NR | 1h 38m | Romance, Western | 1959
As a kid obsessed with movies, I spent time with my father in Mexico and thought it was the perfect place to make films. My pops had a fleeting brush with Hollywood. He was an extra in “Rambo: First Blood Part II” (1985) when it was filmed in Acapulco.
I still remember sitting in a theater in Ensenada, Mexico watching the movie on a pit stop during a sailing trip down to Puerto Vallarta, waiting for that split-second glimpse of him on screen.
Many iconic films are shot in Mexico: action classics like “Predator” in 1987 (partly filmed in Puerto Vallarta) and “Man on Fire” (2004).
Caught Between Two Worlds
Wrapped in the dust and gunpowder of the borderlands, “The Wonderful Country” blends familiar genre elements with an ambitious character study. At its core is Martin Brady (Robert Mitchum), a mercenary (pistolero). He serves Mexico’s Governor Castro (Pedro Armendariz), a man who has given him purpose after years on the run.Brady fled the United States years ago after avenging his father’s murder, carving out a life south of the border. But when a simple arms delivery takes him back across to a Texas border town, everything begins to unravel. He’s injured in a horse-riding accident, delaying his return to Mexico. Brady soon finds himself entangled in the agendas of powerful men on both sides of the border.
A Texas Ranger captain (Albert Dekker), an ambitious army major (Gary Merrill), and the major’s alluring but discontented wife (Julie London) each have their own reasons for pulling Brady into their orbit. Meanwhile, figures back in Mexico, including Castro and his brother, a ruthless general, haven’t forgotten about him, either.
A Visual and Narrative Slow Burn
Director Robert Parrish steers the narrative with a measured pace, allowing its themes to breathe and its landscapes to be appreciated. Though the film isn’t packed with shootouts and high-octane action, its restraint is what makes it interesting. The suspense builds through character dynamics and slow-burning conflicts, only to erupt in bursts of violence.
Robert Mitchum’s brooding performance as Martin Brady is what carries the film. It was amusing to see the actor speak with an oddly subtle Mexican accent, but forgivable since he’s portraying a man who has spent years in exile in Mexico.
The supporting cast is also impressive. Julie London, known for her sultry voice and striking screen presence, falls gracefully into the role of Helen Colton, a woman caught between duty and desire. She conveys warmth and quiet longing without much melodrama, making her a perfect foil to Mitchum’s brooding outlaw, although her character’s infidelity carries a marred message about the sanctity of marriage.
Pedro Armendariz delivers a memorable turn as Governor Castro, exuding menace and authority. Author Tom Lea, whose novel of the same name inspired the story, makes a cameo as a barber.
This film is about a man trying to outrun his past while fate pulls him in opposite directions. This isn’t your typical Western. While it does have outlaws, frontier drama, and some violence, it’s more introspective than explosive.
Though sometimes overshadowed by more action-oriented films in the genre, it stands as a more mature and nuanced genre piece, elevated by Mitchum’s quiet magnetism and the film’s breathtaking cinematography.
For those willing to embrace its unhurried storytelling, “The Wonderful Country” offers a fascinating journey through the complexities of loyalty, redemption, and the search for a place to call home.
