Review of They Came to Cordura (1959) by Cris B — 08 Jun 2008

One of Gary Cooper's final films, They Came to Cordura touches upon some meaningful points about courage and cowardice. Coop plays one of his definitive roles--a man with convictions, haunted by a past, and attempting to atone for past weakness.

Rita Hayworth is always stunning, and here, she plays a feisty and passionate, albeit injured, woman, a role that plays well against Cooper's. The semi-psychological Western, at times, unfolds like a reality show "test" to see how "true heroes" degrade themselves when they've nothing left of which to aspire.

Van Heflin, Dick York, and Tab Hunter, among a few others, play notable roles and hold their ground against the silent-but-strong Cooper and the plucky and intelligent Hayworth. The last twenty minutes or so especially reveals much about Janus-faced human nature we so often hope to forget.