The War Wagon (1967)

Directed by Burt Kennedy. Starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Howard Keel, Robert Walker Jr., Bruce Cabot, Keenan Wynn, Joanna Barnes, Valora Noland.

The Duke plays a cowboy recently released from prison who plots to rob half-a-mil in gold from the guy who framed him (Cabot), assembles a small crew to help, including hired gun and safecracker Douglas, who is being coerced by Cabot to work for him instead. Rollicking if unremarkable Western made with good humor and knowing clichés (there’s even a rowdy saloon brawl), but it should have been aces with the pairing of Wayne with Douglas in a Western (they’d previously appeared together in a couple of war/action pictures). Keel as a sardonic, English-speaking Indian is ignominious casting, but at least he’s not completely wasted like Wynn is as the grizzled fifth member of the gang, barely a character to even play. Ed Ames sings the likably silly title tune; Bruce Dern has a small part as a gunman.

64/100