Companeros is a 1970 Italian Western directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Franco Nero.
Companeros tells the story of Yodlaf Peterson, a Swedish arms dealer who forms a shaky alliance with El Vasco, the leader of a Mexican revolutionary group. They aim to protect Professor Xantos, the intellectual head of a student resistance group, from military leader General Mongo and mercenary John, the Wooden Hand.
Companeros is a fun, stylish Italian Western that essentially represents the greatest hits of Sergio Corbucci. It’s a vivid, cleanly shot movie that is equal parts violent and campy.
The characters follow the formula created in earlier Corbucci movies – Franco Nero is the suave foreign mercenary who reveals a soft heart, Tomas Milian is the hardened gunslinger turned revolutionary, Eduardo Fajardo plays a boisterous Mexican general and Jack Palance takes another turn as a warped but quirky villain. There’s also yet another female revolutionary who plays the love interest.
And of course, it just wouldn’t be a Corbucci movie if Nero doesn’t let a machine gun rip….
Nero basically plays his role from The Mercenary, only he swaps Polish roots for Swedish. He’s suave, self-assured and playfully stoic. Again, he arrives in town to sell weapons, then gets mixed up in a revolution. Along the way, his professional lone wolf persona gets assimilated into a buddy comedy. There’s a fun running joke between his character and Milan’s El Vasco regarding a silver coin.
Despite the recycled role, Nero shines. He’s truly a presence in a sub-genre where personality and cultural clashes form a unique blend of art. Companeros even sees his character show a bit more vulnerability – he’s on a spectrum somewhere between a beaten down Django and nearly invincible Mercenary.
Tomas Milian essentially plays a decaffeinated version of Tony Musante’s Paco Roman from The Mercenary. Milian is a cocky gunslinger who finds himself isolated from General Mongo’s military. He reluctantly joins Professor Xantos’ followers – with romantic pursuit of Lola his main motivation.
Milian brings a unique perspective to the Mexican revolutionary. First, he’s very much Italian and doesn’t exude either the wildness or machismo of what is a stereotypical role. It’s comical to see him broadly gesture with his hands – he’s likely a better fit in Coppola’s Godfather Sicily scenes. However, his goofy charisma is a nice counter to Nero’s presence and often, it appears the two are battling for the camera’s attention.
Jack Palance continues his streak of playing odd villains. His one-armed John is a pot smoking mercenary whose only friend in the world is a well-trained falcon. Palance’s character here is a continuation of sorts from The Mercenary’s Curly. Yet, the cruelness and style of Curly is replaced by a nihilistic vision of weirdness. Basically, John is a quirky pothead who owns a falcon.
What separates Companeros from other Corbucci movies is the heaviness of the director’s political message. Corbucci, whose leftist politics are well known, announces his intentions early on. The fictional student revolution ultimately threatens oil production, which is why General Mongo and the Americans intervene. Similarly, the American troops guarding Professor Xantos are made to look foolish.
There is an overbearing contrast between Xantos and the Swede: the Professor is idealistic and doesn’t want violence to fuel a revolution. He contends: “give me one case where violence is absolutely necessary.” For the Swede, the only reward is financial: “Usually when I do something for free, I get nothing but trouble.”
Companeros contains the usual mix of clever Corbucci one-liners and stylish shootout scenes. The ending is a callback to the classic Leone Mexican standoff finisher. However, the finish appears rushed and pales to the close of The Mercenary. Nonetheless, the movie is classic Corbucci and of course features another endlessly catchy Ennio Morricone theme song.
The BEST – Healthy at Home
One way to escape 2020 is to watch a 50-year old Italian Western. Surely, there wouldn’t be any references to our modern day COVID pandemic. But then again, Vasco and the Swede attempt to smuggle the Professor in a coffin and warn the Mexican troops that they could catch a brutal disease if they pry it open.
The BEST Part 2 -John’s Diverse Criminal Crew
One-handed, pothead John is flanked by a traditional Western baddie, an Asian with a hearing problem and what looks like a Hasidic Jew. And of course, Marsha the Falcon rounds out a progressive, culturally mixed crew for 1970.
The WORST -Rodent Torture
I had viewer flashbacks to Chuck Norris’ Missing in Action during this scene. Vasco is tortured by John’s group as they stuff a rat into a bag and attach it to his nether region. However, the scene is treated more comically – which reduces its impact.
The WORST Part 2 – Vasco the Romantic
After cutting off her hair early in the movie, Vasco gifts Lola her locks as the two marry in revolutionary bliss.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 3.75/5
If you’re new to Corbucci, I would start elsewhere. If anything, Companeros is a Greatest Hits collection at its best and remake of The Mercenary at its unimaginative worst. It’s still a fun and stylish Italian Western and the political message is interesting. It’s definitely worth a watch.
