"Alvarez Kelly," released in 1966, is a Civil War Western centered on an event inspired by the Beefsteak Raid. It shares elements with "The Horse Soldiers," another film featuring William Holden, and "Major Dundee." While it doesn’t quite measure up to either of those films—"Horse Soldiers" stands out as the stronger one—it's still potentially enjoyable for viewers interested in the genre, though you shouldn't anticipate a standard Western or Civil War story. Some critics have noted that the film has too much dialogue and not enough action, and I can see where they’re coming from. However, I found the locations appealing and appreciated the realistic depiction of the Confederate soldiers, along with the wartime maneuvering and an exciting stampede sequence toward the end. My biggest issue is how readily the cattleman manages to get into Richmond; it seemed a little too simple. Still, that can be forgiven considering this wasn’t a typical military siege where a city is completely isolated and all routes of supply are blocked—entry from the west was still possible. The film also has some attractive female characters played by Janice Rule, Victoria Shaw, and Stephanie Hill, among others. Apparently, the two leads developed a close friendship during filming; Widmark commented that four months working together felt like ten to fifteen years of camaraderie. Interestingly, Steve McQueen was shooting "Nevada Smith" nearby at the time, and he and Holden ended up spending an entire evening drinking together after they encountered each other. The movie’s running time is approximately one hour and fifty-five minutes, and it was filmed in Louisiana, near Baton Rouge, with the initial scenes shot in the Southwest. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB