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Charro!
Theatrical release poster
Directed byCharles Marquis Warren
Screenplay byCharles Marquis Warren
Story byFrederick Louis Fox
Produced byCharles Marquis Warren
Starring
CinematographyEllsworth Fredericks
Edited byAl Clark
Music byHugo Montenegro
Production
company
Distributed byNational General Pictures
Release date
  • March 12, 1969 (1969-03-12) (USA)[1]
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.5 million (US/ Canada rentals)[2]

Charro! is a 1969 American Western film starring Elvis Presley, shot on location at Apacheland Movie Ranch and Old Tucson Studios in Arizona. This was Presley's only film in which he did not sing on-screen; the film featured no songs at all other than the main title theme, which was played over the opening credits.[3] It was also the only movie in which Presley wore a beard.[3] The film was novelized by Harry Whittington.[4][5]

Ina Balin, Victor French, Barbara Werle, and Solomon Sturges co-starred. It was the final film for director Charles Marquis Warren, who also produced and wrote it.[3] It was also the only Presley film distributed by National General Pictures.[6] The film made a profit but was not a runaway success, and remains one of Presley's least-seen films despite being regarded among his best in terms of his acting (as opposed to his singing).[3]

Plot

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Jess Wade, a former member of a gang of outlaws led by Vince Hackett, is led to believe that an old flame, Tracy Winters, wants to meet him in a seedy Mexican saloon. Jess sees Billy Roy Hackett, Vince's younger brother, summoning Vince and the other members of the gang into the saloon, and realizes he has been set up. Jess orders the bar patrons to leave before a shootout ensues. Making a break for the door, Jess is stopped by Gunner, another gang member, and is forced to relinquish his gun and to go with them to their hideout in the mountains. Vince later tells him that the gang has stolen a gold-plated cannon that was used by Emperor Maximilian in his ill-fated fight against popular Mexican leader Benito Juárez. Vince informs him that a wanted poster has been produced: it says that Jess is in the gang who stole the cannon and has sustained a neck wound as a result of being shot by one of the guards. Ordering his men to subdue Jess on the ground, Vince uses a branding iron to burn his neck. They take his horse, leaving him stranded. He captures a wild horse in the desert and saddle-breaks it. The gang's motive is to force a ransom from the town they stole the cannon from, but the gang also use the cannon to hold the townspeople at bay. Only Jess can save the people from his former gang.

Cast

[edit]

Background

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The role of Jess Wade was originally offered to Clint Eastwood, who turned it down.[3] The budget for the movie was estimated at $2.5 million and Elvis was paid his now standard $850,000 plus 50% of the profits.

Committed to the role of a rough gunfighter in the film, Elvis grew a beard for the only time in a movie. His Memphis Mafia cohorts showed their support for Elvis by also growing beards at this time. Elvis also did his own horse riding in the film, which was helped by the experience he had with horses on his own ranch, the Circle G.[7]

Elvis had long been a gun owner and collector of firearms, and he used to practice his quick draw with Clint Eastwood. Elvis made sure that he could show off his skills with firearms in this film.

Working titles for the film included Jack Valentine, Johnny Hung, and Come Hell or Come Sundown.[3] Presley signed up to the project with high hopes after reading the serious, song-free script,[8] but was left disappointed when he arrived for his first day of shooting on July 22, 1968, to find that the script he had originally signed up for had been changed beyond recognition,[8] although Elvis ensured the main characters name of Jesus Wade was changed to Jess Wade.

The original opening scene, which was to feature female nudity, was dropped and focused instead on the film's opening gunfight.[8] Frederick Louis Fox's original story for Charro! contains many violent scenes that were dropped from the film altogether, such as a closeup and longer edit of the branding scene. Harry Whittington based his novelization of Charro! on Fox's story, and included the scenes that Warren deemed too violent for the film.[3][5] A scene featuring a nude Ina Balin climbing from a bath was also removed, although this scene has been restored in the complete unedited version.[3] Location scenes were shot at Apache Junction and the Apacheland Movie Ranch in Arizona.[3]

Proud of his work in Charro!, Elvis said this was one of his favorite films, whilst there was much interest in Elvis starring in a western at that time. Warren Beatty wanted to co-star with Elvis in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid[9] and John Wayne wanted Elvis to co-star with him in True Grit.[10] Elvis' manager Colonel Tom Parker contested Elvis' billing and would only agree if he was top billed. Eventually, he was paid more money to star in Charro than he would have been in those films.

