After leaping to fame in Dr No Ursula Andress appeared in two decently budgeted studio films, Fun in Acapulco and Four For Texas before winding up in this cheapie thriller. I assume she was talked into it by her then husband John Derek who has the lead role.
But it must be said this isn't bad. It's directed by Marc Lawrence, best known as an actor, and presumably it was he who attracted the top level cast - Andress is a saucy minx married to small town tycoon Arthur O'Connell, who is having a fling with sheriff Aldo Ray, and she tries it on with hitchhiker Derek who gets dropped off in town by Sammy Davis Jnr; Richard Jaekel and Robert Duvall are travelling through, locals include Allyn Jolyson, Keenan Wynn and Chick Chandler.
Derek looks a bit old - still handsome, but the hair is flecked with grey. He's okay - in the scenes where he's pursued for murder he's convincingly worried, but other moments he's more awkward. The character isn't much - he wants to get home with his wife. Would've been better drama had he been more shifty - and slept with Andress, say, or did a little light thieving.
Andress is a star. She's relaxed and comfortable and vivacious and gives a good performance. But she dies 21 minutes in. A great scene - O'Connell shoots her and Lawrence cuts to a doll reverberating.
There's a few other neat touches in this - a dust storm, Stanley Cortez' striking photography. I feel the movie would've been better had Andress stayed alive more. Also Derek gets out of it by a deux ex machina - Ray persuades O'Connell to blame the murder on Derek but O'Connell then changes his mind.
Good quality acting, patchy script... but a surprisingly enjoyable B film. Andress holds her own in a top level cast by virtue of sheer charisma and beauty. I think acting with Derek made her relax more but he's awkward.
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