Cathardincu
Surprisingly incoherent and boring
WasAnnon
Slow pace in the most part of the movie.
PodBill
Just what I expected
Freaktana
A Major Disappointment
Spike Mylan
This is an excellent movie.Blue (Terrence Stamp) is an American rescued (actually kidnapped as a child) by the leader, Ortega (Ricardo Montalban), of a Mexican band of criminals. He is separated from the gang in a failed raid, meets the beautiful and lovely Joanne Morton (Joanna Pettet), and falls in love with her. His former gang and his stepfather want him back, and at any cost to him and anyone who stands in the way or by his side.The movie Blue is based in an excellent screenplay by Ronald M. Cohen, that provides a good story and interesting dialogue for the film's main actors, many of whom were very familiar because of their extensive TV exposure at the time. Karl Malden, Joanna Pettet, and Ricardo Montalban were all very recognizable characters to TV audiences in the 1960's.I don't know if there is any explanation, but Karl Malden appeared in a number of western movies from 1960 to 1970; including the Nevada Smith, How the West was Won, Cheyenne Autumn, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, Blue, and Wild Rovers. He did not appear in westerns before or after this decade (1960 to 1970). His performance in Blue is excellent. He plays the resolute character with strong convictions that he does so well.Joanna Pettet was an underrated and under-performing actress. Directors never seemed to take this actor to her potential. She does a wonderful job in this movie, playing both a vulnerable woman and a strong lover. I found myself worrying more about Blue (Terrence Stamp) because of Joanne Morton (Joanna Pettet) character's love for Blue.Blue (Terence Stamp) is the intense young man possessing an extremely dangerous skillset (he is a gunfighter and a killer). He is confused by his conflicting loyalties (his sudden love for a woman he has just met that opposes his gang affiliation).My only negative comment on this film is Terrence Stamp's strong British accent that seems out of place for an American kidnapped by Mexicans.
dbdumonteil
Silvio Narizzano mainly worked for TV but this movie and "why shoot the teacher"in the seventies are worth seeking out;the former told the story of a young teacher (Bud Cort),fresh from the university ,who winds up in middle Canada where he realizes that what he learned does not help much in a hostile nature ;although liked by his pupils ,he was ill at ease,an intruder in this rural God-forsaken world.Five years earlier,Azul's place is nowhere too;his parents were killed by Mexicans ,the chief of whom adopted him ;but his biological sons (from different mothers)never accepted him :he is too delicate,too gentle to live in this hyper macho world.Had they continued their political struggle against the French (as Juarez ' allies against Napoleon The Third? the screenplay does not mention them),Azul would perhaps have found a reason for this struggle which actually consists of pillage and rapes .All that deals with Ricardo Montalban and his wild bunch recall spaghetti western ,but it's not:the director was Canadian.On the other hand ,the scenes with the Americans would not be out of place in stuff like " friendly persuasion" with their shimmering colors ;the good doctor (played by Oscar-winner Karl Malden ) , his daughter (Joanna Pettet) and the villagers seem to come from another world,compared to the bestial brutes milieu in which Azul was nurtured.Actually ,born an English man (as Terence Stamp,whose restrained performance is in direct contrast with that of Fellini 's "Tommy Dammit" in "spirit of the dead" ,released the very same year),Azul is torn between the two worlds ;and the ending ,lyrical and epic,is really the only one which could have concluded this offbeat tale.
merklekranz
Although less effective than the Sergio Leone "spaghetti westerns", "Blue" deserves to be ranked up there with the likes of "The Big Gundown", and "Hang Em High". Let's start with the photography. It is better than any of the above mentioned films, including "Once Upon a Time in the West". The only flaws that keep "Blue" from greatness, are the melodramatic elements, and a less than convincing romance. Terence Stamp's torn allegiance between Mexican and American sides is perhaps overplayed, and tends to drag down the middle of the movie somewhat. However the opening and finale more than cover this annoyance. If you are a fan of the "spaghetti westerns", then "Blue" is a must see. - MERK
fanaticita
As a long-time Terence Stamp fan, I finally was able to rent this video after a long search. I don't care if Terence's cockney accent slipped through now and then. It didn't distract me from watching his beautiful performance as Azul/Blue, who finds it difficult to fit into either world: the Mexican world to which he belonged after his parents were killed and he was found by the "bandit" Ortega, or the world of the "gringo" from which he came. There was some residual "Billy Budd" quality in this film which may have been unintended on Stamp's part. It was a delight to see Stamp in this role -he is such a natural. The ending was somewhat enigmatic, but the filming of the last scenes in the river were beautiful, believable, and tragic.