Charro has been strongly reassessed as one of Elvis' best films and his performance as Jess Wade has been called the most convincing of his career.[11] Many fans believe that a new phase of Elvis' acting career should have been ahead for him after this film and Change of Habit, but the concert stage beckoned.

Quentin Tarantino used the name of Charro's director, Charles Marquis Warren, for Samuel L. Jackson's character in his western The Hateful Eight.

Reception

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The film, although successful, was not received as well as Presley's previous films.[3] Many of Presley's fans were put off by the lack of songs, and critics were generally unimpressed with the film as a whole.[3] Despite this, the film made a good profit and Presley received $850,000 for his work and 50% of the profits.[6]

Roger Greenspun of The New York Times wrote of Presley's performance, "He treats his part rather as a minor embarrassment, and he seems determined not to push himself in a role that could have used a stronger personality to fill the lapses in the story and the wide open spaces in the dialogue."[12] Variety wrote that "Presley strolls through a tedious role that would have driven many another actor up the wall ... Even more at fault than Presley, who has occasionally responded in the past to the demands of a good director, is Charles Marquis Warren, who takes credit (or blame?) for the script, the direction, and even part of the production."[13] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote that in the film Presley "sings nary a note, which is too bad. A song or two, though arguably inappropriate, would have helped to relieve the tedium of this trite low-budget Western that has quick-sale-to-TV stamped all over it."[14] Gary Arnold of The Washington Post called it "the least kinesthetic Western I've ever seen," which "seems to have conceived for the small screen. A plot that might suffice for 30 minutes of restless entertainment has been stretched to a somnambulent 98 minutes."[15] Allan Eyles of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote, "Unfortunately, Charro is fatally undermined by the slack staging of its action highlights and by a plot riddled with irrational behaviour and dialogue ... As if to compensate for the film's lack of impact, Hugo Montenegro's lively but over-attentive score does too much underlining of mood and character."[16]

Soundtrack

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In June 1968, Presley had already completed the sequences and recorded the songs for what would be his comeback television special and its attendant album, Elvis, that put his musical talents back on display after the long slog of the soundtrack years.[17] During the special, Presley erroneously states that he had made twenty-nine "pictures" up to that time. The actual tally was twenty-eight at taping. Charro would be the twenty-ninth. By the time the special aired in December 1968, Presley had completed his thirtieth film, The Trouble with Girls (and How to Get into It).

His confidence and enthusiasm restored, Presley turned to his musical obligations for Charro! Appropriately for a Western, the studio hired Hugo Montenegro to produce the two songs intended for the film. The recording session took place at Samuel Goldwyn Studio in Hollywood, California on October 15, 1968.[18] The title song appeared in the movie during the opening credits, and was released commercially on February 25, 1969, as the b-side to RCA 47-9731 "Memories," which had also appeared on the TV special and album.[19] The other song recorded for the film, but not used, "Let's Forget About the Stars", appeared on the budget album Let's Be Friends in 1970.[18] This song is erroneously referred to in some sources as an outtake from the soundtrack of the later Presley film Change of Habit.[20]

Home media

[edit]

Charro! was released on Video CD in 1996.[21] Charro! was released to DVD in the summer of 2007.[citation needed] It marked the very first time that an uncut release of the film was presented to the retail market, and in its original wide-screen letterbox format.[citation needed] This DVD version underwent an extensive re-mastering process to restore the original 35mm film-print quality. Previous VHS issues of the film, notably the 1990 Warner Home Video release, were of an inferior standard, mainly due to poor picture quality and minor edits throughout the film.[citation needed] An oddity concerning Charro! is the film's classification. Despite containing violence and partial nudity (the latter a scene in which Ina Balin's character is shown exiting a bath tub), it was released with an MPAA G rating, even though other Presley films from the 1968-69 period carry PG ratings. These latter releases are somewhat less 'adult' than Charro!.

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Charro! is a 1969 American directed, written, and produced by , starring Elvis as Jess , a reformed framed by his former for the of a jeweled from . The story follows Wade as he seeks to clear his name while evading capture by authorities and confronting his old associates, led by Vince Hackett (Victor ), who brand him to deepen the implication. Shot on at Apacheland Movie Ranch and in , the film marks Presley's only leading role without on-screen musical performances, featuring only the title song "Charro!", performed by Presley over the , with score by . Co-starring Ina as the saloon owner Tracey Winters, Charro! was executive produced by Harry Caplan for , emphasizing a gritty, Western-inspired tone amid Presley's late-1960s cinematic output. Released on , 1969, it represents a departure from Presley's typical musical vehicles, focusing instead on dramatic tension and gunplay in a tale of redemption and .

