron, who travels West with dreams of building a post-Civil War cattle kingdom.

But he opts to build that kingdom in a territory ruled by bandit leader Jose Esqueda (Anthony Quinn), who has a fast gun named Rio (Robert Taylor) as his right-hand man.

And Esqueda has decided any gringos who build a home in the territory he rules will be burned out.

He burns out Cameron once, just as his lovely wife Cordelia (Ava Gardner) arrives to see her new home. So Cameron rebuilds.

This time, Esqueda sends Rio to bring Cameron to his knees. Only Rio winds up at Cameron’s gunpoint.

Cameron spares his life and offers him an option: He can help with the building of the cattle empire. Or he can face a hangman’s noose.

Rio opts for the former. Lovely Cordelia is one of the reasons.

Naturally, that does not sit well with Esqueda, who feels betrayed.

And the betrayal is made worse by the fact that he and Rio grew up like brothers, both raised by Esqueda’s mother.

Review:

Robert Taylor made some fine Westerns in the 1950s. Like “Devil’s Doorway.” Like “Saddle the Wind.” This isn’t up to par.

He’s asked to spout ridiculous lines from start to finish (see below). He’s a man who doesn’t care if he lives or dies, though we never really find out why.

Meanwhile, King Cameron is a brave man who clearly doesn’t think. Or at least the plot makes him seem like one of the dumbest cattle kings ever to arrive in the West.

Let’s see. Esqueda has sent his men to burn Cameron out. Cameron, with the help of his wife and a priest, fights them off, kills a couple of bandits, and winds up with Rio as his captive.

And for his next move, Cameron leaves his home defenseless and rides off with Rio to buy cattle?

With Taylor spouting stupidity and Keel acting stupid, it’s left to Quinn to carry the film. He nearly does, stealing scene after scene. But it’s not enough to make this an above-average 1950s Western.

Directed by:
John Farrow

Cast:
Robert Taylor … Rio
Howard Keel … King Cameron
Ava Gardner … Cordelia Cameron
Anthony Quinn … Jose Esqueda
Kurt Kasznar … Father Antonio
Ted de Corsia … Sheriff Parker
Charlita … Saloon singer
Jack Elam … Barton
Walter Baldwin … Adam Smith
Joe Dominguez … Vincente
Frank McGrath… Pete
Charles Stevens … Vaquero
Rex Lease … Deputy
Tom Greenway … Deputy

Runtime: 89 min.

Memorable lines:

Jose Esqueda: “You do not think I would kill you, huh? You think I’m too fond of you.”
Rio: “How can you talk like this to me? You wouldn’t kill anything. Unless it was alive.”

Jose Esqueda to the dentist: “I’ve had six bullets clawed from my skin. And they were pin pricks compared to this work of yours. Are you sure you should not have chosen to be a blacksmith?”

Jose Esqueda, of Cordelia: “She is truly beautiful, but dangerous to touch. Like a flame. Like a flame of ice. Can you imagine that, Rio? And her world looks upon ours with contempt. Her look was like a slap across our faces.”

Rio: “There are some men, senora, who are great leaders and many who love to follow them. But there are a few men who don’t lead or follow. Perhaps I’m one of these. Who can say what they are?”
Cordelia: “What are you trying to say?”
Rio: “Very little, senora. Just that I know you do not trust me.”

Rio to Cordelia: “Your husband, senora, is a brave man and a strong one, but with a gun against Esqueda, he’s just a child with an empty toy.”

Esqueda: “Can you imagine a smile on Barton’s face?”
Rio: “It is the only place where a smile could be ugly.”

Cordelia: “The meek shall inherit the earth.”
Esqueda: “Only six feet of it, senora.”

Rio: “My life, senora, means little to anyone. And less to me.”

Barton to Esqueda: “There’s a new officer that’s taken over the gringo army. And he’d rather hang you than die a Christian.”

Cam to Cordelia: “I can forgive anything you can forget.”