Popular Culture Review Vol. 14, No. 1, February 2003 | Page 129

Hollywood Cowboys and Confederates in Mexico

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During the celebration, old conflicts arise and the party soon turns into a
fistfight that can only be broken up a Confederate woman firing a warning shot
into the air. The film’s intent in this scene is to show that the victims of American
Civil War are still victims to their old hatreds; the war still exists for them, seeth
ing beneath a thin veneer of courtesy, waiting to erupt at the slightest provocation.
Even a mutual respect for the Fourth of July celebration is not powerful enough to
soothe the high emotions of this longstanding and destructive feud. The only thing,
it seems, that can reunite these people is a shared danger. Those Mexican bandits
lurking in the hills finally decide to attack Langdon's wagon train, and as he circles
the wagons, Thomas is there to give advice, telling Langdon that the women should
also take rifles and fight along side the men.
The bandits are a truly evil crowd. In the best (or worst) stereotypical fashion,
they threaten Langdon’s pioneers with theft and rape, behaving in thoroughly ani
malistic fashion. At the moment of the bandits’ appearance, Thomas sends Blue
Boy for his own gang of cowboys and Indians to help in the fight, but the Confed
erate named Captain Anderson thinks John Henry is not to be trusted and is plan
ning something nefarious of his own. During the attack, Thomas’ men arrive just
in time to send the bandits, now greatly reduced in number, packing back to the
hills. Langdon, despite his dislike of the Yankees, is grateful, and Langdon’s sense
of gratitude leads to his Fourth of July invitation. Unfortunately, after the resulting
donnybrook at the Fourth celebration, each group goes its separate way, though
soon to be united again in a common cause. James Langdon and company fina lly
arrive at Durango. The locals have decked out the town to welcome the Confeder
ates, the band playing “Dixie” and Maximilian’s representative inviting them to a
banquet in their honor. During this banquet, however, Langdon and his followers
are quickly surrounded by troops, and the government representative reveals him
self to be General Rojas (played by Antonio Aguilar), an officer of Juarez’s revo
lution. Rojas gives Langdon an ultimatum: a demand that John Henry Thomas
deliver his herd of horses to Juarez instead of Maximilian. Rojas has been follow
ing the progress of both Thomas and Langdon in Mexico, and sees an opportunity
in using these people to help the cause of his revolution. Langdon at first objects,
proclaiming that he is not going to ask anything from any “damn Yankee.” Rojas
then threatens to shoot his Confederate captives, including women and children,
and Langdon reluctantly consents.
When he delivers Rojas’ ultimatum, Thomas discusses the options with his
men. They finally agree to sacrifice their herd, which is emblematic of their pro
spective wealthy and future happiness, so that the lives of their former enemies
can be saved. And, thus, an important moment in the film’s story is reached. Per
sonal honor is recognized by Thomas and his cowboys as being more important
than personal wealth. People’s lives matter more than money or comfort. At a