Associate producer/director: JOHN H. AUER. Screenplay: Lawrence Kimble, Aeneas MacKenzie. Based on the 1930 novel Don Careless by Rex Beach. Photography: Pablo Tabernero. Film editor: Marvin J. Coil. Music: Nathan Scott. Art director: Saul Bennett. Costumes: Machado. Make- up: Felipe De Angelis. Hair styles: Alberto Delgado, Jose Fernandez. Assistant director: Saulo Benavente. Special effects: Howard Lydecker, Theodore Lydecker. Optical effects: Consolidated Film Industries. Sound recording: German Szulem. Executive producer: Herbert J. Yates.
Copyright 30 June 1950 by Republic Pictures Corp. U.S. release: 26 June 1950. Sydney release at the Civic: 20 April 1951 (1 week only). Australian release: 20 April 1951. 7,951 feet. 88 minutes.
COMMENT: This film was made in Argentina in both a Spanish and an English-language version. It affords a rare opportunity to see the work of Pablo Tabernero, Argentina's ace cinematographer.
Unfortunately, the story is rather slow and sluggish in its development. But no-one could complain of the gorgeous photography of the fine sets and costumes. Also director Auer has contrived some attractive set-pieces including the blessing of the fishing fleet with the royal coach approaching across the top of a cliff, and the mob besieging the barricades suddenly silenced. The duel sequences are fair enough, though Carroll's close-ups are very obviously cut in and the Colonel's eventual demise is most disappointingly staged off-camera.
The Spanish cast takes the acting honors, particularly Roberto Airaldi as the ambitious yet punctilious Colonel. It is hard to believe in Padula's El Mocho, though this is due more to poor scripting than poor acting. Fernando Lamas figures in many scenes though he is given little to say because of his then-inadequate English. Some members of the cast are obviously dubbed.
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