The listing, The Train Robbers (2005) has ended.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated Late-Era Wayne Western, April 26, 2011
Amazon Review By J. Hill
I enjoyed The Train Robbers much more than I expected to after reading some of the negative reviews. One reason is a small detail that I haven't seen anyone mention in any of the reviews, and that's the nostalgic effect of the main characters' names. John Wayne plays Lane, while Ann Margaret plays Mrs. Lowe; coincidentally, the exact same character names as in Hondo. It was a blast from the past to hear Wayne saying "Mrs. Lowe" throughout the movie, and when you add in that she is a self-purported widow and that Wayne's character shares the surname of Hondo Lane, you end up with a not-so-subtle homage to one of the classics. I thought it was a nice touch.
The Train Robbers shouldn't be judged in the same way as The Searchers, The Cowboys, True Grit, or some of the other widely acknowledged classics because it's not the same type of movie. Those films have a more serious tone and tackle more weighty issues; The Train Robbers is meant to be a fun action movie, and I think it succeeds.
My last word on The Train Robbers is that I think a great majority of the acting was top-notch. Wayne plays the grizzled but good-natured leader perfectly, and Ben Johnson aces the dependable, loyal comrade much as he does in Chisum. I also thought Ann Margaret's performance was surprisingly strong. Overall, I can't really find anything to complain about, and I'm sure that if you like other Wayne westerns from the 70's, you'll like this one.