Savage Pampas (1966)

Robert Taylor plays Capt. Martin, an officer at a small garrison outpost in turn-of-the-century Argentina.

He has two problems. The local Indians are on the warpath. And their force is growing ever larger thanks to Martin’s mortal enemy Padron (Ron Randell).

Padron is luring away Martin’s men with a temptation they can’t resist — the offer of female companionship as opposed to garrison life, where women — even wives — are strictly forbidden.

Martin’s solution: Recruit about a dozen prostitutes to keep his men entertained. His plan winds up being approved.

But getting the two coaches full of women back to the fort through pampas roamed by the Indians and Padron’s men will prove difficult.

Keeping control of his own men during that journey will prove just as challenging. After all, love is in the air.

Robert Taylor as Capt. Martin in Savage Pampas (1966)

Ron Randell as Padron in Savage Pampas (1966)

Review:

This marked one of the last films produced by Samuel Bronston, who had been involved in the making of “El Cid” (1961), “55 Days at Peking” (1963) and “The Fall of the Roman Empire” (1964).

But this time around, he serves up more of a curiosity than epic or classic. It’s basically a Western set in Argentina featuring Robert Taylor in one of his last roles. He died in 1969 at age 57 after appearing in just four more films.

The story is both exploitive and implausible, but director Hugo Fregonese manages to turn it into an entertaining film. When he isn’t pulling off heroic feats, Taylor spends most of his time being cynical. Hardin’s the philosopher among the cast.

Angel del Pozo as Lt. Del Rio with Jose Nieto as Gen. Chavez in Savage Pampas (1966)

Ty Hardin as Miguel Carreras in Savage Pampas (1966)

Directed by:
Hugo Fregonese

Cast:
Robert Taylor … Capt. Martin
Mario Lozano … Santiago
Felicia Roc … Camila
Angel del Pozo … Lt. Del Rio
Susana Mara … Sarita
Ron Randell … Padron
Enrique Avila … Petizo
Laura Granados … Carmen
Milo Quesada … Alfonso
Charles Fawcett … Pvt. El Gato
Hector Quiroga … Pvt. Pepe
Luica Prado … Chiquito
Juan Carlos Galvan … Isidro
Marc Lawrence … Sgt. Barril
George Rigaud … Old Man
Jose Maria Caffarel … Vigo
Pastora Ruiz … Magnolia
Jose Jaspe … Pvt. Luis
Isabel Pisano … Lucy
Araceli Labori … Isabel
Jose Nieto … Gen. Chavez
Sancho Gracia … Carlos
Ingrid Ohlenschlager … Dolores
Dieter Eppler … Rivera
Willie Ellis … Pedro
Ty Hardin … Miguel Carreras
Rosenda Monteros … Rucu
Laya Raki … Mimi

Runtime: 104 min.

Muisc: Waldo de los Rios

Felicia Roc as Camila in Savage Pampas (1966)

Rosenda Monteros as Rucu in Savage Pampas (1966)

Memorable lines:

Capt. Martin to Sg. Barril: “If you can’t control nine women how do you expect to handle 100 men.”

Miguel Carreras to Capt. Martin: “Journalists are noted for being cynical. You put us to shame, captain.”

Marc Lawrence as Sgt. Barril with ….. in Savage Pampas (1966)

Laya Raki as Mimi in Savage Pampas (1966)

Trivia:

Director Hugo Fregonese also directed the original version of the movie, “Pampa Barbara” in Argentina in 1946.

Ron Randall, who plays the villain, and Laya Raki, who plays one of the most alluring of the prostitutes, were married at the time and would remain a couple until his death in 2005.

Robert Taylor would make just one more Western, “Return of the Gunfighter,” released in 1967.

Jose Jaspe as Pvt. Luis in Savage Pampas (1966)

Robert Taylor as Capt. Martin with Marc Lawrence as Sgt. Barril in Savage Pampas (1966)