The Video Vacuum

A goateed Ernest Borgnine stars as the religion hating El General, a vicious military leader who goes around Mexico killing a bunch of priests.  Miguel (Padre Humberto) is a knuckleheaded pastor with a brother that is the head of the revolution who is intent on stopping the General.  He wants Miguel to join up with the revolution, but he’s too busy cracking jokes and singing terrible songs.  After the General banishes all the priests from Mexico, Miguel decides to stay behind and preach to his flock incognito, and in his own way he becomes a revolutionary figure, just like his brother.  Both of them are so annoying throughout the movie that when Borgnine finally lines them up for the firing squad, you’ll be cheering because that means the damned movie can finally be over. 

This boring and extremely lackluster western was the last theatrical release for director Arthur Lubin, whose career dated all the way back to the 30’s.  He’s probably most famous for directing many Abbott and Costello films, the 1943 Phantom of the Opera remake and the Francis the Talking Mule movies.  This flick is so bad that it makes the Francis movies look like Citizen Kane by comparison.

Borgnine is decent as the villain but unfortunately his screen time is limited to only a few brief appearances.  Humberto makes for an awfully lame hero and his constant mugging for the camera gets quite grating after awhile.  Gimme a break!  The only sparks come from Gemma Cuervo as a spitfire prostitute who helps Miguel hide from some cops. 

Oh and if you’re looking for any “Guns of the Revolution” you’ll be severely disappointed.  The only guns in this movie are held by Borgnine’s men, who will occasionally shoot a priest or two to spice things up every once and awhile. 

AKA:  Rain for a Dusty Summer.