And the Crows Will Dig Your Grave (1971) (orig. Los buitres cavarán tu fosa) - Director: Juan Bosch - 7/10.
Bosch’s oater proves surprisingly versatile and multifaceted in the way it topically forms a tripartite structure. Firstly, it deals with there being good and evil on both sides of the law, the noble law enforcer being represented by the former sheriff played by Craig Hill and the ignoble lawman being embodied here by Fernando Sancho’s part. On the other side of the equation, the story outlines two brothers, one of whom endeavors to desist from the path of crime, whereas the other remorselessly engages in pillaging and murder and openly vows to continue to do so irrespective of victims left in his wake. Plot’s inherent moral ambiguity results in that the storyline acquires certain noiresque characteristics along the line and evades clear-cut ethical boundaries in its depiction of the posse, generally running counter to traditionally established conventions.
Secondly, the good brother on the run from the law chances upon a woman with whom he develops affinity, the two eventually taking a shine to each other; the female nurses the outlaw back to health and when confronted with the prospect of running afoul of the law, she still takes his side and helps him escape regardless of possible corollaries, all of which unfolds on Craig Hill’s character’s watch. Thirdly, though former marshall’s involvement is initially explicated in purely pecuniary terms, it gradually sinks in that he takes interest in the fugitive for private reasons; the revenge subplot arguably consitutes the least original pillar of the aforementioned structure, yet when combined with the two aforesaid thematic strands, it neatly variegates and bolsters the narration ever so slightly; the movie ultimately differentiates itself by reason of all of its foremost characters being endowed with personal motivations, exhibiting genuine inclinations and in unison, forming a three-dimensional, immersive characterological mosaic. All of that is topped off with Bosch’s mature visual language, balanced storytelling, solid pacing and Bruno Nicolai’s atmospheric score. A cracking little film.