The Wild bunch

1969 USA Color 142 Minutes

Photo of Ernest Borgnine in the wild bunchPhoto of children in the wild bunchPhoto of Fernando Wagner in the wild bunch

Review

If they move, kill `em

Photo of William Holden in the wild bunchPike (William Holden) is the leader of the wild bunch, a group of mercenaries living in the dying days of the west. They are hunted down by Thornton (Robert Ryan) who was once part of the Wild Bunch himself. Pike realises that the Wild Bunch lifestyle cannot last forever and wants to do a “last job”, stealing weapons for a Mexican general, that would make them wealthy.

Photo of Robert Ryan in the wild bunchOne of Pike's partners is Angel (Jaime Sánchez), a young Mexican who doesn't feel comfortable with the idea of giving guns to someone who is oppressing his people. So a deal is secretly worked out whereas they will allow Angel to take one crate of rifles to the freedom fighters. But the general finds out, and then all hell breaks lose.

 

Cast

Directed by Sam Peckinpah

Links and more

GoneMovie.com Wild bunch photopage

 

Photo of Jaime Sánchez + Alfonso Arau in The wild bunch

News

Photo of Sam Peckinpah

Within 15 days it would have been Sam Peckinpah`s (Director) 87th birthday.
* February 21, 1925
† December 25, 1984

Within 20 days it would have been Dub Taylor`s (Reverend Wainscoat) 105th birthday.
* February 26, 1907
† October 3, 1994

Trivia

Release date: June 18, 1969

The wild bunch used over 90,000 rounds of blank ammunition. “More than was used in the entire Mexican revolution” Warner publicity would later claim.Source / More (Book)

Lee Marvin almost played the lead, but he backed out when he was made a $1 million dollar offer to star in Paint your wagon.Source / More (Book)

The car the Mexican general is driving is a Stanley steamer.Source / More (Web)

The wild bunch is noted for making the use of slow motion shots in mainstream motion pictures acceptable.

In the early 20 century there was a real gang called The Wild Bunch which included Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Bio