Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Steffi_P There have not been many English-language movies made about the Spanish Civil War, and those that have been made (with the exception of Land and Freedom) tend to shy away from both politics and action, often slow-moving, contemplative affairs. In that vein Behold a Pale Horse, based on a novel by Hungarian screenwriter Emeric Pressburger, is a meditation on loyalty, trust and faith, not in religion but in religious institutions and individuals. The Spanish Civil War, or rather its aftermath, are the backdrop for these themes. But despite this ruminating premise the picture just about manages to save itself from terminal dullness.A lot of this has to do with director Fred Zinnemann. Zinnemann was not exactly a dynamic director but he had a certain way of drawing us into a story and holding our interest. During the opening credits his camera tracks along a line of nameless faces, encouraging us to look over every line and notice every blink, introducing a quietly human picture. And yet he is also placing people within their context, showing young Paco dwarfed amid the houses of Pau, mirroring the mountains from which he has descended, or panning down from the figure of Christ to a reverent Anthony Quinn (shades here of Zinnemann's other Christian-themed pictures A Nun's Story and A Man for All Seasons). Above all Zinnemann is a master of tension without over-manipulation. Events seem to unfold in real-time, with a sprinkling of point-of-view shots to draw us into the unfolding action.It is interesting to see Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn playing the hero and villain. Both men are possessed of dark hair and sharp, stony features. Both have a stern bearing and charismatic presence. One can imagine them playing brothers; a good twin and a bad twin perhaps. They are both very good here, but the best performance I feel belongs to Omar Shariff, grappling with some kind of a conscience, refusing to make the meek priest into a stereotype. Italian character actor Paolo Stoppa, familiar from a lot of European co-productions, is very good too. Finally, watch out for a brief but typically mesmerising bit part by Rosalie Crutchley as Quinn's wife.A strong cast and thoughtful direction are enough to keep this picture moving. Also of note is the Maurice Jarre score. This was by now an era in which you didn't have to have a blaring orchestral score (and thankfully those irritating free jazz scores of the late 50s were going out of style). Behold a Pale Horse features sparse and staccato Spanish guitar, fitting for both the location and the nervous and somewhat melancholic story. This is far from being a war movie, but it is a picture of great solemnity, atmosphere and touching humanity.

davidauth I first saw this black and white movie when I was only 19, and it made a big impression on me. I have always rooted from the underdog, as for example, the role Gregory Peck plays to perfection. Although Anthony Quinn is supposedly the enemy, Peck is really still fighting a lost war, which is a much bigger issue for him than one police chief. This, of course, is why he kills the informer, formerly his close and trusted friend, rather than Anthony Quinn, the police chief. The greater enemy for Peck is the Catholic Church, which sided with Franco and the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War, just as it did in Nazi Germany, against the Jews. The pivotal revelation and internal conflict for Peck's role is that a simple parish priest has obviously come to his personal aid (the role played by Omar Sharif), rather than that his friend has turned informer. With the Catholic Church on the side of the Republicans, the civil war may have had a different outcome. Of course, under Franco, the dictator-church bond continued and even got stronger. This is why the Franco Government got upset with Columbia Pictures, not because Anthony Quinn has a mistress in the movie! What this shows is that most movie critics know nothing about the Spanish Civil War. This reflects badly on them, rather than on the movie, a great and beautifully filmed example of never giving in to defeat in the face of tyranny.

mlumiere As I said on the message board about this film, I agree with those who felt that Peck was miscast as a European. My view of Peck is that he is a STAR, one who is effective really only in parts that suit his very American, warm hearted, leading man persona.As for the reviewer who complained that 1964 was a bit late to be making a feature in black-and-white, actually, no, lots of features continued to be made in black-and-white for another three years, at least. By 1967, it was a lot rarer to find one, even from the more arty or new wave directors in Europe, where black-and-white had been de riguer, for the most part. Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show" and "Paper Moon" were retro glories by the early 70s. (I think he used a red or infrared filter to get those great darks in his b&ws.) Forgive the digression. I found the film to be a failure by Zinneman - too many parts don't fit well, and too long.

MARIO GAUCI 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.