The Wonderful Country (1959)

Crappy film

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

We got a Western with Mitchum for starters. Then, add Indians, Calvary, love interest, gun play, Mexico, drinking, fighting, horses and some history and we got a decent movie on our hands. Mitch handles his accent rather well and the story is an interesting one. He is a gringo who had to live in Mexico but realizes that may change if he changes. Of course the love interest has something to do with that decision along with other circumstances. Good supporting cast here too. Good movie for eating a burrito or some tacos with a tasty drink or a nice cut of beef. Have some pan dulce (sweet bread) for dessert as there is all that in the movie and more. Even some beef jerky and pumpkin seeds will work for the full effect. Nice scenery and filmed on location i.e. Mexico. BTW...They are always having an over throw of power or position or some sort of revolution in that country because everyone is always jockeying for power and of course more money. It goes on to this day too. Enjoy amigos & pards

The story is clever, the production value is all there, and the acting talent is present... but this film is poorly directed with a distracting and overblown music score. There are clear merits to this film and Mitchum gives his all to make his character solid ... but because of the weak direction, his Mexican accent is almost flawless in some scenes, but nonexistent in others. This goes back and forth for the duration of the film. Some of the Mexcian accents spoken by some actors are not only poorly executed, with dialogue that is stereotypical, as well. This distracts greatly from the story and production values here. The overblown soundtrack is about as bad as it gets. It makes me think Alex North was dying for attention and wanted his music to be heard over the action. The music has little to do with the mood of what is happening on screen. Music should enhance the drama... here the music fights for attention. Some of the worst arrangements I've heard. At times the music sounds festive and celebratory in scenes which are supposed to be ominous and frightening. Quite odd and a bit irritating. A remake should be considered because the story is worth telling.... but not this way.

Nursed back to health from a broken leg by the residents of a small US town, an American-born illegal arms dealer becomes torn between whether to return to Mexico, where he has lived most of his life, or stay on in America in this Technicolor western starring Robert Mitchum. As it turns out, Mitchum has quite some history, residing in Mexico to avoid being arrested for avenging his father's murder, yet with so many welcoming him with open arms, offering him jobs and declaring that he should stay "this side of the river... where you belong", Mitchum soon finds himself in quite a dilemma. The title is intentionally ambiguous; it is never clear whether the USA or Mexico is meant to be the wonderful place. The plot is not really helped though by the inclusion of Julie London as a love interest in the town. She is married and it is hard to root for Mitchum when he convinces her that she must not really love her husband on account of a few glances. London is pretty dull too, and then as a self-defense incident forces Mitchum to make up his mind between the US and Mexico, it feels a case of too much being thrown on the plate here. The film's best moments are the quieter ones in which Mitchum sits and genuinely ponders over which side to join. There are enough of these moments to keep the film chugging along, but it is a little hard to enthusiastically recommend it.

This movie was more accurate then I think people know. There was a troop of black army cavalry in Arizona and they did comport them selves very well. The film was filmed in Arizona which is breath taking and not in Texas which is OK. Robert Mitchem was at his best in this type of roll. I loved him when he played a roll of the under played good guy. Julie London should have sung a song in it but of course she couldn't. The film had a very good story line and moved along which I find films in this day and age don't. I'm wondering if the film had any historic background to it. It would seem that back in the day when it should have taken place there would have been a person like Mr. Brady.