The Appaloosa

This article is about the 1966 film directed by Sidney J. Furie. For the unrelated 2008 film, see Appaloosa (film).

For other uses, see Appaloosa (disambiguation).

The Appaloosa
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Sidney J. Furie
Written by	James Bridges Roland Kibbee
Based on	The Appaloosa by Robert MacLeod
Produced by	Alan Miller
Starring	Marlon Brando Anjanette Comer John Saxon Emilio Fernández Míriam Colón
Cinematography	Russell Metty
Edited by	Ted J. Kent
Music by	Frank Skinner
Color process	Technicolor
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	September 15, 1966 (1966-09-15) (New York City)
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1 million (US/ Canada rentals)

The Appaloosa (also known as Southwest to Sonora) is a 1966 American Western film starring Marlon Brando, Anjanette Comer, and John Saxon, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a Mexican bandit. The film was directed by Sidney J. Furie, and shot in Techniscope in California, Utah, and Arizona.

Plot

Based on the 1963 book by Robert MacLeod, the title character is a beautiful horse (a breed, the Appaloosa) belonging to Matt Fletcher (Marlon Brando), a Mexican-American buffalo hunter who returns home, only to have his beloved horse stolen by a powerful bandit, Chuy Medina (John Saxon) with the help of the bandit's girlfriend, Trini (Anjanette Comer) in the border town of Ojo Prieto. Trini was sold to Chuy at the age of 15, but has been brutalized and effectively discarded.

Fletcher begins to hunt down the bandit to recapture the horse, but finds matters more complicated than expected when he meets the bandit's girlfriend. Fletcher is subjected to torture and humiliation by Chuy and his minions.

A later foray into Medina's camp results in a brutal arm wrestling match in a bar between Fletcher and the bandido. Fletcher loses and is stung on the arm by a scorpion. Again left to die, Fletcher is rescued by Trini, who despises her "lover", Chuy, and prefers Fletcher's company. She gets him assistance from a kindly old peasant, which later costs the old man his life.

During the violence-laden climax, Fletcher is forced to choose between Trini and his beloved Appaloosa. Fletcher, realizing that Trini means more to him than the horse, sends out the Appaloosa to draw Chuy's fire. As the bandit prepares to aim for the horse, sunlight glints on his gun barrel, revealing his position. Fletcher fires and kills him. Fletcher and Trini then cross the border with the Appaloosa to start a new life.

Cast

• Marlon Brando as Matt 'Mateo' Fletcher
• Anjanette Comer as Trini
• John Saxon as Chuy
• Emilio Fernández as Lazaro
• Alex Montoya as Squint Eye
• Míriam Colón as Ana
• Rafael Campos as Paco
• Frank Silvera as Ramos
• Larry D. Mann as Priest

Production

The film was shot in shot in Wrightwood, Antelope Valley, and Lake Los Angeles, California; St. George, Utah; and Colorado City, Arizona. Parts of the film were also shot in Hurricane and at the Virgin River in Utah.

The film was John Saxon's favorite among his movies.

Awards

The film was awarded the Bronze Wrangler by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for outstanding Western motion picture of 1966.

See also

• List of American films of 1966

External links

• The Appaloosa at IMDb
• The Appaloosa at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
• The Appaloosa at the TCM Movie Database