Vera Cruz
Two postwar American gunslingers escort an aristocrat through revolutionary Mexico while plotting to seize a fortune in hidden gold.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- propulsive
- cynical
- swaggering
- classic western night
- action movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a dynamic, stylish Mexico-set western elevated by the contrasting star presence of Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Benjamin Trane and Joe Erin work for opposing factions when profitable, and their escort mission is reshaped by the hidden gold.
The refined former officer Trane and the ruthless gunman Erin form an uneasy alliance while repeatedly testing each other's loyalty.
Three million dollars in gold concealed beneath the stagecoach seat transforms a paid escort into a contested theft.
The journey unfolds amid Maximilian's imperial regime, Juarez's revolutionary forces, and armed conflict across Mexico.
Films like Vera Cruz, and why
The Professionals
shares a revisionist western atmosphere, morally ambiguous mercenaries, and political conflict in a foreign setting
The Wild Bunch
combines an international adventure setting with cynical soldiers-for-hire, shifting loyalties, and treasure-driven intrigue
The Magnificent Seven
features charismatic gunslingers, betrayal, and antiheroic western action centered on money and survival
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
shares a Mexico-set western landscape, revolutionary upheaval, and uneasy alliances among dangerous outsiders
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Aldrich
- Release Date
- 1954-12-25
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (282)
Cast
- Gary Cooper
- Burt Lancaster
- Denise Darcel
- Cesar Romero
- Sara Montiel
- Ernest Borgnine
- Charles Bronson
- George Macready
- Jack Elam
- James McCallion
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Vera Cruz about?
- Two postwar American gunslingers escort an aristocrat through revolutionary Mexico while plotting to seize a fortune in hidden gold.
- What is Vera Cruz like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Vera Cruz as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Vera Cruz violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Vera Cruz as moderate.
- What did critics think of Vera Cruz?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a dynamic, stylish Mexico-set western elevated by the contrasting star presence of Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster.
- Which films are like Vera Cruz?
- Films with a similar feel include The Professionals, The Wild Bunch, The Magnificent Seven, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
- How long is Vera Cruz?
- Vera Cruz runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Vera Cruz?
- In United States, Vera Cruz streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
