(1972) Raquel Welch, Robert Culp, Ernest Borgnine, Strother Martin, Jack Elam, Christopher Lee, Diana Dors, Stephen Boyd;
Directed by: Burt Kennedy; Color
In the ’70s, the Western took a turn for the graphically violent following the well deserved success of Sam Peckinpah’s the Wild Bunch. Hannie Caulder is the standard “revenge-of-the-wronged” formula film that has been around since movies started talking, but with a twist or two (or three) that makes it worth watching.
After slimy villains Borgnine, Martin and Elam kill Hannies hubbie, have their wicked way with her (off camera, thank you) and ride off, Hannie meets gunfighter Robert Culp who teaches her to shoot and points her at the villains. Eventually, Hannie blasts them all to their just rewards.
However, this film has more going for it than that. First of all, there is Raquel Welch. Second of all, there is Raquel Welch. Now, if you can believe that Culp’s gunfighter can initially think of no reason whatsoever to help mini-poncho clad Hannie and , after a lot of platonic riding around, campfire dinners, and even a trip to the beach, still hasn’t figured out the number one reason to help her, you are ready to accept the rest of the film………………………………