Today’s quick review: Vera Cruz. In the middle of the Mexican rebellion against Emperor Maximilian (George Macready), American soldiers make their way south of the border to sell their services to the highest bidder. Ben Trane (Gary Cooper), a Southern gentleman displaced by the Civil War, forms an unlikely alliance with Joe Erin (Burt Lancaster), an unpredictable killer and thief, to protect a shipment of $3 million in gold for the Emperor.
Vera Cruz is a Western drama about a gang of American mercenaries looking to profit from a Mexican civil war. Gary Cooper stars as Ben Trane, whose polite demeanor and sense of honor set him apart from the others around him. Burt Lancaster plays opposite him as Joe Erin, a dangerous gunfighter who will betray anyone for his own profit. Vera Cruz features a complex web of shifting alliances as different factions make a play for the Emperor’s gold.
Vera Cruz thrives on conflict. The setup includes half a dozen parties with their own motives: Ben, Joe, the other mercenaries, the Emperor’s forces, the rebels, and Countess Marie Duvarre (Denise Darcel), a French diplomat who is not what she seems. Seeing these factions scheme and betray each other gives the movie a dark appeal. And while neither Ben nor Joe is a conventional hero, the complexities of their characters make them interesting to watch.
As such, Vera Cruz has plenty to offer for fans of the criminal side of the Western genre. Two solid leads, a plot that twists and turns, and themes of idealism versus cynicism make Vera Cruz a worthwhile pick. Still, the moral ambiguity of its characters will not appeal to everyone, and viewers looking for a more adventurous Western may want to give it a pass.
For another thematically dark Western about an expedition through disputed territory, try Duel at Diablo. For another Western drama starring Burt Lancaster, try Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. For a more sweeping tale of gold and betrayal, try The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
[7.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047647/). I give it a 7.0 for a plot fraught with conflict.