With Wayne, Taylor and Ann Margaret and a solid supporting cast and an experienced director, this should have been a classic but it falls way short. The endless shots of the group riding is very boring and basically filler to pad out the running time. It felt like half the film was riding footage. The climactic shoot-out was too dark and choppily edited. Extremely disappointing compared to such Wayne classics as The Comancheros and Sons Of Katie Elder.
shareIt's one of my favorites, but it is lacking some areas. I felt that there should have been a sequel showing them robbing the train or perhaps half and half, showing them helping "Mrs Lowe" retrieve the gold in the first half and then realizing that they had been tricked and robbing the train in the second half.
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I own 111 of 150 John Wayne movies on DVD!
I agree 100%. Not Wayne's worst movie but not nearly his best.
shareI agree, this movie falls way short and I think that you hit the nail on the head. Too much riding footage, that was pointless and too much dark scenes where you couldn't tell what was going on. The final action scene was very disappointing and rather silly. The story line of the posse was very disappointing as well. Were they the men who helped carry out the original robbery or were they assisting the Pinkerton man? Why was he shooting at her at the train wreck? It never explains his full involvement. Good guy or bad guy?
I have seen all of John Waynes westerns and this is the worst of them all.
I agree with all comments.
It's like a horse opera road movie, with continual riding across lots of scenic locations, but why?
If they were looking for gold stolen and hidden in a wrecked train why not follow the rail line?
"The story line of the posse was very disappointing as well. Were they the men who helped carry out the original robbery or were they assisting the Pinkerton man? Why was he shooting at her at the train wreck? It never explains his full involvement. Good guy or bad guy?"
Have asked the same questions on another thread.
The film thread mentioned about the seven mysterious (supposedly) train robbers of the movie title (Mr Lowe's accomplices who don't want the gold recovered) never appears to be followed up. You end up asking yourself just who exactly are the train robbers?
As you say, "This is a pretty average Duke offering; nowhere near his best."
THE TRAIN ROBBERS has the following strong points: The cinematography, Ann Margaret, Ben Johnson, and some well staged shootouts. The following are the weak points: A storyline that would do nicely for a TV western but as a movie feels padded, a lack of strong villains (the bad guys are target practice, not characters), John Wayne seeming a little bored, and repetitive riding scenes.
shareYes, I agree.
shareI think this one is better than Cahill. I saw Cahill once and am just not intested in seeing it again. I really don't know why but I just did not care for Cahill. I did enjoy this one for the people working with him. As noted, this was his stock company just like some of his other westerns. His wife Pilar mentioned in her book about him that he never forgot his friends and if any of them needed work, he found a place for them in his movies. Such loyalty is not seen too much anymore. Rest in peace, Duke.
shareI think this one is better than Cahill.So do I. Cahill starts off with a bang, but runs out of gas working overtime on the soapy sons' sub-plot. The main thread for this one IMO is a little weird, but I'd definitely watch this again, before Cahill.
...he never forgot his friends and if any of them needed work, he found a place for them in his movies. Such loyalty is not seen too much anymore. Rest in peace, Duke.Very much agree. He would have been a great person with whom to work. share
Agreed about Cahill, where Wayne's really showing his age, and is bedeviled by script and direction that makes THE TRAIN ROBBERS look like the best of Ford or Hawks (it's Wayne's worst post-STAGECOACH Western)
shareI don't dislike Cahill although it's not one of Dukes best although George Kennedy is great as the villain.
He didn't forget his friends and Ben Johnson was one of them.
"The worst of them all"? Well, maybe if you only count those made after 1950, but you don't really rate this lower than "Riders of Destiny," do you? If you don't remember that one, think of Duke playing (the only time) a character named "Singin' Sandy Saunders." It was produced by Paul Malvern Productions as a "Lone Star Picture," and released in 1933 through Monogram Pictures (later to become Republic).
Duke starred in some turkeys in his "B Movie" days.
The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank.
Yeah this movie wasn't great. I love some of Wayne's other movies, but this one was a little slow and disappointing for me.
Mr. Laurio, never trust a beautiful woman. Especially one who's interested in you.
John Wayne is clearly ill
I think that was around the time he had his first cancer surgery
While it is not one of his best movies it is a classic to be treasured nevertheless
Easily the worst of his '70s output, which is already kinda creaky.
The movie is nice to look at (Not just talking about Ann Margaret and her freckly cleavage) but overall the film is not involving.