Production

Development

The script for Charro! was written and directed by , based on his original story, with contributions from Frederick Louis Fox. Initial working titles for the project included Jack Valentine, Johnny Hung, and Come Hell or Come Sundown. The lead role of was originally offered to , capitalizing on his success in westerns, but he declined due to concerns over the script's dramatic depth and star appeal. The character's name was originally "Jesus " but changed to "" at Presley's request. The script was significantly revised after Eastwood's decline to suit Presley's dramatic portrayal. was subsequently cast in the role, signing a one-picture deal with in November 1967 that included a salary of $850,000 plus 50% of the profits. began in early 1968 under the studio's auspices, marking Presley's first and only with the company. To distinguish the film from Presley's standard musical vehicles, creative decisions emphasized a dramatic tone, with Presley appearing without any on-screen singing—limited to the off-screen title theme—and sporting a full for his character. The production budget was established at $1.5 million, with Presley's compensation accounting for a significant portion.

Filming

Principal photography for Charro! began on July 22, 1968, at the in , and wrapped on August 30, 1968, after a five-week schedule. The production utilized multiple Arizona sites to capture the Western setting, including in Tucson for interior and staged scenes, Apache Junction for expansive outdoor sequences, and additional locations such as the , Winkelman, , and . Filming took place amid Arizona's sweltering summer conditions, with temperatures often exceeding 100°F (38°C), which strained the cast and crew during prolonged outdoor shoots in the desert environment. These logistical demands required careful scheduling to mitigate heat-related fatigue, yet the remote locations contributed to the film's authentic rugged aesthetic. The movie was lensed in color on 35mm negative film using the Panavision anamorphic process, achieving a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, under the direction of Charles Marquis Warren. No major reshoots were necessary, allowing the production to stay on timeline despite the environmental hurdles. Elvis Presley showed strong dedication to the role of Jess Wade, fully committing to the non-musical dramatic format by forgoing on-screen performances and adopting a deliberate bearded look to embody the character's outlaw persona. On set, Presley maintained a professional focus, arriving promptly and engaging deeply with the action-oriented scenes, even as the heat intensified the physical demands of horseback riding and stunt work.

Plot

Jess Wade (Elvis Presley), a former member of the outlaw Hackett Gang, has left the life of crime behind after falling in love with Tracy Winters (), the former girlfriend of gang leader Vince Hackett (). Seeking a fresh start, Jess rides into a where Tracy now owns a saloon and where he has a friend in the local (). However, unknown to Jess, Vince and his gang, including Vince's unstable brother Billy Roy (Solomon Sturges), have stolen a priceless jeweled commemorating a victory and framed Jess for the crime by branding his neck with the gang's mark during the heist, making it appear he was wounded in the process. Wanted posters circulate accusing Jess of the theft, forcing him to evade capture by authorities while trying to clear his name. In town, tensions rise when Billy Roy, seeking amusement, starts a brawl in Tracy's saloon and accidentally shoots the . Jess intervenes, subdues Billy Roy, and hauls him to jail. The wounded deputizes Jess to maintain order. Vince, furious at his brother's capture, positions the stolen overlooking the town and demands Billy Roy's release, threatening to bombard the settlement if his orders are not met. Jess confronts the gang, leading to a climactic showdown. He kills Billy Roy in , which devastates Vince and leads to the gang leader's downfall. defeats Vince, ensuring the cannon is returned to . With his name cleared, bids farewell to Tracy, promising to return for her once he escorts Vince across the border for justice.

Cast and Characters

The following table lists the principal cast and their characters in Charro!:
ActorCharacter
Jess Wade
Tracey Winters
Vince Hackett
Mrs. Sara Ramsey
Solomon SturgesBilly Roy Hackett
Lynn KelloggMarie
Moose Pettinger
Gunner
Martin Tilford
John PickardSgt. Dubois

