Why did they even make movies like this?

This is yet another one of those movies that looks like the producer and writer looked around for some kind of historical event, and whipped up a movie around it.

It is reminiscent of the trend today to produce remakes and sequels as the path of least resistance.

Considering there were still some musicals being produced, some good thrillers and horror films, new "psychodelic" movies like Easy Rider, and even some good westerns based on great books, this trend of "historical rehashes" mystifies me.

I can't imagine my parents looking at a newspaper, and saying, "Let's spend our hardearned money on a bland looking "docu-drama" starring Bill Holden - there's probably nothing better to see.

That year you had "Born Free", "The Endless Summer", "Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf", "Our Man Flint", "Grand Prix", "Alfie", "Fantastic Voyage", and even "Batman" for the action/comedy fans. Not that hindsight is showing us "better" movies, but that even their GENRES were more interesting than this one.

I don't know how producers thought plodding movies like this one were commercially viable at all.

Alvarez Kelly seems to be the wet dream of a producer/director who thought he could make his own "Gone With The Wind".