Vera Cruz

An action adventure western released in 1954. Burt Lancaster is a delight to watch

This is a great spectacular western shot in south America.The 1950's pace of the film is a little slower than today's films but the acting and actors are first class.Although the film does not appear to be restored,it's still the best available at the moment.

One of the old, good westerns set in Mexico during the revolution against Emperor Maximillian. Great acting by Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper. Some later to be big stars in the line up.

This is one of the poorest qualtity blu-ray transfer, if not the worst I have seen.It is not even up to the normal standard DVDs, with most of the film in fuzzy and poorquality state, be it day time, night time or day for night.Only occasional close-ups of the two leading men have more acceptableimage clarity.The movie itself is now seems dated, dreary at times and cannot be qualified as a classicwestern.It is a form of cheating the consumers and dishonesty of packing sub-standard qualityDVDs and market as Blu-Ray discs.There ought to be some form of qualty standard and control enforcement by the industry.

I have never seen a film with so much betrayalShot entirely in Mexico, VERA CRUZ takes place just after the Civil War and the start of the Mexican Revolution. Lancaster and Cooper decide to escort a Countess and her sums of gold to the port of Vera Cruz.This seems to be the most fun Burt Lancaster has had in any film. He's ill-mannered, full of greed and lust, and he'll take the worst that can be handed to him with a huge smile on his face. Cooper plays his role more straight, respectful Southern gentleman. How the two come to meet and work with (or against) each other is part of this fun story that moves along briskly for its 94 minute length.What makes this film a captivating watch is that at any time, the game seems to change. Nobody can be trusted when it comes to dealing with a large cache of gold. Some great character actors in this film, too, including Ernest Borgnine, Caesar Romero and Jack Elam (who I wish had a bigger part).My favorite scene takes place in the palace courtyard where Cooper, Lancaster and the King all take part in target practice.The Blu-ray is a disappointment. For a movie filmed in technicolor, it comes across as dull and drab. It's not very sharp, though I do give credit for there being a substantial amount of film grain still intact. Some splotches here and there, and short quick sequences that are dark and blurry.Otherwise, a terrific western. For the price of $13, which I paid, I would highly recommend this as a blind purchase.

Wow! They just don't come any better than VERA CRUZ.First, cowboys that look like men, rather than California boys with good agents or New Yorkers playing against type. Cooper is at his "Cooperish" best, i.e. a man of few words but impeccable integrity. Lancaster does his bad guy schtick: acrobatic stunts, quick pistol tricks, a piano-key smile like a shark sizing you up; in short, the perfect antagonist to Cooper because he's a LIKABLE character of few scruples and no ethics.Second, the distrustful friendship dynamic between the two men is worth watching. A former husband told me he was raised not to trust his male contemporaries because, in the end, they were competitors.Third, the theme song has haunted me for years. It's the quintessential western score.The females in this movie are incidental. This is a man's movie about men relating to men.You can keep all your New Age Westerns. This is the real meal deal.An earlier reviewer complained about the quality of her print. My Blu-ray edition was startlingly clear, down to an acne scar on Lancaster's right cheek. It's thrilling to see these great acting treasures in such remarkable detail. It's like being in the same room, holding the camera, instead of at arms-length as in earlier formats. Being captured on film and translated to Blu-ray has made these men immortal.

