Barquero (1970)

Very disappointing...

To me, this movie is perfection.

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Good movie but grossly overrated

While there is plenty of Van Cleef time in "Barquero", and the Warren Oates factor is a plus, this talky western borders on boring. Almost the entire film takes place in one location, and the script just doesn't make a lot of sense. I mean if Oates would have at least tried to find a shallow river crossing, instead of obsessing about Van Cleef's barge, things might have moved along at a more tolerable pace. As it is, with all the shouting back and forth across the river, nothing really happens for long stretches. "Barquero" to me was somewhat of a disappointment, and in no way challenges Lee Van Cleef's performance in "The Big Gundown" or some of his other non Leone westerns. - MERK

Lee Van Cleef squaring off in a battle of wills against Warren Oates..if that doesn't draw excitement from western fans, then you need to check your vital signs, because you might just not be registering a pulse. Fascinating "psychological oater" has cold-blooded killer Jacob Remy(Warren Oates in a phenomenal performance)and his band of murderous cutthroats needing to use a barge in order to cross a river into Mexico. The problem is that the barge is across the river on the other side and in possession of barquero(bargeman)Travis(Lee Van Cleef), his mountain tracker pal, Phil(Forrest Tucker, stealing every scene he's in)and a group of religious squatters. Who will ultimately win this cat and mouse game as each leader tests the other's resolve in order to maintain control of the barge? The movie opens with a sensational 20 or so minute shootout where Remy's men open fire on a town of innocent people for their materials and valuables, including bags of silver stolen from the bank. Remy and his men are so despicable, they not only shoot the men, but women as well.Travis and Phil uncover the truth about Remy's plans to use the barge to get across the river, burning it down afterward, thanks to the blabbering of Fair(..a really young John Davis Chandler)who they take prisoner. Getting across the river, Travis will be damned if he'll give up his barge, and Remy attempts, through various methods, to persuade him to. Kerwin Mathews is Jacob's French lieutenant, the brains of their outfit, attempting to convince him to split their loot evenly, separating before things get out of hand. But, Remy is determined to get that barge, slowly driven to the brink of madness as Travis often outsmarts him, including a successful rescue of a kidnapped squatter.The film is worth watching if just for the performance of Warren Oates, who vividly, and impressively, conveys a madman deteriorating psychologically bit by bit as his attempts to retrieve the barge fail. Van Cleef oozes confidence and charisma(..it's so effortless, he's such a cool cat, this guy)as the cerebral hero and Tucker is an absolute hoot as his calm, breezy, undeterred comrade who remains loyal to him as they match wits with their enemies. Great closing gun battle as Travis gathers his "troops" together for one final showdown with Jacob, Marquette and their goons as they attempt to get across the river another way.A legitimate sleeper, definitely worth pursuing if you are a fan of Van Cleef and Oates. The beautiful Marienne Hartley has a supporting role as a squatter willing to offer her sexual services to Travis in exchange for his saving her husband from being drowned by Jacob.

'Barquero', released in 1970, is an original, highly entertaining western that manages to find new elements of an, by then, over-used genre. The naval aspect of the story seems unique, but the actual core is basically a re-write of all the classic spaghetti westerns. In fact, it seem that this is the most Spaghetti-like American western of its time. But the rip-off isn't too dramatic, it works quite fine. Special notice should go to the oil-painting opening credits - interesting, good choice.The film's well-cast, led by Lee Van Cleef and Warren Oates as the opposing characters. Van Cleef is always watchable although he seems a little uneasy at playing a character that is neither the classic bad guy he was so good at nor a typical good hero. In the hands of another actor, it may have looked bland, but not with Van Cleef.The film is daring enough to grant equal screen time to its main villain, played by Warren Oates who gets one of his very first cinematic leading roles here. Oates is the multi-layered Jake Remy, colourful bad guy and arguably better-characterized by the script than the ferryman Van Cleef. Oates delights in his role, in what seems like planned hamminess (good thing, because the role calls for it) coupled with authentic danger and ferocity. Mariette Hartley is beautiful but unnecessary. The climax hurts the film. There's a good chance at the end to choose from two original endings (both dying, or both getting away) but the screenplay takes the cliché way and lets Van Cleef shoot Oates in a spiritless, thankless two-second duel. Pity.To sum it up: very entertaining, good western with a great villain performance by Oates and a good-enough lead by Van Cleef.

Finely crafted production by Aubrey Schenck, with most of its action confined to a spot on the Rio Grande where a bunch of "squatters" have set up a primitive frontier town and a man (the "barquero", Van Cleef) has built a barge connected by rope to cross the river. When a bandit leader (Oates) and his group plunder and burn a nearby town, killing everyone, they make fast tracks to the barge, only to find the town evacuated and the barge on the other side of the river, with Cleef and his woodsman friend (Tucker) reluctantly defending the mostly nebbish townspeople. The script's sardonic tone is probably indebted to contemporary Italian oaters, but its ferocious drive and its focus on a personal confrontation between to determined, opposed strangers is very effective. Cleef is good at showing that he has no real concern for the villagers, but is absolutely set on not letting Oates' bandits burn his barge. Oates is a bit over the top (method acting is the worst type to go over the top with), especially in the poorly-conceived scene where he shoots the river. Solid action film with a significant difference going for it.