Behold a Pale Horse (1964)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Writers:

Emeric Pressburger (novel)
J.P. Miller (screenplay)

Release Date:

October 1964 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Manuel Artiguez, a famous bandit during the Spanish civil war, has lived in French exile for 20 years...

Plot Keywords:

Exile | Hospital | Police | Bandit | Trap

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Manuel Artiguez
Anthony Quinn	...	Vinolas
Omar Sharif	...	Francisco
Raymond Pellegrin	...	Carlos
Paolo Stoppa	...	Pedro
Mildred Dunnock	...	Pilar
Daniela Rocca	...	Rosana, Mistress of Vinolas
Christian Marquand	...	Zaganar
Marietto	...	Paco Dages (as Marietto Angeletti)
Perrette Pradier	...	Maria, Hussy (as Perette Pradier)
Zia Mohyeddin	...	Luis, Guide of Paco
Rosalie Crutchley	...	Teresa, Wife of Vinolas
Molly Urquhart	...	Hospital Nurse
Jean-Paul Moulinot	...	Father Estiban
Laurence Badie	...	Celestina

Also Known As:

Deine Zeit ist um (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
...e venne il giorno della vendetta (Italy) [it]
...og så kom hævnens time (Denmark) [da]
Et vint le jour de la vengeance (France) [fr]
I mera tis ekdikiseos (Greece) [el]
Intikam atesi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Ja koston hetki koitti (Finland) [fi]
La sangre llama (Mexico) [es]
Y llegó el día de la venganza (Spain) [es]

Runtime:

118 min | France:121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #20642) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Franstudio, Saint-Maurice, Val-de-Marne, France

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The movie was banned in Spain, which was still ruled by Generalissimo Francisco Franco, the fascist victor of the Spanish Civil War.

Quotes:

Francisco: [regarding which faction killed his father] What difference does it make? Did either side have a right to take his life?

Movie Connections:

Features Mourir à Madrid (1963)

BEHOLD A PALE HORSE (Fred Zinnemann, 1964) ***

I had been looking forward to this one for some time, due to its rather imposing credentials; it's certainly well-made and acted but also heavy-going, slow and excessively talky.

Gregory Peck is even stiffer and glummer than usual as a washed-out guerrilla fighter; Anthony Quinn is generally more subdued than is customary for him, being effectively cast against type as Peck's nemesis (though his character is completely absent from the film's mid-section); after a belated entrance, Omar Sharif manages to steal the acting honors from under the nose of his more experienced companions by giving a moving portrayal of a conflicted priest. The excellent cast is rounded out by Paolo Stoppa, Christian Marquand, Daniela Rocca, Mildred Dunnock, Rosalie Crutchley and Michel Lonsdale.

Ultimately, the film lacks the touch of greatness – but the unusual subject matter (adapted from an Emeric Pressburger novel) and the surprising but affecting child's eye view it takes of events keep one watching. Furthermore, the climactic assault on the hospital is both suspenseful and exciting and the ever-reliable Maurice Jarre contributes a subtly effective score.