Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.0
Audio		1.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		2.5

Cabo Blanco Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 26, 2016

When one considers the possibilities of a “Casablanca” knockoff, especially one from 1980, a list of potential actors comes to mind for the Humphrey Bogart role. Men like Paul Newman and Robert Redford, maybe even Harrison Ford, who was fresh to fortune and glory at the time. But “Cabo Blanco” (the full title is apparently “Cabo Blanco…Where Legends are Born”) doesn’t go that route, electing to hire Charles Bronson for the role of a roguish charmer trying to manage the pains of love with the dangers of his community. It’s an oddball casting choice, but “Cabo Blanco” doesn’t meet many expectations, preferring to mix a “Casablanca” homage with a treasure hunt adventure, surrounding the star with an eclectic mix of prime talent and those relatively new to the English language. Expectedly, the movie fails to inspire anything approaching romance or excitement, but director J. Lee Thompson doesn’t tank the effort on purpose, earnestly trying to craft a thrilling tale of mystery in an exotic locale, trusting the natural beauty of the land will be enough to cover for the feature’s substantial deficiencies.

On the coast of Peru, the small village of Cabo Blanco sits in relative peace, with law and order controlled by Gunther (Jason Robards), an ex-Nazi who influences police captain Terredo (Fernando Rey). Bringing visitors to the area is the promise of sun and sand, while rumors of a sunken Nazi ship, the Brittany, remain strong, keeping the likes of Lewis (Simon MacCorkindale), a visiting treasure hunter, busy secretly trying to dig up riches. New to town is Marie (Dominique Sanda), who’s looking for her missing lover, meeting with local bar owner Giff (Charles Bronson) for help. Giff looks to charm Marie, but he’s immediately caught up in her crisis, feeling the full effect of local corruption when murder investigations are quickly dismissed and Lewis is marked for death. Trying to be useful and keep close to Marie, Giff is forced to confront Gunther, while working to figure out what exactly is locked inside the Brittany.

To be fair to “Cabo Blanco,” it’s not a complete rip-off of “Casablanca.” Thompson merely lifts atmosphere and threat from the original film, working to generate his own screen electricity between Bronson and Sanda, who share chemistry one could tastefully describe as “non-existent.” There’s no forbidden love story to manage, with Marie more of a participant in sunken treasure shenanigans, using manipulation to keep interested men in line, challenging Gunther for ownership of the Brittany -- a ship nobody has the coordinates for. Marie enters town for a specific reason, but she’s open to Giff’s help, with the local fixture trying his best to protect her from a poor area that exploits women. “Cabo Blanco” plays up the fires within, but there’s no electricity or even urgency, finding Bronson pleasant but undemanding in the role, while Sanda struggles with English, unable to communicate intimate thoughts. They aren’t Bergman and Bogart, but Thompson doesn’t care, turning the feature into a tribute to a classic (he even teases B&W cinematography at times), but one that doesn’t share depth of feeling or intrigue.

“Cabo Blanco” isn’t big on excitement, but it does have attitude, surveying Giff’s gruff ways with the establishment, sharing his knowledge of corruption to keep Marie alive. The rest of the film pays attention to growing trouble around the Brittany, with a major salvage operation interrupted by an explosion that kills one man, while a local pearl diver is murdered after swimming too close to a sensitive area, piling up the bodies as Terredo denies connections and rushes investigations. Thompson doesn’t squeeze the material tight enough (boy howdy, is this man ever a fan of camera push-ins), missing opportunities for suspense, especially with an actor like Robards around, who carries himself stiffly, trying to get through scenes quickly. Rey has his moments as a lecherous lawman, but the picture is really up to Bronson to carry, and the pro gives a modest performance, mostly interested in preserving Giff’s beach authority, not an escalating sense of paranoia once everyone he knows betrays him to a certain degree. It’s an adequate turn, but Bronson is clearly miscast in the role.

Cabo Blanco Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.37:1 aspect ratio) presentation is labeled as "Newly restored in HD!" Evidence of this work isn't apparent during the viewing experience, suggesting that materials gathered were probably in rough shape to begin with. "Cabo Blanco" doesn't look disastrous, but its lush locations and meaty casting doesn't jump off the screen as expected, looking a little fatigued as colors are more serviceable than remarkable, while skintones seem a little bloodless at times. Detail is also adequate, picking up on sweaty close-ups and costuming, but never emerging with any sort of eye-catching crispness, even with some severe cinematographic limitations. Delineation is acceptable. Source showcases wear and tear, with some vertical scratches and speckling. Banding is encountered a few times.

Cabo Blanco Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Worrisome is the 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix, which opens with narration from MacCorkindale's character, and he sounds like a wax cylinder recording. Hiss is a nuisance throughout, often smothering dialogue exchanges, making hushed conversations nearly impossible to understand. Performances are already challenged by accent issues, making the addition of pronounced fuzziness frustrating. Scoring fares a little better, achieving a level of freshness that contrasts severely with the rest of the track, but instrumentation survives with lowered expectations. Atmospherics are muddled and unhelpful, keeping outdoor activity and barroom bustle noisy, not deep.

Cabo Blanco Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features Paul Talbot, author of "Bronson's Loose" and "Bronson's Loose Again."

• "The Making of 'Cabo Blanco'" (26:49, HD) is an official promotional featurette created for the picture's original theatrical release. It's a surprisingly satisfying overview of production achievements and mood, interviewing J. Lee Thompson, who's a real character, admitting that we tries to put off the first shot of any movie he works on for as long as possible. He also talks of script changes (there was supposed to be a giant squid in the story at one point) and shooting in Mexico. The actors join the discussion, highlighting character choices and creative interests. There's a degree of candor offer here that's enjoyable, and BTS footage (including Bronson flubbing lines) is a treat.

• Interview (14:17) with producer Lance Hool is a 2016 conversation about the oddity of "Cabo Blanco," which was basically created at Cannes, marching forward without a script. A business education for Hool, he highlights interactions with potential stars such as Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, eventually settling on Bronson, who had specific demands to be met before agreeing to the role. Also interesting is a recollection of Thompson's directorial apathy, trying to keep Bronson happy and calm his own nerves during the management of what turned out to be an expensive independent production. It's a brief but fascinating chat.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:48, SD) is included.

Cabo Blanco Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Goofy mistakes are made in "Cabo Blanco," including visible camera shadows and the use of a 1958 Nat King Cole song to serve as the movie's romantic theme (the story is set in 1948). There's also an absurdly happy ending forced on the film that erases any doubt of struggle, with the production eager to send audiences away on a high note at any cost. "Cabo Blanco" feels unfinished in many ways, or at least rushed, barely tending to story and character in a meaningful way, focusing attention on a classic Hollywood atmosphere of sun-drenched locations and broad evildoing. The feature doesn't work, but with this cast and director, I'm not sure it ever stood a chance.