I had been looking forward to this one for some time, due to its rather imposing credentials; it's certainly well-made and acted but also heavy-going, slow and excessively talky.

Gregory Peck is even stiffer and glummer than usual as a washed-out guerrilla fighter; Anthony Quinn is generally more subdued than is customary for him, being effectively cast against type as Peck's nemesis (though his character is completely absent from the film's mid-section); after a belated entrance, Omar Sharif manages to steal the acting honors from under the nose of his more experienced companions by giving a moving portrayal of a conflicted priest. The excellent cast is rounded out by Paolo Stoppa, Christian Marquand, Daniela Rocca, Mildred Dunnock, Rosalie Crutchley and Michel Lonsdale.

Ultimately, the film lacks the touch of greatness – but the unusual subject matter (adapted from an Emeric Pressburger novel) and the surprising but affecting child's eye view it takes of events keep one watching. Furthermore, the climactic assault on the hospital is both suspenseful and exciting and the ever-reliable Maurice Jarre contributes a subtly effective score.

In 1939 like John Wayne's Ethan Edwards in The Searchers, Gregory Peck does not believe in surrenders. When all the others give up their weapons and go home, Peck conspicuously keeps his and keeps up the good fight. Of course twenty years later, Peck's become nothing more than a common bandit with the barest trappings of the revolutionary ardor he once had for the Republican cause in the Spanish Civil War.

His rival, his Pat Garrett to Peck being Billy the Kid, is the local captain of the Guardia Civil in Anthony Quinn. Peck's constant raids into his border area from France are a source of embarrassment to him and block his chances for advancement. At one time Quinn was a hardened Falangist, but now he's just a policeman.

Twenty years as made a lot of changes in both men. Quinn a devote Catholic who probably joined the fascist forces because of the anti-clerical attitudes of the Republican government now observes the form of religion, but he's got a mistress on the side. When he goes to pray it's not for anything profound, just please let him get Peck so he can advance.

Peck is as anti-clerical as he was during the Spanish Civil War in the late Thirties, but now is really into it a lot for violence's sake. He also knows his cause is long lost, but needs the excuse for what he's now doing. He also gets quite a surprise in finding a priest like Omar Sharif going to warn him about an informer in his crew. Catholics do come in all shapes and sizes.

Although Peck is somewhat miscast as a Spaniard, still he does a good job as does Quinn and Sharif. The strength of Behold a Pale Horse is that it presents both Peck and Quinn as flesh and blood people, neither of them all good or all evil from your point of view.

Behold a Pale Horse was made in 1964 and eleven years later Francisco Franco in whose service Quinn was in died after being dictator of Spain for 36 years. When I visited Spain in 2001 the thing that struck me was how there was very little evidence of Franco's reign. Spain has now settled quite nicely into a constitutional monarchy with a functioning parliament. And the Catholic church which rode as high in Spain as it did during Philip II is rapidly losing influence.

Kind of makes you wonder just what Peck and Quinn were fighting about.

Wow, this film has some odd casting. Although the people in the film are supposed to be Spanish, none of the major actors in the film are from Spain. The weirdest casting was Gregory Peck. Gregory Peck?! At least Anthony Quinn kinda looks Spanish (heck, he's played just about every nationality there is plus half his background is Mexican). And having Muslim-convert Omar Sharif playing a Spanish Catholic priest...! All this is really strange and it's a shame they didn't let any Spaniards play these roles. Now part of this could be because Franco did NOT like the film and probably wouldn't have allowed anyone living in Spain to be in the film. But surely there must have been some expatriates or at least people who seemed more Spanish than Gregory Peck. He was a wonderful actor, certainly, but here he was badly miscast...as was Sharif.

The film begins with a quick summary of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. At the end, when the Republican forces lost, the surviving fighters are shown turning in their arms and immigrating to France. However, Peck's character refuses to give up the fight and apparently spent the next 20 years making violent incursions into his native land. For this, he is now a wanted criminal--not just an ex-Republican soldier.

Now, after 20 years, Peck is living in France and his mother back in Spain is dying. Police chief Quinn now plans to use this approaching death as a chance to lure Peck into a trap. Now considering that Peck has killed and robbed rather senselessly since the war ended, he does deserve to be captured, so in some ways you actually are rooting for the Fascist police to capture him. An interesting twist, as Americans in general were pro-Republican (or ambivalent).

The problem is that when Peck doesn't fall into the trap right away AND his mother dies, Quinn needs to keep this a secret--otherwise the plan will come to nothing. But, unknown to Quinn, young priest Sharif has inexplicably agreed to take a message to Peck from his mother in the hospital that warns him of the trap. Now considering that the woman had refused the last rights and cursed God, it is confusing why a priest (and they were mostly pro-Nationalist/Franco) would take the trouble or risk to help. This is, by far, the biggest flaw with the film. His motivation for this was confusing--helping an Atheist to send a message to her Atheist son who is a wanted criminal and killer. Plus, what if priest-hating Peck just decides to kill him?!

As far as Peck goes, as least his role is interesting. He is not sympathetic (considering his post-war record) and he's incredibly nasty at times to the young boy in the film. He slaps the kid and tells him to get lost. This is NOT Atticus Finch (TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD) or Ezra Baxter (THE YEARLING)!! I can commend Peck for being willing to play such an unlikable guy. And, the film is interesting in how it takes this child's hero-worship of Peck and quickly erodes it.

The problem is, for many, with the Franco government (they're bad, m'kay?!) and a violent criminal who lost sight of his once commendable cause, you are left wondering who to root for in the film. For some, this isn't a problem and for others, like myself, I really didn't care about the characters so I was left feeling disconnected and ambivalent.

Now it is well made and well directed, but it's still a film I'd rather have not seen. With so many films out there, I could have easily done better.