Music and Soundtrack

Score Composition

The instrumental score for Charro! was composed by Hugo Montenegro, an American orchestra leader and film composer best known for his 1968 adaptation of Ennio Morricone's main theme from the Spaghetti Western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, which became a chart-topping hit. Montenegro's work on Charro! marked his contribution to an Elvis Presley vehicle, providing the primary musical backdrop for the film's Western narrative. Montenegro conducted the recording sessions. Drawing inspiration from Spaghetti Western traditions, the composition features dramatic orchestral swells, twanging guitar riffs, and recurring tension-building motifs that underscore key action sequences, such as pursuits and confrontations, enhancing the film's gritty atmosphere without overpowering the dialogue. The score's instrumental focus fills narrative gaps and builds suspense throughout, effectively compensating for the film's limited use of Presley vocals by maintaining rhythmic momentum and thematic cohesion. It integrates briefly with the single featured song over the opening credits, transitioning smoothly into the underscoring, and has not been commercially released as a standalone album. The featured vocal tracks for Charro! were minimal, aligning with the film's serious Western tone by avoiding on-screen musical numbers and integrating subtly into the narrative structure. The primary song, the title track "Charro", was written by and and performed by solely over the , without appearing in the film proper. Recorded during sessions on October 15, 1968, at in Hollywood—with vocal overdubs added on November 25–27—the track's evoke a brooding persona, fitting the protagonist's reformed gunslinger through its sparse arrangement and Presley's gravelly delivery, emphasizing dramatic tension over entertainment. Another track recorded for the film, "Let’s Forget About the Stars", was penned by A.L. Owens but ultimately cut from the final edit, leaving no vocal performances within the storyline itself. This , also captured at on October 15, 1968, with similar overdub sessions in November, featured romantic lyrics advising against letting fate dictate love, which producers deemed unsuitable for the film's gritty plot despite its Western-inflected melancholy. It was later released on Presley's 1970 Let’s Be Friends. The film's vocal elements were tied to commercial releases, with "Charro" serving as the B-side to the single "Memories" (from Presley's 1968 TV special), issued by RCA Victor on February 25, 1969. This pairing highlighted the songs' thematic contrast—introspective balladry against Western grit—while the sparse complemented Hugo Montenegro's orchestral score by providing lyrical anchors without disrupting the dramatic flow.

Release

Theatrical Premiere

Charro! was released theatrically in the United States on March 13, 1969, distributed by , which adopted a strategy initially targeting Western audiences via a saturation booking in approximately 300 theaters across Southwestern states before expanding nationally later that year. The marketing campaign centered on Elvis Presley's portrayal of a dramatic, non-singing , prominently featuring his rare on-screen beard to underscore the film's gritty tone, while posters and trailers prioritized action sequences like gunfights and chases over musical elements. The film premiered in Hollywood and select U.S. theaters, earning an MPAA rating of G despite depictions of violence including shootings, hangings, and whippings, as well as implied in a whipping scene. Internationally, Charro! saw limited distribution beginning in 1969, with releases in in July, on August 15, on September 27, and on October 23, extending into 1970 in additional markets.

Box Office Performance

Charro! was produced on a budget of $1.5 million. The film earned $1.5 million in U.S. and rentals, representing a modest profit given Elvis Presley's $850,000 and 50% share of the profits, but it underperformed relative to his earlier musicals, which often exceeded $5 million in rentals. Several factors contributed to its commercial disappointment, including the absence of musical numbers beyond the title song, which diminished its appeal to Presley's core fanbase accustomed to his singing roles. Additionally, the 1969 release landscape was dominated by popular spaghetti Westerns and American revisionist Westerns like The Wild Bunch and True Grit, intensifying competition in the genre. International performance was limited, with estimates placing the worldwide gross at approximately $3.3 million, reflecting restrained distribution outside . Over time, the film achieved greater profitability through television reruns, and DVD re-releases, and merchandising as part of Presley's enduring catalog.

Reception

Critical Reviews

Upon its release in , Charro! received mixed to negative reviews from contemporary critics, who frequently criticized the film's direction and pacing under . The New York Times described the Western as lacking strong personality, with Presley delivering a subdued performance that treated the role as a "minor embarrassment." Similarly, Variety faulted Warren's handling of the material, noting poor pacing and an unconvincing plot, while observing that Presley "strolls through the picture with all the animation of a ." Despite these shortcomings, critics and later analysts have praised Elvis Presley's dramatic performance as one of his stronger efforts, particularly given the absence of musical numbers that had defined his earlier films. In Charro!, Presley portrayed the reformed outlaw Jess Wade with a menacing intensity, showcasing acting chops unburdened by song-and-dance routines, which some viewed as a rare opportunity for him to demonstrate serious dramatic range. Retrospective assessments from the 1970s onward have reframed Charro! as an underrated entry in the Western genre, appreciating its gritty tone and Presley's committed portrayal amid the film's flaws. Warren's direction, informed by his extensive television background including creating Gunsmoke, was seen as competent if unremarkable, contributing to the film's straightforward execution of Western tropes like redemption and frontier justice. The film holds an aggregate score of 5.6/10 on IMDb based on user ratings as of November 2025, reflecting its modest critical standing, and a 0% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes based on one review.

