The War Wagon

The War Wagon (1967) starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Howard Keel, Robert Walker Jr., Keenan Wynn. Taw Jackson (Wayne), who was robbed of his gold claim and framed and sent to prison, aims to make up for lost ground in this Western. He recruits best frenemy Lomax (Douglas) to help him rob an armored wagon carrying $500,000 worth of gold, and the action is on. More of a caper film than a traditional Western, the movie features all of the usual suspects, including an Indian who has adopted white man's ways (Keel) and a young buck who's good with explosives (Walker), and chooses to use nitroglycerin to blow a bridge. It's a pleasure to see superstars Wayne and Douglas share the screen together, and they play off each other well. The movie uses humor well, and there are many funny scenes to break up the Western action. (English subtitles are included on the DVD, but not closed captions.) Grade: B 

Topkapi

Topkapi (1964) starring Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell, Peter Ustinov. A ragtag band of would-be thieves plot to steal the Topkapi emerald, which is set in a dagger in a museum in Turkey. Their criminal plan is meticulously planned and executed, but of course there is a catch. Ustinov won a Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Arthur Simpson, a "schmo" who is recruited into the plan at the last minute. The whole movie is kept light and funny, and the actual caper is very entertaining. (No subtitles, but closed captions are available.) Grade: B+