Mrs. Lowe (Ann Margret) is the widow who enlists the help of Lane (John Wayne) in finding a gold shipment that had been stolen five years ago? In that time ten men rode away with half a million in gold? The fellow that was running the show figured they better hide it until things cooled off? So he took the Fargo box and rode south into Mexico? He had the misfortune of getting shot? But before he died, he told his wife?the mother of his little boy? where the gold was? But his widow decided to get the gold, return it to the train company for a $50,000 reward, and clear her husband's name? The reason: she doesn't want her kid growing up thinking his old man ran around robbing trains? In mid way, and as 'gold has a way of bringing out the larceny in all of us,' Wayne, with his old-times pals and two young helpers, find themselves followed by mysterious riders who also want the buried loot? "The Train Robbers" features plenty of gorgeous vistas, from rocky scrub to a sea of rippling sand dunes? Also Wayne delivers one of his most memorable lines addressing Margret, 'I've got a saddle that's older than you are, Mrs. Lowe.'

I find The Train Robbers to be a surprisingly under-appreciated western. The more times I see it, the more I appreciate it myself. Sure, the feel and the look may be old-fashioned for its time but I don't care. Kennedy, Wayne and the rest of the group have obviously settled to make a fine basic western romp, not a new-styled masterpiece, and have reached the goal with very satisfying results. There can be seen a few little touches of Leone's 'Once Upon a Time in the West' (the first scene of Ben Johnson waiting at the train station), Siegel's 'Two Mules for Sister Sara' (a sister Sara-type treatment of the female character) or Hill's 'Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid' (the pursuing gang of riders). It also brings to mind Peckinpah's 'Ride the High Country'. But after these slight touches it's always back to the good old' Wayne stuff and I have nothing to complain about that. With the music underlining heavily the handsome photography makes some highly iconic and beautiful pictures. There are frames that look a lot like classic western paintings. The nature and the people are seen beautifully during the long ride through deserts, rivers and storms. Sometimes it almost feels like watching 'Easy Rider' of the Wayne generation on horses. "Let's go to Mexico." The action works fine like it always does when these old times film pros have been on the job. The men might be saddle-weary, but still gutsy enough and well worn like good saddle leather. You can tell the experience and good times as well from their voices. There is also a lot of warmth shining out of them, specially from Wayne's side. Ann-Margret has no real competition being the only woman in the picture. Besides "sticking out from the right places" she holds up pretty well especially with Wayne, who easily blew other actors aside with his strong presence on the screen. With appropriately ironic note to its end the whole raid for the lost gold serves as a very good early seventies western and a decent one in Wayne's canon.

I have never seen a John Wayne movie that I didn't enjoy, although some of the very early stuff was a little hammy. The Duke always gave his best in all his films. Who cares about little little blips here and there. The Good guy always wins, and usually gets the girl. This film excels because of the way it leads the viewer down a dirty dusty path, with a wonderful twist just where you don't expect it. As always - Excellent Scenery, even the animals have their own little cameos. There is plenty of drama, and enough suspense to keep up concentration levels There are the usual little two way quips, and enough dialogue to paint a clear enough background to the key characters. Ben Johnson is his usual dry character, Rod Taylor plays a likable delayed adolescent, Ann Margret fills her part amply! Good Fun - Plenty of Bangs - Well Cast - Memorable Quips. Nobody minds a bit of repetition if it works, and contributes to the storyline which it does well.