Covered in mudpacks dried from the sun, the white Burt Lancaster and the black Ossie Davis look exactly alike, ridiculing racists in an era where both the Native American and the black man found themselves fighting for freedom in different ways from the white man. It's the era of slavery, and the era of the American expansion of the west, so for the natives and slaves, it's a fight for survival. Burt Lancaster is amusing as the very determined Joe Bass, a fur trader whose catch is swiped with runaway slave Ossie Davis given to him in exchange. Intending to sell Davis himself as well as get back his furs, he is horrified when he witnesses the scalping of the Indian tribe he's been hunting, and now must switch his tracking of his furs to the ruthless gang led by Telly Savalas. When Davis ends up accidentally captured by Savalas, Lancaster must use his cunning, unaware that Davis is even more cunning than him, using brain, not brawn, to control the situation, even getting in the good favor of the blowzy Shelley Winters (as Savalas's mistress) who longs to settle down "as a lady", something even with her big heart is practically impossible.
Even with the violence and blood, there's a huge element of humor in this, and the fun comes in watching the one-upmanship between Davis and Lancaster. Davis, having been a book reading house slave, is the most intelligent character in the film, having preferred bread and water along with freedom over cake and slavery. While involved in an evil and pointless profession, Savalas shows his signs of civility, treating Winters with respect and love, although an edited sequence indicates that at one point, he gives her a black eye. In fact, the only issue I could find with this film is the continuity, obviously because of issues in the editing room, giving details for an upcoming scene that never happens. But, when you've got a western film like this with all the action going on, there's little to quibble about in the way of keeping your interest. Lancaster is like a doberman with a bone when it comes to getting back his furs, and showing his disgust to the scalping of native Americans also indicates that he's got a moral base underneath his seemingly shallow exterior.
First seen coming out of a covered wagon clad in a ripped negligee and feather boa, Winters is a sight to behold, and the joy that covers her face when Davis turns cactus leaves into shampoo makes you just want to hug her. It seems that she's making up for her cruelty to Sidney Poitier in "A Patch of Blue" with her humanity to Davis here, and she is the most likable and honest (brutally at times) of all the characters. This is indeed a roller coaster ride of a western, and it grabs you right from the very beginning. There are some cartoon like effects when Lancaster and the fairly passive Davis get into a fight, with the cartoon like bird sound appearing out of nowhere as Lancaster gets slugged. Davis is playing a variation of "Purlie" here (his most famous stage and screen role), and delivers an outstanding, beautiful performance that makes you wish he had been more of a movie star than he was. Even in its violence, it will have you laughing, although the violence towards the Indians is itself no laughing matter.
Even with the violence and blood, there's a huge element of humor in this, and the fun comes in watching the one-upmanship between Davis and Lancaster. Davis, having been a book reading house slave, is the most intelligent character in the film, having preferred bread and water along with freedom over cake and slavery. While involved in an evil and pointless profession, Savalas shows his signs of civility, treating Winters with respect and love, although an edited sequence indicates that at one point, he gives her a black eye. In fact, the only issue I could find with this film is the continuity, obviously because of issues in the editing room, giving details for an upcoming scene that never happens. But, when you've got a western film like this with all the action going on, there's little to quibble about in the way of keeping your interest. Lancaster is like a doberman with a bone when it comes to getting back his furs, and showing his disgust to the scalping of native Americans also indicates that he's got a moral base underneath his seemingly shallow exterior.
First seen coming out of a covered wagon clad in a ripped negligee and feather boa, Winters is a sight to behold, and the joy that covers her face when Davis turns cactus leaves into shampoo makes you just want to hug her. It seems that she's making up for her cruelty to Sidney Poitier in "A Patch of Blue" with her humanity to Davis here, and she is the most likable and honest (brutally at times) of all the characters. This is indeed a roller coaster ride of a western, and it grabs you right from the very beginning. There are some cartoon like effects when Lancaster and the fairly passive Davis get into a fight, with the cartoon like bird sound appearing out of nowhere as Lancaster gets slugged. Davis is playing a variation of "Purlie" here (his most famous stage and screen role), and delivers an outstanding, beautiful performance that makes you wish he had been more of a movie star than he was. Even in its violence, it will have you laughing, although the violence towards the Indians is itself no laughing matter.