Gary Cooper was coming off his triumphant achievement in HIGH NOON and must have been inundated with western offers. He follow HIGH NOON up with the servicable SPRINGFIELD RIFLE & BLOWING WILD. I believe those efforts were part of his Warner Brothers contract which was still in force at the time. Why VERA CRUZ? First of all a first class screenplay with contributions by proven screenwtriters Borden Chase(RED RIVER,WINCHESTER '73, BEND OF THE RIVER. THE FAR COUNTRY and MAN WITHOUT A STAR), Roland Kibbee (A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA, THE CRIMSON PIRATE and the TV series THE DEPUTY, IT TAKES A THIEF and BATNEY MILLER)and James R. Webb (THE IRON MISTRESS, APACHE, THE BIG COUNTRY, HOW THE WEST WAS WON,KINGS OF THE SUN and the original CAPE FEAR. His co star and producer was Burt Lancaster in his second western creating again a larger than life character that audiences loved to see him play as he established in THE FLAME AND THE ARROW and THE CRIMSON PIRATE. A new director in Robert Aldrich who knew how to construct action sequences and find dark humor within his characters.A sterling supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine, Cesar Romero, Jack Elam and a young Charles Bronson then going by his birth name of Buchinsky. Beautiful Technicolor photography by Ernest Laszlo. The second of 3 classic western scores by Hugo Friedhofer (The others being HONDO and ONE EYED JACKS). Superior film editing by Alan Crosland JR ( The Juarista attack on the caravan halfway through is a masterpiece of action film cutting. I don't think any of the later Cooper films showed him havingas good a time than in this picture. A triumph for all concerned especially the scene stealing Burt Lancaster as Joe Erin. The villain you can't take your eyes off of.

"Veracruz" is an exotic western classic set in Mexico during the French occupation by the Hapsburg Emperor Maximillian. The film was made in Mexico with actual locale filming in such sites as the Pyramids of Teotihuacan and the Castle of Chapultepec. The sets and costumes are luscious for the Hapsburg entourage. The cinematography is beautiful and worthy of the Blu-ray transfer. The soundtrack is acceptable but not stereo for this 1954 picture. The story is about a post-confederate soldier in search of money to rebuld his life. He joins a group of American mercenaries who escort a money shipment from Mexico City to Veracruz through rebel Mexican forces.The stellar cast includes the iconic Gary Cooper as the cool gun man forced by circumstance to join the gang of American mercencenaries lead by the scene stealing Burt Lancaster. Cesar Romero and Ernest Borgnine fill-out the cast. Charles Bronson makes an early film apperance as a roudy gang member.I highly recommend this movie for its cinematography and the great pairing of Cooper and Lancaster. It is unfortunate that these two actors did not make more films together. Their acting styles made a great contrast.

Burt had no problem when asked to take second billing to Gary Cooper in this unique Western, Burt plays the bad guy for a change and pays for his greedy ways with his life even if a very Dramatic and somewhat overdone shootout death scene, None the less it still retains a comic sense of humor throughout and as Burt and Gary seem to team up you can see the competing chemistry between these two legends of Hollywood yesterday , Burt plays the villain perfectly and Gary could only be the Good guy, the plot line is great as they pretend to escort the Gold out of Mexico and in the end see really what hardships are put upon the ordinary Mexican people and that by allowing this gold leave Mexico would be a crime and in a big turn about end up taking the side of the Mexican people to whom it justly belongs , well that is the conclusion Gary comes to Burt had nobody on his mind only himself hence the shootout. A must watch and in Blu Ray it really adds to the already colourful content.

Two top guns together and in opposition at the same time. Classic 50's color big-dollar western on location. What else could ya want? I hadn't seen Vera Cruz in a long time and was anxious to see it in Blue-ray. I was not disappointed - in fact I was delighted in the sharpness of the Mexican scenery and the colors were true. To me, it was like being at the theater back in '55. I completed the thrill with bowl of popcorn.

Vera Cruz this is one of Gary Coopers best movies it also star Burt Landcaster with an all star cast its a great movie and the bluray is excellent they dont make westerns like this any more. Vera Cruz is great.

You can't go wrong with old classic, movies. It is simple the best in colors dialog no profanity, I can watch them over and over and never get bored.The quality is outstanding.

Enjoyed the action, scenery and the cast

If you are inclined to watch western movies, this one is excellent!!! We are movie buffs and love westerns, and when we saw this one available in Blu-Ray we jumped at the chance to get it. Amazon's service and delivery is excellent and when it came, we had movie night that night!!! Get this one, and you won't be disappointed!

Excellent colors, high definition.

Cooper and Lancaster, a classic story of doing right versus wrong, a quintessential American western.Blu-ray print looks great.