Three Amigos (1986)

My Review

“Three Amigos” is a Western comedy movie about three silent film stars who are mistaken for real heroes by residents of a small Mexican town suffering under the oppression of a group of bandits. In this spoof of “The Magnificent Seven” (1960), there are genuine comedic moments and good laugh lines, but segments of the film slow down to a crawl due to uneven direction by John Landis (“Twilight Zone: The Movie” 1983) and inconsistent writing in the screenplay by Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, and Randy Newman. The finger prints of Michaels are all over this project, i. e., the film could be called a lengthy “Saturday Night Live” skit.

The cast is headed by Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short, who at least deserve credit for bringing characters named Lucky Day, Dusty Bottoms, and Ned Nederlander, respectively, to the big screen. Co-stars include Alfonso Arau, Tony Plana, Patrice Martinez, Joe Mantegna, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, Tino Insana, Kai Wulff, Fred Asparagus, Norbert Weisser, Brian Thompson, Rebecca Underwood, and Randy Newman, earning his paycheck as the voice of the singing bush.

In a tribute to “The Magnificent Seven,” the producers hired Elmer Bernstein to compose the musical score. “Three Amigos” was modestly successful at the box office for producer Lorne Michaels, HBO Pictures, and Orion Pictures. It was filmed in Arizona.