A classic action film with a brilliant cast! Features Gregory Peck as “Manuel Artiguez” an aging spanish revolutionary exile living in the french town of “Po” near the spanish border and the Pirennes Mts. Artiguez is dreaded by the spanish authorities and specially by ruthless and somewhat corrupt commander of Franco’s Guardia Civil, Captain Vin~olas, brilliantly portrayed by Anthony Quinn,due to Artiguez ability to cross the border, raise havoc in spanish territory and escape, unharmed back to his safe haven in France, in spite of Vin~olas best efforts to capture him. Equally brilliant supporting cast by Omar Sharif, Mildred Dunnock, Paolo Stoppa and Mario Angeletti. Probably based on a true story,which takes place around 1959 or 20 years after the end of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) this is an unforgettable action film, a must buy!

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It is a sign of Gregory Peck’s talent as an actor that although used to playing American Heros in films like to Kill a Mockingbird, he is totally convincing as Artiguez, a Spanish Communist living in France during the time of the Franco regime.
Peck’s performance is matched by that of Anthony Quinn as Captain Vinolas, the Spanish policeman who sets out to catch him.

Artiguez is a hero to the Spanish exiles in France, having spent the years since the Spanish Civil War crossing into Spain and robbing banks. Dispite this he lives in povety having given all the procedes from his robberies away.

Vinolas is determined to catch Artiquez who has made a fool of him over the years. When Artiquez’s mother, who still lives in Spain, falls fataly ill, Vinolas gets the message to Artiguez knowing that he will have to try and see his mother before she dies.

Both Vinolas and Artiquez are shown as real people, Peck plays the Communist bandit as a man tied of the life he has led,
although he is still true to his cause. Vinolas is a corrupt Policeman with a crippled wife and a mistress. However in church he promises God that he will give up his mistress, return a horse which he was given as bribe and take his wife to Lourdes if he catches Artiquez.

Shot in black and white it is clear that neither Vinolas or Artiquez is a hero, neither are either of them a villan.

Omar Sharif, in an early role plays the priest who Artiquez’s mother sends to him warning him not to try and see her as Vinolas will be waiting.

An film which should be much better known, not only for it’s
unusal story but for the performances of it’s leading actors.
Peck being to my mind one the most talented actors ever to grace the screen and anyone who does not love Anthony Quinn must have been born without a soul.

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