The Magnificent Seven…Minus Four

Sometimes I Surprise My Self!

 The Three Amigos (1986) – Three out of work silent movie stars agree to do an appearance in a small Mexican village. It turns out to be a different kind of appearance than they usually make.

Director – John Landis

Starring – Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Martin Short, Patrice Martinez, Jon Lovitz, Joe Mantegna

Why I Liked It – In the midst of a torrent of sight gags are some warm and amusing moments.

Here’s a movie that I was certain I would not like. Right off the bat, I’m not a Chevy Chase fan. I will not deny the quality of his work on SNL, and I have enjoyed him, at times. At the top of that (very short) list is Ty Webb in “Caddyshack”. I can not stand him in any of the National Lampoon movies. Most of the characters look alike to me, smarmy, oblivious clowns. Plus, he does the same schtick, over and over. His “can’t eat/drink properly” gag shows up here, too. I haven’t seen his entire body of work, so it is possible that there are classic performances that might turn me around. But based on what I’ve seen, it seems unlikely. Chase’s reputation as being a PITA to work with doesn’t help.

I have a similar but more muted reaction to Martin Short. There’s too much “Ed Grimsby” in a lot of his characters. That’s unfortunate, because Short has shown he can do other things. In this movie, it’s Short’s character who turns into the “action hero” for the final confrontations. He’s also done well with the over the top character he plays on “Only Murders in the Building” (also with Martin).

I didn’t like Steve Martin when he broke out as a comedy star back in the “Let’s Get Small” days. I know, I know, looking back now, I “get” the material much more than I did as a nineteen-year-old. Since then, he has impressed me with the breadth of his work.

So, the stars were-one guy I liked, one guy who was OK, and one who I didn’t care for. All in another example of what I’ve called “moron humor” before. That’s a comedy where we laugh at the main characters because they’re morons. It’s got a long history and is very popular with large portions of the audience. I have about a five-minute tolerance for it. So, no, I didn’t think much of my chances of liking this movie.

It may surprise you as much as it surprised me – I enjoyed it. It’s not a great movie, but the performances by everyone (yes, including Chevy) were…fun. Steve Martin was the closest to his “usual” character, featuring a veneer of bravado over a core of foolishness and insecurity. Martin Short had one small Grimsby moment (watch for Ed’s distinctive dance style during the celebration scene), but his Ned Nederlander character probably had the firmest grip on who he was. It’s Ned who leads the Amigos into battle. Meanwhile Chevy Chase offered a low-key performance as the innocent, shallow Dusty Bottoms. The “I don’t know how to drink properly” gag shows up here, too. Ugh. I’m not sure who that appeals to beyond eight-year-old boys.

This movie is a bare bones plot that serves to connect an endless string of silliness and sight gags. Imagine “The Magnificent Seven” as done by the Three Stooges. Yet, it works. There is enough likable about the three main characters. The scenes in the Mexican village have a heart that I didn’t expect, and John Landis does a solid job directing all the madness along the way. There was plenty of eye-rolling by yours truly. And the second part of the movie, in Mexico, was better than the Hollywood sections. As wonderful as Joe Mantegna and Jon Lovitz are as the comic Hollywood big-wigs, there’s no straight-man in those scenes. Great comedy requires a straight-man. The scenes at the start just didn’t cut it for me.

But…

I watched it to the end. Overall, I enjoyed myself. The Three Amigos became characters I cared about.

What an utterly pleasant surprise.

You can stream “The Three Amigos” on Pluto, Tubi, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Vudu

Rating – *** Worth A Look