Directed by:
John SturgesScreenplay:
Elmore LeonardCinematography:
Bruce SurteesComposer:
Lalo SchifrinCast:
Clint Eastwood, Robert Duvall, John Saxon, Don Stroud, Stella Garcia, James Wainwright, Paul Koslo, Gregory Walcott, Dick Van Patten, Lynne Marta, John Carter (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
In New Mexico in the late 1890s, the fiery Louis Chama (John Saxon) leads a group of Mexican-American peasants in a fight for their land after the evidence of their ownership has been destroyed in a questionable courthouse fire. The wealthy Frank Harlan (Robert Duvall), who also lays claim to the disputed land, has decided to bypass the legal system and hires a group of killers to take care of Chama. Kidd, who initially rejects Harlan's offer to join his hunting party, changes his mind when he finds that Chama has stolen some of his horses and brutalized one of his ranch hands. However, after seeing Harlan randomly pick off some Mexicans and becoming interested in Helen Sanchez (Stella Garcia), Kidd begins to think twice about his current employer. After he frees a group of hostages who are about to be mowed down by Harlan and his men, he takes off into the hills with Chama. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
By Eastwood's and Sturges's standards, it is only slightly above average, which, especially in the end, desperately lacks any real juice. The beginning is flawless, and the conflict between Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall looks promising, but over time Joe Kidd becomes an unexpectedly naive story (especially the church imprisonment and escape) that isn't particularly elevated by the parking of a steam locomotive in a pub.
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This is one of those quite forgettable westerns with the great Clint Eastwood, which is only memorable due to the interesting supporting actors Robert Duvall and John Saxon, and the fact that Clint imparts his own brand of justice to all the bad guys yet again.
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