A Flaming Drama of Dangerous Love!
1953’s Ride, Vaquero! is a rather overlooked and underrated western . On paper, it holds quite a bit of potential with a stellar cast. [intlink id=”265″ type=”category”]Ava Gardner[/intlink] and [intlink id=”125″ type=”category”]Robert Taylor[/intlink] both star above the title, mind you. They are supported by Howard Keel and Anthony Quinn.
Once you’ve taken a closer look at Ride, Vaquero! you hopefully will agree that it isn’t your typical western film, and perhaps it deserves its overall perception as an also ran when you limit it to the western genre. For it is not your typical western. There are not John Fordesque vistas or gunfights In the street. In fact, most of the movie is shot in a fairly up close fashion and action is somewhat limited.
Directed by John Farrow, Ride, Vaquero! is really the story of two men, and one woman. Robert Taylor and Anthony Quinn play bandits Rio and Esqueda, respectively. Rio and Esqueda aren’t brothers, though Esqueda’s mother raised them both, and the result has been a very close relationship. There is more than a single subtle hint that their relationship may be just a little bit more, given some of the on screen motions and related dialogue, but nothing as obvious as Brokeback Mountain. Plus, this is 1953.
That said, there is the perception that Rio’s overly obtrusive attire is a throwback to the ideal western hero, along the lines of the Singing Cowboy Gene Autry. The various studded leather clothing is a bit of a scene stealer at first, as Rio wears more studded leather than….well, more than most would deem fashionable.
The woman is of course Ava Gardner in the role of Delia Cameron. Her husband is King Cameron (Howard Keel) who has brought her out to Texas (the Brownsville area) to settle in the aftermath of the Civil War. On their arrival, the home he has built for them is smoldering in the aftermath of arson instigated by Esqueda’s gang of bandits.
King Cameron attempts to organize the citizenry to combat Esqueda and his general violent debauchery. Sadly, this comes to nought and Cameron is left fighting off Esqueda’s band yet again, when they attempt to burn down a second home he’s built. He manages to capture the somewhat foppish Rio. After a little cajoling, Rio is persuaded to help Cameron and ultimately turn his back on Esqueda. Unbeknownst to Cameron, it is the allure of Delia which causes Rio to turn traitor to Esqueda.