The Reward Reviews

A reward offered for a man who was framed for a murder sets the action for a tale of greed in a desert in Mexico. The fugitive, Zimbalist, is spotted driving through Mexico by crop-duster pilot von Sydow, who has just flown his plane into a water tower. As compensation, von Sydow makes an arrangement with the local police chief to split the reward for Zimbalist. A posse sets out to trap the fugitive, who is accompanied by Mimieux. This proves to be no problem; but getting him back to collect the reward is another matter altogether. The police captain, Roland, hasn't told his men about the reward, but one of them, Fernandez, finds out and starts to make demands of his own. In the end, everyone but von Sydow and Mimieux wind up dead. The plot takes a long time to develop, with the cast showing little interest in the project (except for Fernandez, who is quite frightening as the crazed police sergeant). Von Sydow, on the other hand, barely impresses at all, slogging through his lines as if he were hardly conscious of them. The photography of Death Valley is used effectively, showing a keen visual sense on director Bourguignon's part in his first American production.