The Marshal of Madrid (1971): Glenn Ford, Richard Donner, and a Whole Lot of “What Is Even Happening?”
Wait, Madrid? Like Spain?
Not quite. The “Madrid” in question is a dusty New Mexico town, but let’s face it—“The Marshal of Madrid” makes it sound like Glenn Ford is chasing fugitives through Spanish cathedrals, which, honestly, would have been cooler. Instead, we get Ford as Sam Cade, the lawman who’s seen it all and probably wishes he hadn’t.
How Did This Even Happen?
The Marshal of Madrid is essentially a Frankenstein's monster of TV episodes stitched together to masquerade as a feature film. It cobbles together bits from Cade’s County, the short-lived TV series that dared to imagine Glenn Ford as a small-town sheriff dealing with big-time crime. Think Andy Griffith with more existential dread.
This wasn’t just a one-off experiment, either. They also slapped together other episodes under titles like Slay Ride and Sam Cade, shipping them off to European theaters and American TV like some sort of narrative ransom note. And in 1991, someone thought it was a good idea to release Marshal of Madrid on VHS—because clearly, the world was clamoring for it.
Glenn Ford: From Westerns to Superman’s Dad
If you’ve ever wondered why Glenn Ford, the go-to cowboy of the 1950s, was cast as Clark Kent’s mild-mannered dad in Superman (1978), look no further than this. Ford’s “I’m too old for this nonsense” energy is in full display here, foreshadowing his Superman performance where his biggest superpower was being emotionally supportive.
Richard Donner’s Warm-Up Act
Let’s not forget this was directed by the Richard Donner. Sure, this was a low-budget TV Western mashup, but you can see flashes of the style Donner would bring to blockbusters like Superman and The Goonies. Granted, there are no flying capes or booby-trapped pirate ships here—just a lot of Glenn Ford squinting.
Henry Mancini Saves the Day
The one truly unassailable part of The Marshal of Madrid? The music. Henry Mancini composed the show’s theme, which slaps harder than it has any right to. Imagine Mancini sitting at a piano, thinking, “This show might be forgettable, but my music won’t be.” And he was right. The expanded version of the theme even made it onto his album Big Screen, Little Screen.
MAS*H-ed Out
After its summer hiatus, Cade’s County was replaced by MASH*, a show that, you know, went on to become a TV legend. Meanwhile, The Marshal of Madrid faded into obscurity, only to resurface as a VHS curiosity decades later.
Should You Watch It?
If you’re a Glenn Ford completist, a Richard Donner fan, or someone who loves oddball TV-to-movie experiments, absolutely. If not, just listen to Mancini’s music and pretend Glenn Ford is fighting crime in Spain.
A Fun Idea: Thanksgiving Western Mystery Madness
We already have The Wizard of Oz and Carnival of Souls as annual traditions—why not throw The Marshal of Madrid into the mix? Imagine a world where families gather around the TV to watch Glenn Ford’s laconic sheriff antics every November. It’s the holiday chaos we didn’t know we needed.
Final Thoughts
The Marshal of Madrid might not be a masterpiece, but it’s a fascinating glimpse into TV’s awkward teenage years, when networks tried to pass off recycled footage as cinematic gold. And hey, anything with Glenn Ford and Richard Donner deserves at least a little attention, right?
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