Main Cast: Rory Calhoun, Shelley Winters, Gilbert Roland, Joseph Calleia
Release Year: 1955
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
Plot
Filmed on location, Treasure of Pancho Villa stars Rory Calhoun as a mercenary at large during Mexico's civil war. Though he'll sell his services to the highest bidder, Calhoun is eventually won over to Pancho Villa's cause by patriot Gilbert Roland and former aristocrat Shelley Winters. Before this happens, however, our hero (who doesn't behave like one) wheels and deals to get his hands on a cache of gold. Without giving away the ending, it can be noted that the film borrows liberally from Treasure of Sierra Madre. While the dialogue passages in Treasure of Pancho Villa can be tiresome, the film is saved by its literally explosive action highlights. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
During the Mexican Civil War of 1913, mercenary Tom Bryan (Rory Calhoun) joins a band of revolutionaries headed by patriot Juan Castro (Gilbert Roland). They rob a gold shipment from a government train, gold that Castro intends to deliver to revolutionary leader Pancho Villa. Pursued by the Mexican Army, they flee to the mountains along with Ruth Harris (Shelly Winters). But Bryan wants the gold for himself, and he guns down most of the Mexican army with his Lewis machine gun ("La Cucaracha") in order to keep it. Bryan reconciles with Castro’s ideals, but Castro is killed by the pursuing Mexicans and Bryan has to blow up the gold in order to prevent the Mexicans recovering it.
About five minutes into the film, Tom Bryan (Rory Calhoun) and some Mexicans rob a bank. Behind them, in the background, there is a 1950's advert for Coca Cola. The style the sign is in didn't exist until the late 1940s, and as the movie is set in the 1914-1915 time period, it is undoubtedly a glitch.
Notes
"La Cucaracha" was a nickname Federales originally gave to Pancho Villa. It became a marching song for him, with over 100 verses. The most famous one refers to his then-enemy, Venustiano Carranza.
