BLUE

US, 1968, 113 minutes, Colour.
Terence Stamp, Joanna Pettet, Karl Malden, Ricardo Montalban
Directed by Silvio Narizzano

Blue is a star vehicle for Terence Stamp who, at the time, had made such films as Far From The Madding Crowd and Pasolini's Teorema. He is not well suited to the enigmatic Gringo, brought up by Mexicans, who tries to adapt to a Texas way of life. Karl Malden is a doctor, acting like Karl Malden, and Joanna Pettet, who was popular in a number of films at this period, for example The Group, Night of the Generals, is the love interest. Ricardo Montalban is more at home as the Mexican Ortega.

The film shows the border between Texas and Mexico, the marauding Mexicans, the settling Texans and their clashes. The film starts somewhat barbarically with the focus on the Mexicans and then makes the transition to Texan farms and domestic life. It is not persuasive. The direction is by Silvio Narizzano, best known for directing Georgy Girl.

1.Western? Texas- Mexican border? The clashes? Individuals and settlers? Revenge western?

2.Panavision and colour photography? The use of pastels and bright colours to give a somewhat lurid impression of the West? The musical score?

3.The cast, Terence Stamp and his British background, his varying accents? The Mexicans? The Americans?

4.The title, the focus on Blue, his Mexican background, brought up by the Mexicans, his being wounded, his transition to Texas, his nickname? Settling down?

5.The background of the clashes between Mexico and Texas? Spanish rule? The coming of the Americans? The war against Mexico? The dangerous border? The violence, the raids, the revenge?

6.Blue, taciturn and surly, in the Mexican stronghold, his clash with his brothers, Ortega and his favouritism? Life in the camp, raucous, the cards, the women, the fights? The raid into Texas? His being a sharpshooter? His saving Joanne from being raped? His being wounded? Staying, tended by the doctor? Refusal to speak? Change of heart, becoming more `civilised'? Going out into the fields, the corn? Life in the town, the clash with Jess? Shooting - but not killing him? The arrival of the Mexicans? His meeting with Ortega, his refusal to go back? Preparation for the raid, his getting his brother to give the signal? The fight, the shootout, his shooting of Ortega? Settling into Mexico? A character of a wild and confused West?

7.Ortega, the revolutionary, the opening with the clash with the soldiers, the brutality towards the soldiers? The Mexican revolutionaries, their poverty, living in common? Ortega and his sons? Taking in Blue, his favourite? The raid into Texas, the deaths, the revenge raids, Ortega's death? The Mexican brothers - and the stereotypes of brutality?

8.Joanne, her relationship with her father, in the town, helping with the medical work? The attempted rape, saved by Blue, tending him? Falling in love with him? Working together? The relationship with Jess? The preparation for the attack - the happy ending?

9.The doctor, kindliness, a settler? Tending Blue? A fair man, letting people make their own decisions? The preparation for the attack?

10.Jess, his jealousy for Joanne, clash with Blue, the shooting? His realising the truth and letting Joanne go?

11.Popular ingredients of a western? A western made in the late '60s with the atmosphere of the changing picture of the West, the emphasis on portraying its brutality?