The Comancheros (1961)

John Wayne plays Capt. Jake Cutter, a Texas Ranger who finds himself with two missions.

First, he’s asked to bring in Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman), who’s wanted for murder in New Orleans after winning a duel against a prominent citizen.

Second, he’s sent undercover to act as a gunrunner and discover the location of Comancheros who have been terrorizing the territory.

Regret escapes from Cutter, not once, but twice.

But the two just can’t stay apart. And when Regret brings the Texas Rangers riding to rescue Cutter and some settlers from a Comancheros raid in the nick of time … well, Cutter eases up on the idea of shipping Regret back to Louisiana to face a hangman’s noose.

In fact, Regret is recruited into the Rangers as an alibi against that old murder charge. And it’s as fellow Rangers that Cutter and Regret ride off with a wagon load of rifles in hopes of locating the Comanchero stronghold.

They succeed, but that might be the end of their Ranger days. Comanchero leader Graile has them baking in the sun while his pretty daughter Pilar (Ina Balin) orders their release.

Seems she and Regret got acquainted and fell in love on the same riverboat on which Cutter arrested him.

John Wayne as Capt. Jake Cutter, having found Paul Regret, the man he was looking for in The Comancheros (1961)

Stuart Whitman as Paul Regret, a riverboat gambler meeting Pilar Graile for the first time in The Comancheros (1961)

Review:

Not a John Wayne classic, but entertaining nonetheless as his character and Whitman’s match wits, both verbally and otherwise.

The wheelchair bound Graile makes for an interesting character, having created a new society out West where even a small crime can cost you your life.

Lee Marvin has an even better, albeit short-lived role, as Tully Crow, a half-scalped trader with the Comancheros who’s too wild even for the saloon gals in these here parts.

If you’re looking for flaws, there’s a script that seems to veer off in too many directions and a lady love who seems way too unconcerned about what might happen to her father if she sides with Regret and his Ranger friend.

This marked the final film for Michael Curtiz, who was so sick during its filming that Wayne had to take over directing duties at times.

Curtiz also brought us such Westerns as “Dodge City,” and “Virginia City,” starring Errol Flynn; “The Hangman,” starring Robert Taylor; and “The Proud Rebel,” starring Alan Ladd. Curtiz died of cancer shortly after this film was released.

Patrick Wayne as Tobe, the eager young Texas Ranger in The Comancheros (1961)

Ina Balin as Pilar Graile, preparing for a night out on a riverboat in The Comancheros (1961)

Directed by:
Michael Curtiz

Cast:
John Wayne … Capt. Jake Cutter
Stuart Whitman … Paul Regret
Ina Balin … Pilar Graile
Nehemiah Persoff … Graile
Lee Martin … Tully Crow
Michael Ansara .. Amelung
Patrick Wayne … Tobe
Bruce Cabot … Maj. Henry
Joan O’Brien … Melinda Marshall
Jack Elam … Horseface
Edgar Buchanan … Thaddeus Jackson Breen
Henry Daniell … Gireaux
Richard Devon … Esteban

Runtime: 107 min.

Title tune: “The Comancheros”

Nehemiah Persoff as Graile, leader of the comancheros in The Comancheros (1961)

Lee Marvin as Tully Crow, the man who deals with the comancheros in The Comancheros (1961)

Memorable lines:

Paul Regret: “Am I to believe that you weighed and appraised and then selected me out of all the men on the boat.”
Pilar Graile: “Do not be too conceited. It’s not a very large boat.”

Paul Regret: “I’m beginning to hate this mule already. He’s got a mean look.”
Capt. Jake Cutter: “His name is Mabel.”

Capt. Jack Cutter, when Tully Crow gets angry during a card game: “He’s just spitting out words to see where they splatter.”

Capt. Jack Cutter: “You think I’m simple minded.”
Paul Regret: “Yes, I think you’re simple minded.”
Cutter: “Well, don’t make a point of saying it too often. And once more would be too often.”

Judge Thaddeau Jackson Breen: “Most say, cept for them who are unfair-minded, that I have the finest legal mind in the entire southwest. So you can have faith in your lawyer, son. How much money you got?”
Paul Regret: “I don’t have any.”
Breen: “Well, I’m beginning to doubt your chances against the law.”

John Wayne as Capt. Jake Cutter and Stuart Whitman as Paul Regret, hoping to find the comancheros camp in The Comancheros (1961)

Bruce Cabot as Texas Ranger Maj. Henry helping interrogate gun-runner Ed McBain (Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams) in The Comancheros (1961)

Michael Ansara as Amelung, enjoying the prospect of watching Paul Regret die in The Comancheros (1961)

Joan O’Brien as Melinda Marshall, the woman who always looks forward to Jake’s visits in The Comancheros (1961)

John Wayne as Capt. Jake Cutter, Aissa Wayne as Bessie Marshall and Stuart Whitman as Paul Regret in The Comancheros (1961)

Stuart Whitman as Paul Regret, caught in the middle of a Comanche raid in The Comancheros (1961)

Ina Balin as Pilar Graile, meeting Paul Regret again in the comancheros camp in The Comancheros (1961)

John Wayne as Capt. Jake Cutter, regretting not being able to take a shot at Paul Regret in The Comancheros (1961)