The Undefeated

Perhaps not the greatest John Wayne Western, but how can I resist a movie featuring both the Duke and the Rock? Its crammed full of action from Civil War battles to large scale shoot-outs with bandits and the French Army in Mexico. The relationship between the fleeing Confederate clan and the band of ex-Union soldiers led by Wayne is quite poignant. There is a great scene where a 4^th of July party degenerates into an all-out, but very good natured, fist fight. Realism is not the point here. Despite all the gun fights no one is so much as nicked, apart from the obnoxious old cook and his cat and, of course, legions of faceless baddies. As long as you check your brain at the door, its rollicking good fun. It even makes an effort at a (quite daring for its time) racial harmony message by having Wayne adopt an Indian son, who then promptly makes off with the Rock’s beautiful sixteen year old daughter.