In the tumultuous aftermath of the Civil War, Union Calvary officer John Henry Thomas takes his heroic men west while southerner James Langdon takes his soldiers to Mexico. When their paths cross, they forge an uneasy friendship that is quickly tested as they get caught between Mexican rebels and the Emperor’s forces, and find themselves fighting side by side.John Wayne, that pillar of machismo, was well aware that costar Rock Hudson was gay, yet he prized him as a boon companion, a fellow professional, and one hell of a bridge player. Each plays a Civil War commander who, after the ceasefire, leads a community of home folks into Mexico to make a fresh start. Hudson is a Southern gentleman; Wayne commanded the Yankee cavalry at Shiloh, where Hudson’s brother died. Nevertheless, Rock, with his extended family, and Duke, with his troop of cowboys and 3,000 horses to sell to Emperor Maximilian, soon join forces to outgun banditos and beam paternally over the budding romance between their respective daughter and son (an adopted Indian played by footballer Roman Gabriel with Crystal Gayle hair). Lingering North-South animosities are celebrated in an obligatory communal fistfight in the Andrew V. McLaglen manner, and the showdown with both Maximilian’s lancers and the rebel Juaristas is disconcertingly perfunctory. –Richard T. Jameson
Rating: 
(out of 32 reviews)
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August 30, 2010
#1
Review by T O’Brien
Rating:
The Undefeated is an excellent western that teams John Wayne and Rock Hudson together for the first time. Set in the months after the Civil War, the story follows two groups as they venture into Mexico. One group led by Wayne’s Colonel John Henry Thomas is driving 3,000 horses south to deliver to the forces of the French emperor, Maximillian. The other group is a wagon train of Confederate soldiers and their families who are moving to Mexico City under Maximillian’s rule. Along the way, the two groups meet up and battle bandits, Juaristas, and even themselves. The action scenes are very well put together, especially the 4th of July fistfight and the bandit attack on the wagon train. John Wayne and Rock Hudson are great as two rival leaders, one Union and one Confederate, who must work together if they are to survive in Mexico. Their relationship has several funny moments as they discuss their involvement during the war. The Duke’s crew includes Ben Johnson as Short Grub, Dub Taylor as Mr. McCartney, Roman Gabriel as Blue Boy, and several other Duke regulars. The rest of the impressive cast includes Tony Aguilar, Bruce Cabot, Merlin Olsen, Edward Faulkner, Harry Carey JR, Marian McCargo, Lee Meriwether, Melissa Newman, and Big John Hamilton. It was great to see this on DVD which offers widescreen presentation, several theatrical trailers including The Comancheros and North to Alaska as well as two in Spanish and Portuguese. In the trailer, look for a scene of Blue Boy’s fellow riders capturing Rock Hudson as he rides to Wayne’s camp that did not make it to the final copy. This is an excellent post Civil War western that all Duke fans will love! Do not miss!
August 30, 2010
#2
Review by Chrijeff
Rating:
In this film Wayne, as former Union Colonel John Henry Thomas, and Hudson, as former Confederate Colonel James Langdon, re-enact on a small scale the slow and painful psychological healing and reunion of the divided nation following the Civil War. Thomas and the remnants of his unit (including the ever-delightful Ben Johnson as Short Grub and Roman Gabriel somewhat less than sterling as Thomas’s Cherokee adopted son, Blue Boy) return to the West to hunt wild horses for a living, while Langdon and his, unwilling to submit to the indignities of Yankee occupation and carpetbagger rule, burn their homes, pack up their families, and head for Mexico, where they hope to join the French Interventionists (a plan historically followed, though without the noncombatants, by General Jo Shelby). Somewhere in Northern Mexico the two groups meet, and after some mutual suspicion become uneasy allies to beat off a gang of bandidos. When Langdon’s company unwittingly blunders into a trap set by the Juaristas, Thomas and his men agree to surrender their catch of horses as ransom. Much of the charm of the film arises from the head-butting of the two veteran commanders (particularly the sequence in which Hudson utters his memorable line, “If I can find the *time* I’m gonna siddown and write the social history of Bourbon!”), which is, of course, echoed by their men (most notably the quiet rivalry of Short Grub and Robert Donner as Judd Mailer). Yet Blue Boy is early attracted to Langdon’s daughter (despite the presence of her long-time suitor, Jan-Michael Vincent as Bubba Wilkes), and even Thomas finds a kindred spirit in his rival’s widowed sister-in-law. A good movie about the aftermath of war and the healing of wounds.
August 30, 2010
#3
Review by Tuco
Rating:
I didn’t really care for this movie the first time I saw it but as I watched it the second time I came to appreciate the great lines delivered by the Duke as only he can. Not my favorite but it does have a civil war battle intro, 3000 horse drive to mexico, the unavoidable mexican bandit trying to steal the horses, great outdoor scenery and the obligatory John Wayne signature group brawl.
The VHS tape I have is the same cover as the one pictured and has a great making of documentary for the movie. Why is this feature not on the DVD?!?!
August 30, 2010
#4
Review by L Gontzes
Rating:
Definitely a great Post-Civil War Western and one of my personal favorites, The Undefeated, brings to the screen such heavyweights as John Wayne and Rock Hudson, whose performances are outstanding, making this movie one of the best of its kind. The acting, the battles and the costumes are all wonderful!
The Undefeated is a movie about honor, bravery, and heroes from a time long gone.
A great movie indeed!
August 30, 2010
#5
Review by G. Possert
Rating:
This film takes place in a post Civil War setting, where every character finds it difficult to accept the terms of the end of that war. A band of Southern Confederates would rather live/work in Mexico than under the influence of Yankees and Carpetbaggers. The friendship between the Yankee horse trader (Wayne) and the Confererate leader (Hudson) leads to entertaining encounters, and life & death decisions when the Mexican revolution takes everyone by surprise. This movie is representative of John Wayne’s later works, and is a keeper. But be warned, I think all of J. Wayne’s films are keepers, and as such, my opinion is biased.