After the American Civil War, mercenaries travel to Mexico to fight in their revolution for money. The former soldier and gentleman Benjamin Trane (Gary Cooper) meets the gunman and killer Joe Erin (Burt Lancaster) and his men, and together they are hired by the Emperor Maximillian (George Macready) and the Marquis Henri de Labordere (Cesar Romero) to escort the Countess Marie Duvarre (Denise Darcel) to the harbor of Vera Cruz. Ben and Erin find that the stagecoach is transporting US$ 3,000,000.00 in gold hidden below the seat and they scheme to steal it. Along their journey, betrayals and incidents happen changing their initial intentions.

"Vera Cruz" is a very entertaining western directed by the great director Robert Aldrich and with excellent performances of Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper. Their partnership is hilarious since their behaviors, educations and personalities are totally different, or opposite. Ben Trane is a honored, intelligent and idealistic man, who lost his possessions in the war and now is trying to have some financial gain with his abilities. Joe Erin is cynical, amoral, brutal, intuitive and mercenary. In common, only their skills in handling weapons. Erin cheats all the time, but the smart Ben is one step ahead in every situation and the result is a good movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Vera Cruz"

Vera Cruz is an old fashioned buddy western with two dissimilar buddies with 180 degree contrasting acting styles.

Since one of the co-stars was the producer of this, he got the showier part. But in truth I certainly couldn't see casting either one in the other's part.

Burt Lancaster was the producer and star and he got the scenery chewing role of Joe Erin, disarmingly charming and ruthlessly amoral gunfighter down in Mexico working for Emperor Maximilian for a price. He's leading a mini army himself of gunfighters that include among other, Ernest Borgnine and Charles Bronson.

Along the way Lancaster hooks up with Gary Cooper, former Southern Colonel Ben Trane, who's also looking to restart his life by making some money in Mexico so he can rebuild his plantation in Reconstruction Louisiana.

Basically these two play themselves or at least stay true to the image that we have of both Cooper and Lancaster.

The prize her is a big gold shipment that Maximilian is sending out of Mexico to pay for more troops from Napoleon III. The gunfighters are escorting it, but they don't know it. They think the job is to escort a squeeze of Maximilian's, nicely packaged in the shape of Denise Darcel.

Just about everyone in the film from George Macready playing Maximilian to Cesar Romero playing a French marquis down to Lancaster, Cooper, Darcel, and the rest of the gunfighters all have their own plans for the three million in gold they're carrying. Let's just say that it's no surprise where it winds up.

Morris Ankrum plays a solid version of a Juarista general and Mexican film star, Sarita Montiel, does one of two American films, the other being Serenade with Mario Lanza. She was and is a big name in the Mexican and Spanish cinema and no doubt her presence sold a few tickets south of the Rio Grande. She's an extraordinarily beautiful woman and she pairs with Cooper as Darcel pairs with Lancaster.

Some of the dialog is a bit hokey. I always laugh whenever I hear Darcel tell Lancaster "at heart you are French." But the action moves right along under Director Robert Aldrich and the climatic battle between the French and the Juaristas is well staged.

FYI--This DVD has no captioning of any sort, so if you are hard of hearing you are out of luck.

Aside from the unusual setting, the presence of two great stars and some good supporting actors to play tough guys, there isn't all that much about this film that makes it rise above the ordinary. Now I am not saying it's a bad film--just one that isn't exceptional despite the cast.

During the US Civil War, the European powers took advantage of this by deposing President Juarez and installing Maximillian I (and last)--a pawn of the French and Austrians. Naturally, most of the Mexicans were less than overjoyed by the imposition of this leader and not surprisingly civil war broke out in Mexico and it lasted several years. This movie begins just after the US war ended--and American adventurers are heading to Mexico to offer their services to the highest bidder--which would be Maximillian. Burt Lancaster is the leader of a group of thugs and there's nothing admirable about any of them--they are scum. But, they are well-cast scum, as Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam and Charles Bronson (here, billed with his real name 'Charlie Buchinski')! Another guy arrives and also offers his services to Maximillian (Gary Cooper) but he seems like a decent sort--and why he's in Mexico is perplexing. They are all hired to escort a lady and her caravan--but the lady is secondary--the gold hidden in her carriage is the real treasure. Naturally, the Americans figure this out and the rest of the film is a struggle over ownership of this shipment.

This film has the usual assortment of gun battles, machismo and manliness. However, the film lacks personality as none of the characters have much depth. Lancaster mostly smiles with his teeth clenched, Cooper is nice...and bland and the film never seems all that interesting. Watchable for fans of these actors but otherwise pretty forgettable despite the unusual setting.