Wings of the Hawk

Wings Of The Hawk is set down in revolutionary Mexico during the teen decade of the last century and casts Van Heflin as an expatriate American mine owner who has his mine appropriated by Porfirio Diaz's local provincial administrator George Dolenz. That doesn't turn Heflin into a revolutionary sympathizer just yet. But when he saves Julie Adams from a gunshot wound with a little doctoring he's convinced of the rightness of their cause. It also helps that Julie fills those riding pants out real nice.

Romantically the problem for Heflin is Rudolfo Acosta who already has a claim on Adams. He's part of the revolutionary band, but has grown over cautious of late.

Abbe Lane plays Adams's sister and Dolenz's mistress. More should have been made of that situation than it was. It might very well have been left on Universal's cutting room floor. Of course we should have also seen more of Abbe Lane on general principles.

Budd Boetticher directed Wings Of The Hawk and it certainly isn't up to the standard of the films he did with Randolph Scott. It's a routine action/adventure film, nothing more. Especially with Viva Zapata coming out the year before, a really great film about the same period.

It's not an oscar contender or a big budget Hollywood western so you have to judge it based on that. The cinematography was well done the acting was excellent and if you're lucky the 3d was way beyond it's time I wish they could have used this quality of 3d now it would have been a success. I really enjoyed the story and it's funny how they made caucasians play Mexican characters that was the only downfall for me but I realize its 1953. Ignore the critics that judge based on their own pre conceived western formula. This western works entertaining from start to excellent ending.

During the Mexican revolution of 1910, a Gringo prospector and miner called Gallager (Van Hefiln) is caught up in the Mexican revolution of 1910-11 when a nasty governor Ruiz (George Dolenz) appropriates his mine. He escapes and to be aware there's a price on his head , wanted: dead or alive , reward : 5.000 dollars . Along the way Gallager saves the life of guerilla leader Raquel (Julie Adams) who is engaged to another revolutionary (Rodolfo Acosta) . Then at the rebel campament shows up the popular leader Pascual Orozco to join forces to carry out a march on Ciudad Juarez . The film is set during the Mexican Revolution , in fact there appears a historical character , Pascual Orozco (well played by Noah Beery Jr) . Orozco was a Mexican revolutionary leader who rose up with Francisco I. Madero late 1910 to depose Porfirio Díaz. After leading up to Orozco's march on Ciudad Juárez and the seizure of Ciudad Juárez, Madero designated his first provisional cabinet, having Venustiano Carranza, a wealthy landowner like Madero, in the War Ministry, a position that Orozco longed for. Venustiano Carranza would eventually become a President of Mexico. Orozco and Villa first confronted Madero by bursting into a meeting of his shadow cabinet after the first Battle of Juárez. Sixteen months later he revolted against the Madero government and ultimately sided with the coup d'état that deposed Madero, and he was subsequently killed in 1915 . New kind of excitement thunders from the screen in 3-Dimension. Suitable for WIde Screen! For a Nation's Richest Prize . He Fought It's Wildest Revolt!...and tamed a fiery Bandit Queen for his own! Out of the thunder and plunder of a nation's most dangerous days come it's most thrilling adventure . For a nation's richest prize they fought it's wildest revolt .

This exciting Western packs thrills , noisy action , spectacular struggles and lots of gutsy adventure . Brawling , sprawling , almost primitive action, teeming across the screen by means of attacks , rescues , assaults , explosions and ambushes . This is a distinctive frontier saga with a special look at Mexican villages , mines , haciendas and countryside outdoors . Budd Boetticher demonstrates a special talent for making the densest action sequences seem uncomplicated and uncluttered and his characters , like the scenes distinguished , often have an unfettered , raw power .This is a moving story about a rebellious group and their fight for freedom and director takes a fine penned script creating a Mexican revolution tale that is far from ordinary , exploring the anguish and desperation of the revolutionaries and villany of the officials . The characters are fairly basic , but a wonderful use is made of the exteriors shot on locations in Burro Flats, Simi Hills, Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley California, and Backlot Universal studios . Cast is pretty good . Van Heflin gives a decent acting , as usual, as an American prospector who gets involved with the revolutionaries after a corrupt Mexican official confiscates his mine, and he becomes romantically involved with the revolutionary leader , gorgeous Julie Adams . Support cast is frankly fine , such as : George Dolenz as the villain administrator , Abbe Lane as his lover , Antonio Moreno as a priest , Rodolfo Acosta , Noah Beery Jr. , the always sympathetic Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez and uncredited Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. and Lyle Talbot .

It displays a glimmer and brilliant cinematography by Clifford Stine , Universal Pictures regular , being shot in 3D . And a moving as well as charming musical score by Frank Skinner .The motion picture produced by Aaron Rosenberg was well directed by Budd Boetticher who was a Western expert . His first Western was in 1949 called The Wolf Hunters, following Cimarron Kid , Bronco buster , Horizons West , Seminole, Man from the Alamo , and Wings of the hawk . In 1956 with 7 Men From Now starts his collaboration with Randolph Scott, along with producer Harry Joe Brown and writer Burt Kennedy , including prestigious titles as Tall T, Decision at sundown, Buchanan rides alone , Ride lonesome, Comanche station , among others . His last Western was in 1969 titled A time for dying with Audie Murphy. Budd also made other genres as Mobsters : The rise and fall of Legs Diamond , Mystery/suspense : Behind locked doors , WWII : Red Ball Express , and Bullfighting even : The magnificent matador , Arruza , The bullfighter and the lady . Rating 6. 5/10 . The movie will appeal to Western aficionados and Van Heflin/Julie Adams fans

I am admirer of Budd Boetticher'films,mainly the ones with Randolph Scott,this one being nothing but watchable.

My copy has some color problems being the night or dawn scenes darker than it should be,some action is lost which cause some distress to the viewer. I 've read that the film is in process of restoraration. I look forward to...

Anyway,this one is just a regular western with some good action scenes. Rate 6!

This western from Budd Boetticher doesn't belong to the golden years of the director; I mean the westerns produced by Harry Joe Brown, written by Burt Kennedy and starring Randolph Scott. This very one which I review today, is just a good Universal Studio product, as it had been made by a Nathan Juran or George Sherman, or any other "home" director, for instance Joe Pevney. This is a good actionner, really worth the watch, not the most known of director Boetticher. No real surprise but never boring. Van Heflin is quite good, so Julie Adams, the Studio female star, remember her in CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.