ShangLuda Admirable film.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Wuchak Released in 1967 and directed by Burt Kennedy, "The War Wagon" is a Western starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas as Taw and Lomax. Taw is a recently-released prisoner who wants to get his ranch and gold back from the rich business man who framed him and now lives on his ranch, Pierce (Bruce Cabot). While Taw enlists Lomax to heist half a million in gold from Pierce's "War Wagon," an armored stage coach with a Gatling gun on top, Pierce also hires Lomax to assassinate Taw. The other members of the heist team are Howard Keel as a Native who has learned the white man's ways, Robert Walker Jr. as a young drunkard who's skilled in explosives, and Keenan Wynn as a curmudgeon who plays on both teams. Valora Noland has a small role as the babe while Joanna Barnes and Bruce Dern have glorified cameos. People say this is a Western Comedy, but that's just not the case. It has the same general tone as Wayne Westerns like 1967's "El Dorado," 1971's "Big Jake" and 1973's "The Train Robbers." Sure there are a couple amusing moments, like those other Wayne flicks, but it's generally a serious Western. Anyway, if you liked those movies you'll like this one too; it's about on par, although everyone has their favorites ("El Dorado" is the best, IMHO, followed by "The Train Robbers," although "The War Wagon" is marginally better than "Big Jake"). Wayne was 59 while filming in 1966 and still looked good, all things considered; he fits the role of a likable, but intimidating, take-no-sheet Westerner. Douglas was 50 during filming and was in tip-top shape, even performing many of his own nigh-acrobatic stunts. His smiling charisma is palpable. Highlights include the breathtaking Mexican Southwest vistas, the camaraderie of the two stars, several quality action sequences, Keel's interesting take on a Native American who's assimilated into civilized culture and the suspense build-up to the heist of the so-called War Wagon. The film runs 96 minutes and shot in Durango & Zacatecas, Mexico, and Universal City, California.GRADE: B

Get_your_azz_to_Mars 'The War Wagon' will never be considered one of John Wayne's great Westerns like 'Rio Bravo', 'The Searchers', or 'Red River', but it is a an enjoyable Western with fine performances and great rapport between Kirk Douglas and John Wayne. The action sequences are well done, the humor dry as the desert it takes place in, and the caper story line rather refreshing for a John Wayne film.The problem? When the picture ends it leaves you feeling empty. The characters are not particularly interesting (save for Douglas) and the villain is your standard cattle baron murderous jerk. The war wagon itself is an interesting prop and well used, but never really becomes the menacing character it should've been. I enjoyed the movie as a fan of John Wayne and Westerns in general, yet I doubt most of his fans will find this film particularly impressive when compared to many of his other Westerns directed by Hawks and Ford. That isn't to say you should avoid seeing 'The War Wagon', but you should temper your expectations for what is really just an empty Saturday-afternoon adventure. You'll like it while you're watching it and then forget it as soon as the credits roll.

mark.waltz As a huge fan of both John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, I was excited to see this sole pairing between the two legends. However, I was slightly disappointed because of the generic plot in which they were involved in which concerned Wayne being framed for an obvious crime he didn't commit, getting out of prison, and seeking revenge on the mastermind (Bruce Cabot) who wanted the gold on his land. The villain has hired Douglas to assassinate Wayne to keep him from loosing everything, but Douglas holds out for the highest bidder which happens to be Wayne. Using "the War Wagon" to transfer the gold off of Wayne's land, Cabot has the tank-like covered wagon made up with a giant machine gun like contraption which truly looks silly driving across the desert while Indians and his enemies chase him.Even sillier is the casting of MGM musical legend Howard Keel as a Native American who joins forces with Wayne and Douglas. Looking absolutely silly in Indian braids, Keel has every right to seem truly embarrassed over having had to take this role. Keenan Wynn plays the grizzled driver of Wayne's caravan who has a younger wife (Valora Noland) coveted by the young Robert Walker Jr. While the film is exciting as an adventure, the dialog is silly, the chase sequences overwrought with slapstick, and the titled war wagon reminded me of the machine in the fantasy sequence of "Kid Millions" (1934) that shot cherries onto Ice Cream sodas like a machine gun. Poor Joanna Barnes, the delightful "top drawer" Gloria Upson of "Auntie Mame" and the gold-digging Vicky of "The Parent Trap", is absolutely wasted as a floozy bar maid. As entertainment, it ranks as watchable, but as serious filmmmaking, it is weak when compared to other films that Wayne and Douglas are remembered for.

ctomvelu1 John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, both big stars of the period, team up in THE WAR WAGON to steal $500,000 in gold and wreak revenge on a nasty land baron (Bruce Cabot) who has stolen Wayne's ranch while Wayne was in prison. Douglas' gunslinger character initially is hired by Cabot to eliminate Wayne, but ends up falling in with Wayne when promised a much bigger payoff. Along the way, they gather together a motley group (including Howard Keel as a feisty Indian and Robert Walker Jr. as an explosive expert) to grab Cabot's gold. A grizzled Keenan Wynn also is along for the ride. The title refers to a steel-plated wagon, an early version of an armored car, that Cabot uses to transport his gold. Douglas, who appears to have done all his own stunts, steals virtually every scene he is in, but he and Wayne manage to play very well together. An unusual role for the Duke, playing an ex-con with robbery and murder on his mind. Watch for a very young Bruce Dern as a hired thug.