The Wrath of God (1972)

Robert Mitchum is Father Oliver Van Horne, a priest with a satchel that contains a machine gun and $53,000 in cash in the currencies of several countries.

Victor Buono is Jennings, a booze-smuggler who doesn’t mind hiding guns and ammunition bound for revolutionaries in his shipments, if it pays enough.

Ken Hutchison is Emmet Keogh, just looking for a place where there’s peace, until his train ticket to such a place is stolen and he’s left penniless, forced to transport goods for Jennings, unaware those goods includes firearms.

All three winds up in the hands of Col. Santilla, who places them in front of a firing squad.

Ah, but there’s a way out. If they agree to assassinate Thomas De La Plata (Frank Langella), who’s taken control of the town of Mojada and has proven difficult to dislodge.

With Keogh and Jennings posing as mining company representatives willing to reopen a badly needed silver mine, they head to Mojada.

Van Horne goes along too. After all, he has the machine gun. And he might need it, considering that De La Plata is well-known for killing priests.

Seems years earlier, government troops beat his father to death, and violated his mother and sister in front of him while the corrupt local priest did nothing.

Fortunately for Van Horne’ De La Plata’s mother (Rita Hayworth) hasn’t lost her appreciation for the Catholic faith.

Robert Mitchum as Father Van Horne, a priest with a machine gun and cash in his satchel in The Wrath of God (1972)

Ken Hutchison as Emmet Keogh, expressing his disdain for the country he inhabits in The Wrath of God (1972)

Review:

A rousing finale makes this worth watching, but getting there is a sometimes bumpy ride that isn’t going to make you forget Ralph Nelson’s better-known Westerns, the superb “Duel at Diablo” (1966) and “Soldier Blue” (1970).

Viewers will discover that Van Horne isn’t what he seems within the film’s first few minutes. Jennings is drunk as much as sober. That leves Keogh as the most sympathetic of our three “heroes.”

As for Hayworth, she was 54 when the movie was released and doesn’t show up until 45 minutes into what wound up being her final film. Her’s is a supporting role.

The real female lead is Paula Pritchett as Chela, a mute Indian girl saved from a gang rape by Keogh. They wind up falling for one another. This was one of just three films she made.

As he was prone to do, director Nelson makes a cameo appearance as one of the prisoners being executed.

Victor Buono as Jennings, weighing his options as the finale conflict begins in The Wrath of God (1972)

Frank Langella as Thomas De La Plata, warning Father Van Horne of the high price of holding mass in his town in The Wrath of God (1972)

Directed by:
Ralph Nelson

Cast:
Robert Mitchum … Father Oliver Van Horne
Frank Langella … Thomas De La Plata
Rita Hayworth … Senora De La Plata
John Colicos … Colonel Santilla
Victor Buono … Jennings
Ken Hutchison …. Emmet Keogh
Paula Pritchett … Chela
Gregory Sierra … Jurado
Frank Ramirez …. Carlos Moreno
Enrique Lucero … Nacho
Jorge Russek … Cordona
Chano Urueta … Antonio
Jose Luis Parades … Pablito
Aurora Clavel … Senora Moreno
Victor Eberg … Delgado
Pancho Cordova … Tacho
Guillermo Hernandez … Diaz

Runtime: 111 min.

Paula Pritchett as Chela, rescued by Emmet Keogh only to be captured again in The Wrath of God (1972)

Rita Hayworth as Senora De La Plata, praying for a peaceful solution to the conflict in The Wrath of God (1972)

Memorable lines:

Father Van Horne, commenting on the countryside: “Desolate place, isn’t it?”
Emmet Keogh: “If God had wanted to give the world an enema, he’d have stuck the nozzle in here.”

Emmet Keogh, after Father Van Horne has pulled out his machine gun and mowed down a room full of men: “That was one hell of a mass, priest.”
Father Van Horne: “I have a small confession. All is not as it seems.”

Colonel Santilla: “You have been selected as my unholy trinity. The father, the son and the wholly, totally corrupt Jennings.”

Jennings to Father Van Horne: “My God, you should have been a military man instead of … whatever you are.”

Jennings: “Life is full of little surprises.”

John Colicos as Col. Santilla, explaining the mission he wants the three men to carry out in The Wrath of God (1972)

Jose Luis Parades as Pablito, being sent to safety by Father Van Horne in The Wrath of God (1972)

Gregory Sierra as Jurado, binding Father Van Horne tighter to a cross in The Wrath of God (1972)

Enrique Lucero as Nacho, Chela male protector in The Wrath of God (1972)

Frank Langella as Thomas De La Plata, convinced by his mother (Rita Hayworth) go give Father Van Horne another chance in The Wrath of God (1972)

Victor Buono as Jennings, gun in hand, wondering about Father Van Horne’s plan in The Wrath of God (1972)

Robert Mitchum as Father Oliver Van Horne, showing off his secret weapon in The Wrath of God (1972)

Paula Prichett as Chela and Ken Hutchison as Emmet Keogh, daring to enter a bar together in The Wrath of God (1972)