{"id":324700,"date":"2022-11-19T05:00:15","date_gmt":"2022-11-19T11:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=324700"},"modified":"2023-05-22T16:04:45","modified_gmt":"2023-05-22T21:04:45","slug":"the-war-wagon-a-cool-western-heist-movie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/the-war-wagon-a-cool-western-heist-movie\/","title":{"rendered":"The War Wagon: A Cool Western Heist Movie"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who doesn\u2019t love a good heist movie? The good ones have us rooting for the supposed bad guys, who are usually portrayed as enriching themselves by sticking it to \u201cthe Man.\u201d \u201cThe Man\u201d can be the government, a faceless corporation, a hoity toity bank, or just some rich snot who totally deserves it. One of my favorite heist films (Kelly\u2019s Heroes<\/em>) is also a good war movie. The best heist movies also carry a revenge factor, like The Italian Job.<\/em> 1967\u2019s The War Wagon<\/em> is one of those.<\/p>\n

\"The
(movieposters.wonderhowto.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Duke as Borderline Bad Guy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I\u2019m a sucker for a good John Wayne Western, and The War Wagon<\/em> is no exception. The Duke plays Taw Jackson, a rancher wrongly imprisoned for an unspecified crime. Turns out he was framed by mining magnate Frank Pierce (Bruce Cabot), who wanted the gold recently found on Jackson\u2019s ranch. How Pierce gained control of the ranch is unclear, but it doesn\u2019t affect the story. It\u2019s enough to know Pierce is a greedy snake with no morals.<\/p>\n

\"Bruce
Frank Pierce (Bruce Cabot) is the lowdown skunk who stole the Duke’s ranch. He has to pay. (imfdb.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The War Wagon<\/em> was the first movie in which Wayne was a bad guy, even if it was forced on him by Pierce. The revenge-driven Duke, out on parole, is convincing as he plans to steal back his gold and kill Pierce in the process.<\/p>\n

War Wagon<\/em><\/strong> Plot<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The War Wagon<\/em> is 55 years old, so spoilers aren\u2019t really a thing, but I won\u2019t ruin it for you either way. Pierce periodically transports gold dust from his New Mexico mine to El Paso in an armored stagecoach he calls his \u201cWar Wagon.\u201d A safe inside the coach holds the gold and Pierce rides inside with several rifle-armed guards. Fourteen more mounted riflemen ride ahead of the War Wagon with fourteen more behind. Early in the movie, Jackson says the guards are all armed with Henry rifles, but they actually carry Winchester Model 1892 carbines. Of course, your average Western fan won\u2019t know the difference.<\/p>\n

\"The
The armored stagecoach gives the movie its name. (thegreatwesternmovies.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jackson plans to ambush the War Wagon and take an upcoming shipment worth half a million dollars. If he can kill Pierce too, well, so much the better. His intelligence comes from Wes Fletcher, a wagon driver working for Pierce. Fletcher is played by Keenan Wynn, who also plays Colonel Bat Guano in one of my favorite films, Dr. Strangelove.<\/em> Fletcher is a crusty old coot and proves himself to be not exactly trustworthy, but Jackson needs him for the heist.<\/p>\n

The story is supposedly based on a real armored wagon called the Monitor<\/em> that ran gold out of Deadwood South Dakota. At least one outlaw tried to rob it. It ended badly for him.<\/p>\n

\"Winchester
Pierce’s guards carried Winchester Model 1892 carbines, despite Jackson saying they were Henrys. (imfdb.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Duke\u2019s Gang<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jackson recruits three other men for his crew, each with a very particular skill set. This was before Liam Neeson\u2019s time, so he ain\u2019t one of them.<\/p>\n

The second recruit is the gunslinger\/safecracker Lomax (Kirk Douglas). Lomax is second place only to Jackson as the film\u2019s main character. Jackson and Lomax have a complicated relationship, considering the latter shot the former as part of Pierce\u2019s earlier shenanigans. We never hear the particulars, but it\u2019s not necessary to the story.<\/p>\n

\"Kirk
Lomax (Kirk Douglas) and Taw Jackson (John Wayne). (thegreatwesternmovies.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Neither man trusts the other, but Jackson needs a shooter and a safecracker and Lomax wants the equal share of gold Jackson promises him. Pierce complicates things by offering Lomax 12 grand to kill Jackson. Seems having the man whose ranch and gold he stole hanging around makes him nervous. Lomax accepts the offer and keeps it hanging over Jackson\u2019s head to make sure he gets his share.<\/p>\n

The next gang member is Levi Walking Bear (Howard Keel), a Kiowa who is instrumental in gaining his tribe\u2019s aid in Jackson\u2019s scheme. Seems they don\u2019t like Pierce either.<\/p>\n

The gang\u2019s final member is teenaged alcoholic and explosives expert Billy Hyatt (Robert Walker, Jr.). We\u2019re never told why an 1870s teenager knows so much about explosives. Suffice it to say that he is competent with dynamite and nitroglycerin, which helps when you\u2019re trying to spring gold from an armored stagecoach.<\/p>\n

\"John
Taw Jackson and Levi Walking Bear (Howard Keel) look nervously at Billy Hyatt’s (Robert Walker, Jr.) bottle of nitroglycerin. (moviesalamark.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I won\u2019t spoil the plan and execution because it\u2019s well-presented and fun to watch.<\/p>\n

Guns of The War Wagon<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Robbing the War Wagon obviously won\u2019t be easy, and you know guns will be involved. But the menu is concise and there are only three firearms with prominent roles.<\/p>\n

Colt 1873 Single Action Army Revolver<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The ubiquitous Peacemaker is the iconic Western firearm. It\u2019s what all the fashionable outlaws and lawmen carried, at least as far as Hollywood is concerned. Jackson and Lomax put them to good use early and often, and Frank Pierce carries one as well.<\/p>\n

\"John
John Wayne with his 1873 Colt Single Action Army Revolver. (imfdb.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Bruce
Frank Pierce firing his Colt during the heist. (imfdb.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are the 1873 SAA Revolver\u2019s deets, if you don\u2019t already know them:<\/p>\n