John Chard

Paella and Custard! Pancho Villa is directed by Eugenio Martín and he co-writes the screenplay with Julian Zimet. It stars Telly Savalas, Clint Walker, Chuck Connors and Anne Francis. Music is by Antón García Abril and cinematography by Alejandro Ulloa. Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa sets about raiding a US Army weapons depot in Columbus, New Mexico. Well what does one make of this oddity? Pitched somewhere between surreal action and farce comedy, this is a hard film to recommend to even the hardiest fans of the cast members. Beginning with the miscasting of the lead players, pic rumbles on in a stop start fashion that sees director Martín follow a period of dialogue exchanges - in less than convincing fashion - with a burst of action that's mostly tidy when it involves locomotives! You will not be receiving a history lesson here, or a cinematic art form one either, but a modicum of entertainment value can be garnered if you go in expecting an uneven duffer starring actors you like - or conversely you be flushed with some alcoholic amber nectar! 4/10