The Undefeated (1969)

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writers:

James Lee Barrett (screenplay)
Stanley Hough (story)

Release Date:

27 November 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

After the Civil War, ex-Union Colonel John Henry Thomas and ex-Confederate Colonel James Langdon are...

Plot Keywords:

American Civil War | Bandit | Horse | Mexican Revolution | Mexico

Cast

John Wayne	...	Col. John Henry Thomas
Rock Hudson	...	Col. James Langdon
Antonio Aguilar	...	Juarista Gen. Rojas (as Tony Aguilar)
Roman Gabriel	...	Blue Boy (John Henry's Cherokee Indian adopted son)
Marian McCargo	...	Ann Langdon
Lee Meriwether	...	Margaret Langdon
Merlin Olsen	...	Cpl. Little George, CSA
Melissa Newman	...	Charlotte Langdon
Bruce Cabot	...	Sgt. Jeff Newby CSA
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Lt. Bubba Wilkes CSA (as Michael Vincent)
Ben Johnson	...	Short Grub
Edward Faulkner	...	Capt. Anderson, CSA (Col. Langdon's aide)
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Soloman Webster (Thomas rider)
Paul Fix	...	Gen. Joe Masters
Royal Dano	...	Maj. Sanders, CSA (one-armed major)

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

New Zealand:PG | West Germany:16 (f) (original rating) | Australia:G | Australia:PG (TV rating) | West Germany:12 (f) (re-rated) | Finland:K-12 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

During filming John Wayne fell from his horse and fractured three ribs. He couldn't work for almost two weeks. Then he tore a ligament in his shoulder and couldn't use one arm at all. The director, Andrew V. McLaglen, could only film him from an angle for the rest of the picture. His only concern throughout was not to disappoint his fans, despite being in terrible pain.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: After the Civil War (1861-65) when the cowboys are around the campfire, Webster talks of sending a letter and that it could go Pony Express. The Pony Express dissolved in October of 1861. It also did not go into South Texas where the cowboys apparently where traveling.

Quotes:

Shortgrub: McCartney.
McCartney: Mr. McCartney. Shortgrub, I said a lot of mean things to the boys, didn't I?
Shortgrub: Yeah, you did.
McCartney: Tell them from me, I meant every damn word.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in W.R. - Misterije organizma (1971)

Diverting, though not compelling

The Undefeated is fun to watch, but most of the cast--especially John Wayne--could have phoned in their performances. If you've watched westerns, you've seen most of this before, aside from a somewhat ambiguous ending that suggests a definition for heroism at odds with more typical John Wayne fare. But everyone on screen seems to be having fun, approaching the movie more as a lark than a challenge, which rubs off on the audience. Don't hold your expectations too high, and you'll pass a pleasant hour or two.