Audience and Fan Response

Upon its release in 1969, Charro! elicited mixed reactions from Elvis Presley's fanbase, with many expressing disappointment over the absence of on-screen singing, a departure from the musical formula that defined his earlier films. Loyal fans, accustomed to Presley's performances blending acting with song, found the straight Western narrative jarring, as the only vocal contribution was the title track over the opening credits. This shift was heavily promoted in advertisements as a serious dramatic effort, but it failed to resonate with the core audience expecting the typical Presley entertainment blend. Despite the initial backlash, some fans praised Presley's portrayal of the rugged, reformed Jess Wade as a mature career highlight, appreciating the opportunity for him to showcase dramatic depth without musical interruptions. Die-hard supporters viewed the bearded, non-singing role as a bold attempt to elevate his profile, aligning with Presley's own expressed desire for more challenging parts. This positive sentiment was particularly noted among those who valued the film's influences and Presley's convincing presence. Attendance patterns reflected the polarized response, with a strong initial turnout driven by Presley loyalists eager for a "serious" film, but a rapid drop-off as word-of-mouth highlighted the lack of songs and uneven pacing. In modern fan views, Charro! has gained greater appreciation, often cited in Elvis film rankings as a standout non-musical work that demonstrated his potential for dramatic roles. Discussions in dedicated Elvis communities highlight its place among his more ambitious projects, such as Flaming Star, with fans reevaluating it as an underrated gem in his filmography. This reevaluation positions it favorably in retrospective polls.

Legacy and Home Media

Cultural Impact

Charro! marked a pivotal shift in Elvis Presley's , representing his only feature where he did not perform any songs beyond the , allowing him to focus exclusively on dramatic . Released in 1969, the film came after a decade of post-Army musical comedies that had led to creative stagnation, with Presley often typecast in formulaic roles that prioritized quick production over artistic depth. This departure highlighted Presley's untapped potential as a serious , as seen in his portrayal of the reformed Jess Wade, a character demanding emotional nuance and physical intensity without musical interludes. This focus on drama was echoed in his final film, (1969), where he played a compassionate doctor addressing urban social issues, further showcasing his ability to handle complex, socially conscious characters. Critics and biographers have noted that Charro! demonstrated Presley's capacity for gritty, character-driven work, echoing earlier dramatic efforts like (1958) but arriving at a time when his career was pivoting away from Hollywood. However, managerial decisions by and the industry's reluctance to cast Presley beyond musicals limited further exploration of this potential, contributing to his exit from films after 1969. In the broader context of 1960s cinema, Charro! arrived during the decline of traditional American Westerns, as audiences gravitated toward the more violent, morally ambiguous spaghetti Westerns popularized by directors like . Films such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) redefined the genre with cynical antiheroes and stylized action, overshadowing the heroic narratives of classic Hollywood Westerns starring . Released in 1969, Charro! blended elements of this evolving style—featuring a bearded, rugged and themes of and redemption—but retained a more conventional structure, reflecting the transitional struggles of U.S. Westerns amid the Italian influx. The film's legacy endures in discussions of Presley's dramatic capabilities, with retrospectives praising it as evidence of what might have been a more substantive career had he pursued non-musical roles. While not a commercial blockbuster, Charro! has prompted analyses of how Presley's post-Army trajectory stagnated due to repetitive vehicles, potentially denying him opportunities akin to those of peers like , who transitioned successfully to dramatic leads. The title track, "Charro!", recorded in , has appeared in various Presley compilations, maintaining a niche presence in his discography.

Home Video Releases

The first home video release of Charro! came in the form of a DVD edition from on August 7, 2007, marking the film's debut in the format after decades of limited availability. This version was remastered and restored from original 35mm elements, presented in for the first time in home media, with a runtime of 98 minutes and support for English, French, and Spanish subtitles. The disc retained the film's original PG rating with no significant edits or censorship applied, preserving the uncut theatrical content. Special features on the 2007 DVD were minimal, consisting primarily of the original theatrical trailer, which highlighted Elvis Presley's dramatic role as a reformed gunslinger. No additional interviews, deleted scenes, or isolated score tracks were included, though the enhanced audio remastering improved the Hugo Montenegro-composed orchestral soundtrack's clarity. In 2017, Charro! became available in high-definition digital formats through platforms like , offering an HD stream without a corresponding physical Blu-ray disc. As of November 2025, the film remains accessible for streaming on services such as , further expanding its post-theatrical reach to modern audiences. This digital availability has contributed to renewed interest among fans, allowing easier access to the film's unique non-musical Western narrative.

References

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