Behold a Pale Horse
Directed by Fred Zinnemann
Written by J.P. Miller from a novel by Emeric Pressburger
1964/USA
Columbia Pictures Corporation/Highland-Brentwood production
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. — Revelation 6:2-8 [/box]
This is a solid action-adventure with beautiful atmospheric black-and-white imagery.
As the film opens, it is 1939 and the Spanish Civil War has ended with the victory of the Nationalists and Franco. Republican fighters are ordered to surrender their weapons and go into exile in France. Bandit hero Manuel Artiguez (Gregory Peck) backs out of the deal at the last minute and disappears. He eventually does relocate to France but conducts bloody raids into Spain. 20 years pass.
Arch-nemisis Guardia Civil Capt. Vinolas (Anthony Quinn) has never stopped trying to capture or kill his rival. He sees a golden opportunity to lure Artiguez back into Spain when his mother falls ill. Artiguez is caught in a web of informers and well-wishes all with different advice. Priest Father Francisco (Omar Shariff) arrives bearing a death bed message from Artiguez’s mother and the bandit still does not know what to believe. I was not expecting the ending.
This is a solid movie if a bit slow moving. My favorite part was the way Zinnemann captured Spanish reality in beautiful black-and-white.
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