Madron (1970)

Thanks for the memories!

Just perfect...

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

MADRON is your typical kind of western with one twist: it was shot largely in Israel, in various sun-scorched desert locales which do a good job of standing in for the Old West. Otherwise, it's a middling kind of film that doesn't really have a lot going for it, as the production is kind of sloppy. The photography never really brings out the best of the surroundings and the characters are rather flat.The protagonist is Leslie Caron, playing an uptight nun who survives an Indian massacre at the film's opening. She's rescued by Richard Boone's titular gunfighter, and the two then go on a trek through the land, fighting off various bad guys all the while. A handful of cheap action scenes prop up MADRON, but they're quite poorly conceived and lacking in excitement. Boone is the best thing in this and is reminiscent of Bud Spencer at times. Paul L. Smith (Bluto in POPEYE) has a minor role. The famous Italian film composer Riz Ortolani supplied the music, but that opening song really has dated in the worst kind of way.

Madron is directed by Jerry Hopper who co-adapts the screenplay with Edward Chappell from a story written by Leo McMahon. It stars Richard Boone, Leslie Caron and Gabi Amrani. Filmed in Israel and Hollywood, cinematography is by Marcel Grignon and Adam Greenbereg and music is by Riz Ortolani.A nun (Caron) survives a wagon train massacre and teams up with a gunslinger (Boone) in a battle for survival.I'd like to say that the fact the similar themed Two Mules for Sister Sarah was released the same year is the reason this is little known. But that simply isn't true. For Madron (AKA: His Name Was Madron) is a poor movie, saved from stinker damnation by Boone's fun performance as the grizzled title character. Film consists of Boone and Caron trekking thru the barren sands finding each other as they fight off bandits and injuns in a series of poorly executed action scenes. Script is weak and plot holds no surprises, like wouldn't you know it, once Nun Caron throws off the Habbit, she's a foxy babe! The Israeli vistas hold up as a Western backdrop, but they are barely realised by the photography and the colour is decidedly flat, while the score and title song (Till Love Touches Your Life-Richard Williams & Jan Daley) sounds like something from a soft core porn movie of the 70s. The ending has a decent enough kick to it, and the odd spurt of violence lifts the film out of its stupor; with one scene probably more fitting for Soldier Blue, but really this is only one for Boone enthusiasts. 5/10

This film has an interesting background. It's the first filmed in Israel that was meant to be set elsewhere; i.e. the American West. Richard Boone was hoping to help the infant Israeli film industry with its birthing pains. Each day of filming was beset with financial woes. At the end of every day Richard Boone, who was involved with production, had a meeting with the financiers. Somehow they managed to find enough money to complete the film. It holds together.The script wasn't that great but Leslie Caron and Boone gave their best performances. The romance between the nun and the gunslinger made sense within the context of the story. It was refreshing to see Boone play a not-so-bad guy once more. The death of the hero rather than the heroine makes for an unexpected and poignant ending.A word: Use caution if you're disturbed by graphic violence. In the theater version a man was emasculated in graphic and bloody detail. This scene has been edited from most versions of the film.If you get a chance to see MADRON, don't pass it by. It's worthwhile for Richard Boone and Leslie Caron. They were brilliant.

I grew up watching westerns. I'm an American now living in the UK just to explain. I caught this film one lazy afternoon and was chuffed to see craggy ole Richard Boone with the lovely Lesley Caron.Its the little bits that made this film interesting. Instead of just grabbing the hot coffee pot they use something to protect their hand. He gives her the definition of 'yonder'.The ending song is a bit cheesy OK, its dreadful, but the hero dies and the female hero rides off into the sunset. An interesting twist on the typical rough guy falling in love with an unsuitable woman, who is usually the one to die. You know, mythic hero's true love must die to keep him on his journey blahblahblah.A enjoyable little B Western.