Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

TeenzTen An action-packed slog

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Scarecrow-88 "What am I doin' here?" Those are the last dying words of someone who expected a whole bunch of gold bars in the bleak conclusion of this entertaining, if really simple-plotted (but with a funny, if tragic, considering all the lives lost because it, twist) and rather forgettable (if not for the casting of Lee Van Cleef, I imagine this film would probably remain buried even further in obscurity than it already is) spaghetti western, set in Mexico (but shot in Spain). Jim Brown—AKA the greatest running back to ever step on a football field—convinces Lee Van Cleef (filthy, poor, and desperate, with his background and strife in the old west, it wouldn't take much to talk him into going after gold), to talk an Apache leader, Iron Eyes Cody (yes, he had the iconic portrayal of a Native American who shed a tear because of pollution, the ad famous in the 70s) into getting his braves to help potentially raid a general's (Patrick O'Neal, not really convincing as a Mexican, to tell you the truth) fortress, heavily guarded by Mexican soldiers. It is believed that the general, Chavez, has millions of gold bars hidden somewhere in the fortress, spurning quite a bloody battle for them (the Apache just expect fancy horses and some rifles, as Van Cleef doesn't tell Cody of the gold bars, which leads to an unfortunate murder because if the Native Americans know of the cache, they'd slit the white/black men's throats). Marianna Hill is the gorgeous lover of Chavez, who becomes enamored with Brown, enough to assist them towards the end when they perform a nighttime raid (this help comes in the form of a striptease! It certainly gets the solders' attention, and rightfully so). The whole plot revolves around taking the Mexican fortress, and the bloodshed that occurs in order to do so. The chemistry of Van Cleef and Brown is a strength of this western which makes the final reel all the sadder. The surprise regarding the gold is quite a whopper that Brown doesn't see coming and it is exasperating because of all the death that results. The film's main appeal, besides the chemistry and action, is the strategizing between Brown and O'Neal over breaking into/defending the Mexican fortress. Poor Van Cleef goes through every kind of ordeal for Brown, sustaining his share of misery in the pursuit of a dream, which could turn out to just be fantasy. Most know Hill from Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter", and she is just as sexy here, if not more so. There's a great siege upon naked Mexican soldiers, who had descended on a little Mexican town to rape/molest the women, by Brown, Van Cleef, and company, but the main raid on the fortress at the end delivers the real goods (there's another attack, quite clever on Brown and Van Cleef's part, where they are able to get inside the fortress, detonating a water tank that floods the grounds and soldiers!). This isn't the usual Van Cleef western (anti)hero role, his character not a force of nature or a feared, crafty, wise gunslinger--he's a pitiable wreck who so badly needs a break, because life hasn't ever dealt him one good hand.

FightingWesterner Lee Van Cleef steals the show from a more subdued Jim Brown in El Condor, an American produced film with a British director, shot in Spain.An old favorite of mine, this was aired frequently on local television when I was growing up, though not much seen nowadays. It's a fast, funny, and violent action/adventure, that is overdue for rediscovery!In this, Brown and Van Cleef scheme to take the impregnable Spanish fort of El Condor with a little help from a virtual army of Apache warriors in order to steal billions in gold.There's so many great scenes it's hard to say which is the best, the nude massacre, the attempted execution of Brown and Van Cleef by exposure, or the final rousing battle for El Condor. It's all good!Unfortunately, the fun is undercut by a downbeat ending pitting the two allies against each other. How disappointing!

