The Train Robbers won’t be placed on the registry of historic films. It does however, entertain as a western. John Wayne films have the elements that keep the viewer watching. They have good direction, good dialogue, male bonding and good acting.
John Wayne plays Lane, a gunhand, hired by Mrs. Lowe, a widow, (Ann Margaret), to retrieve gold stolen by her late husband. Wayne recruits a few civil war veterans, who are friends to help. These include Grady (Rod Taylor) and Jesse, played by academy award winning actor, Ben Johnson. Along the way, there’s a pretty good shootout, with unidentified gunmen, which results in dynamite being thrown into Wayne’s band’s fire. This results in their horses being scattered and general chaos. While camped out, Grady and Jesse have an excellent dialogue about getting old, and the aches and pains that come with it. Ben Johnson also talks to Ann Margaret about when he first met Lane, during The Civil War. Eventually Wayne and company find the gold, hidden in a train wreck in the desert. They give the gold to Mrs. Lowe, and the group agrees to let her have the $50,000 reward offered by Wells Fargo. The main reason is that Lane has deep affection for her. The other is they feel for her and the hardship she’s had. She gets on the train, and departs. After this, they run into a Pinkerton man, (Ricardo Montelban). He tells them that Mrs. Lowe has played them for fools. Her real story is that she was working as a prostitute, and her husband was shot in the back in her brothel, after an argument. After Lane and his gang are told the truth, they ride after the train, in pursuit of Mrs. Lowe and the gold.
John Wayne and Ann Margaret have some good scenes. One scene in particular is when she tosses her blouse to him, and he has a slightly shocked/embarrassed look on his face. They also have a good scene, when they get drunk together. Ann Margaret is never overshadowed by Wayne in this film, which is an achievement in itself.
Burt Kennedy has done a credible job, working with screen legend Wayne. The gunfight and the trek across the desert to the train, all help make this a good film.The long shots of the gang are well done. The cinematography in The Train Robbers also stands out.
This film is a later John Wayne movie, but it isn’t standard. Also, it isn’t a film like The Wild Bunch. It stands up as a western film in an era when they were coming to an end.