MovieChat Forums > They Came to Cordura (1959) Discussion > An unbelievably lame movie.

An unbelievably lame movie.

posted 17 years ago by inneroscator2
8 replies | jump to latest

I never saw this until last nite on TCM and now I know why, it`s awful! This is gotta be Cooper`s worst. This film is beset with incredibly bad lamebrained dialogue. The visuals are good. The production values are good but that`s where it ends. What a premise for a Cooper actioner. Cowardly cavalry officer Cooper pulling out his little black book to get on-the-spot musings from the disinterested people in his detail on their heroism, and of course, 1 or 2 of them aren`t even interested in getting the congressional medal of honor!...and request that Cooper take them off his list. All Dick York would rather have is a new ear. Believable, right? As soon as they start out on their trek to cordura to oustensibly deliver traitor Rita Hayworth to the authorities, she procedes to start chain smoking and leaving markers for her mexican compadres to follow and yet it is never pointed out in the movie. Another mystery is the dead bird mystery. Out of disdain for Hayworth one of the soldiers kills her pet bird which Cooper brings attention to AND YET the dead bird mystery goes unresolved. An absolutely dumb movie. This makes "The Alamo" look like a masterpiece.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] SoapboxQuantez8 10 years ago

Believable, right?

The visuals are good.

You're trolling, right?
There are no visuals in the film, as it's not that type of flick.
You don't know what you're even talking about.

What markers/trail did she leave for the Mexicans to follow?
She simply tried to choose sides, which makes sense if she's facing not only charges, but therapists.
As for the dead bird, who even fooking cares?

Your sarcasm has driven me to idiocy.

[–] Errington_92 9 years ago

They Came to Cordura has an interesting theme running through the narrative. However, the narrative's length meant it quashed the theme's effectiveness.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.

[–] amikelhenry 9 years ago

I cant agree with you this is a "lame" movie...I would say this is a very strange movie..1 of the weirdest premises in a non sci-film I have ever watched..it made me uncomfortable at times..but, I have to give the writers credit..this was anything but a formula action piece..

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

I would say this is a very strange movie..1 of the weirdest premises in a non sci-film I have ever watched..it made me uncomfortable at times.

Exactly. Cooper sucked in the role, and so did his character (not his fault). He's a complete, semi-zombified sap/wuss. His abject mincing as he goes around taking notes from the heroes on what comprises cowardice and courage is extremely painful to behold. It's (almost) as revolting as a guy going around taking notes from highly potent males on how to get his erectile function back again. It's the kind of thing he should have just kept to himself, and only taken notes on thoughts that occur to him as he watches the potent heroism of others. "I'm sexually/manfully incompetent. So I need to know all of your erectile [combat] secrets so I can be just like you. So - what are some of your potency techniques, anyway? Tell me just everything!" What a stinking bouquet of pansies this character is ... an utterly revolting "man", who - because he's central to the narrative - brings the rest of it down to his own repulsive, slimy "wearing my dick on my sleeve" level.

[–] WhateverLolaWantsLolaGets 8 years ago

It was a bad movie. Like any actor, Gary Cooper had some turkeys. I turned it off in the middle because I couldn't take it anymore.

I survived because I was tougher than anybody else.- Bette Davis

[–] toonce62 7 years ago

Because of jerks like you is why were losing the message board.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (16275) 2 years ago

It is very dull. Cooper does his best. The premise should allow inherent suspense given the underlying tension between Cooper and the other soldiers on this journey. Only it just doesn't happen and it's very slow.