Bob-45 Abandoned and nearly forgotten, "El Condor" is a frequently profound, near great western, easily in my 25 all time best westerns. If so, WHY is it abandoned and nearly forgotten? "El Condor" has many strikes against it, arriving just after the peak of the "Spaghetti Western," lost among the "A Cast" Westerns, owned by a then nearly defunct movie company and Jim Brown. By "El Condor," Jim Brown was pretty well wearing out his welcome as an actor. Brown, who received fine notices in "Rio Conchos" and great ones for "The Dirty Dozen" substituted ego for acting, first in "100 Rifles," then here. Even now, it's hard for a black male lead to appeal to the much larger white audience; and as the "blaxploitation" era wound down, worthy films such as "El Condor" was sucked down with them.Brown plays a convict who escapes from a work detail to reclaim his stolen loot and finance an assault on "El Condor," a fortress contains millions in Aztec gold confiscated by the Spainish and held by the Mexican federalizes. Brown enlists Lee Van Cleef (funnier than one would ever expect), a "Commanchero," to convince an Indian chief to siege El Condor with his braves and take it from Patrick O'Neal, commandant of El Condor. O'Neal, a cultured, intellectual, nonetheless, keeps Marianna Hill, his mistress as a virtual sex slave. Hill knows will Happen to her if O'Neal's attentions wane. Neal will give Hill to his men for their "amusement." In other words, to be gang raped."El Condor" contains so many gamy elements, it's no wonder even the "Spaghetti Western" crowd doesn't embrace it. However, "El Condor" also has many surprisingly profound visual and plot twists, it's hard to dismiss it. However, explaining those requires spoilers.WARNING: SPOILERSHere is Patrick O'Neal, a cultured intellectual man keeping a sex slave, and willing to sacrifice himself and all his men to defend The secret of EL CONDOR, which there is NO gold, in order to save his country's economy and his own prestige. Here is Van Cleef, entertaining as Eli Wallich (Tuco in "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly"), easily more likable than the "hero," Jim Brown, throwing Everything he's acquired in his life (the loyalty and friendship of the Indian tribe) because he's unwilling to share TONS of "gold," more than one man could spend in a lifetime. Here's Marianna Hill, seeing Jim Brown as a "savior" from her her situation, exposing herself, full frontal, to distract the guards from Brown, Van Cleef and the braves scaling the walls. Hill's action is a visual testimony to the repeated rape she has suffered at the hands of O'Neal exposed "for all the world to see."Jim Brown and Marianna Hill are the only ones who survive to end of "El Condor" because they are willing to accept the truth both of the world and inside themselves. This isn't the kind of thematic splendor one often sees even in serious dramatic films. It's even more rare in a movie as multigenred (western, action, comedy) as "El Condor"I love the small touches of "El Condor." O'Neal gives his federale garrison permission to leave the fort and go into the peaceful village nearby. The federalizes enter the village and separate the most desirable women from their families at gunpoint to be raped repeatedly at their leisure. One federale standing behind one of the women, reaches around her and closes his hand over her full right breast. Her head turns toward him, revealing the face of a girl about twelve. Later, an attack by Brown, Van Cleef and the Indians on the federalizes in the village, exposes two of the federale officers in bed together. I've already discussed the full frontal display by the well-endowed Ms. Hill, having a higher purpose of social commentary. However, there's also two pieces of dialog that provide great but humorous social commentary:" Village woman to son,who's running off: "Get back here, you little bastard!" Van Cleef to woman: "You shouldn't call him that." Village woman: "You want to marry me?" Van Cleef: "Well, no." Village whore: "Then YOU adopt him!" Van Cleef to Brown as Van Cleef is welcomed with open arms by the chief and surrounded by adoring squaws: "I sell them guns that don't work; liquor'd make a WHITE man go blind; I violate their women; and, they STILL love me. The latter piece of dialog is the most I've ever heard in ANY motion picture, and could be about ANYONE who's popular in the public mind.END OF SPOILERS"El Condor" needs to be seen. At worst, it's an entertaining, if adult movie. At best, it's profound and a near-great, if not great film. I give "El Condor" an "8".

bob the moo When he is part of a chain gang, Luke overhears talk of a fort where millions of dollars worth of gold is hidden under the guard of part of the Mexican army. He escapes from his captors and enlists the help of gold prospector Jaroo to help him recover the gold. Jaroo has connections with a tribe of Indians who will be told it is a political matter and promised horses and guns for their help. The duo set out with their enlisted army to attack the fort of General Chavez and steal the gold.This film looked interesting to me because it had a black star in the lead as well as the grizzled Van Cleef. I didn't know anything about the plot but decided to give it a go. Despite some good touches along the way, there isn't really much that makes this western stand out – it's all pretty standard stuff. The ending has a good twist and a downbeat ending but it's nothing that unusual for a western of this sort. The film does have some good bits of light humour, however it also tries to have all the usual clichés thrown in as well – we have the two leads fighting, Jaroo being kind to a child (with sappy Mexican music in background), nudity and Wild Bunch style excessive violence at each stage.The film is still passable as long as you know what you're watching and don't expect too much. As a western it is quite fun if you're just after something undemanding with lots of gunfights. However more than that and you'll be disappointed. The cast carries the film at several points; or at least the lead two do. Jim Brown is a pretty good screen presence even if his skills as an actor leave a little to be desired. Here his physical presence and (slightly out of place, period wise) swagger. Van Cleef has a better character and it's a shame that he plays second fiddle to Brown for much of the film – but he is still very interesting to watch. O'Neal is only so-so, Iron Eyes Cody has little to do and Hill is pretty but not much else.Overall this is a passable western as long as you don't expect too much. It is nicely driven along by the screen presence of Brown and Van Cleef. Other than them and the odd good touch here and there, this film is quite unremarkable as westerns go.