Viva Max! (1969)

Best movie of this year hands down!

The Age of Commercialism

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Good concept, poorly executed.

The story is about a crazy Mexican, General Santos (Peter Ustinov). He's in command of a few dozen men and tells them they are heading up to Laredo, Texas for a parade. Little do any of them but his second in command (John Astin) know but his plan is to retake the Alamo! Soon, they have secured this National Monument...and the locals are all at odds as to what to do. Little do either side know that their respective troops have no bullets.I remember when I was a little boy that my parents saw this film and talked on and on and on about how funny it was. Now, almost five decades later I'm getting around to seeing it. Overall, I am not so sure why they thought it was so funny. I'm not saying it was bad...but don't quite understand why they loved it so much. Perhaps it was just something about 1969. Now I am not saying it's bad...but I was left wondering why the film wasn't funnier. The premise sure sounded fun.By the way, it would have been nice if perhaps some Mexicans had actually played the Mexicans...such as Cantinflas playing the General or his aide.

My father rented this on 16mm many years ago and I remember it well, particularly Ustinov and the music. I recently found a print and it is all I thought it to be, and that is just a gentle smile of a movie, no BIG laughs, good cast and a little premise of a plot. The jokes often work and there is even some drama along the way. In particular, Kenneth Mars plays a frightening role indeed. But we are among friends - Jonathan Winters (always fun), Keenan Wynn, Alice Ghostly and others whom we have seen a dozen times over. This forgotten film sticks with you as time passes so if you ever catch it, have a cup of coffee with some cinematic friends and at the end you will even say VIVA USTINOV.

Sophisticated cosmopolite Peter Ustinov blots his copybook here with a caricature of a performance "browned up" as the eponymous "Max",a Mexican army officer unbelicose by nature who recaptures The Alamo to impress his girlfriend.Now clearly this episode of American history is a sensitive area to many,but is rather too domestic for us Europeans to understand the subtle nuances involved.Pride on both sides of the border is easily ruffled so General Max may well have had at least the tacit support of many of his fellow Mexicans.Where I feel they may have not been so happy is with the performances of Mr Ustinov and his comic book accent and Mr John Astin as his Sancho Panza. The Texans are only slightly better served,the exception being the great Mr Harry Morgan - saviour of many a picture - who,along with Mr Keenan Wynn,drags "Viva Max" up from the vaudeville level of entertainment it had reached before their appearance. Mr Ustinov,bon - viveur,writer,actor,chat show guest non - pareil and wit,was a wizard with accents as he proves here,but,to me,there is something distasteful,even patronising in his performance. It may have seemed a wacky idea in the summer of love when most of the movers and shakers in Hollywood were presumably stoned out of their gourds,but "Viva Max" has not travelled well I'm afraid.

I have not seen this movie since I saw it in the Drive-in when it was first released and I was a mere 9 years old. Yet, despite this, it amazes me that I can recall little snippets from this movie and the theme song has NEVER LEFT MY BRAIN! If that isn't a sign that a movie can have an impact, nothing is.There's a chance that if I were to see it today, I might say, 'Gee, I guess that was amusing' and shrug it off, but I doubt it. I will have to watch for this movie and see it again and find out if I find it as hilarious today as I did then.With a cast like this, odds are in favor of me enjoying it even more today.