Here's the nifty theme music to Ralph Nelson's underappreciated Western, "Duel at Diablo," (1966), starring James Garner, Sidney Portier, Dennis Weaver, Bibi Anderson, and Bill Travers, a British actor known to American audiences for his work in "Born Free," but in this movie he delivers an exceptional performance as the commander of a cavalry unit.
An interesting piece of side trivia is that Neal Hefti, composer of "Diablo's theme, also penned the theme to TV's "Batman." I bet you didn't know that.
"Diablo" is as gritty as it gets and I've never met a viewer that came away disappointed with it. Director Nelson cut his teeth in the early days of American television and it shows in this production. The story moves at a quick pace and there's plenty of action. Nelson's movies frequently dealt with contemporary topics such as prejudice and bigotry and "Diablo" is no exception. The themes surface throughout the story, particularly between the characters portrayed by Portier, Garner and Weaver.
Prior to directing "Diablo," Nelson directed Portier in his Oscar-winning performance in "Lilies of the Field," (1963), for which Nelson was nominated for "Best Picture. Nelson later went on to direct Cliff Robertson in his Oscar-winning performance in "Charly" (1968). "Lilies" is a wonderful story and stands the test of time. I'm not sure the same can be said about "Charly," although Robertson's performance remains Oscar-worthy, in my opinion.
Listen to Hefti's theme music and you'll get an idea of both Nelson's style and pacing for the movie. "Diablo" is truly a rare movie, and sadly, it's largely unknown by most audiences today.
--Thanks for reading. Comments and questions are always welcome. Post them here or send an email to kbotterman@gmail.com.
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