Villa Rides

Villa Rides is a Western set during the Mexican Revolution. Lee Arnold, an American gunrunner and pilot, is drawn into the conflict less by ideals than by profit, and he throws in with Pancho Villa and his followers. The two men forge an uneasy friendship as they march across Mexico, fighting the Colorados and clashing with Villa's adversaries. Complicating matters is Rodolfo Fierro, Villa's ruthless lieutenant, who becomes a source of tension for Arnold, while Villa himself must contend with political treachery around him.

The film was directed by Buzz Kulik, released between Riot and The Hunter in his filmography, and produced by Ted Richmond for Paramount. Sam Peckinpah and Robert Towne wrote the screenplay. Yul Brynner plays Villa, with Robert Mitchum as Arnold, Charles Bronson as Fierro, Herbert Lom as General Huerta, Maria Grazia Buccella as Fina, and Robert Viharo as Urbina, among a credited cast of thirty-five. Running just over two hours, it is a large-scale adventure rather than a strict history lesson.

On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.3 from around 2,600 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.2 from roughly 67 votes. Both figures point to a modest but steady level of viewer appreciation for the film.