6 Underrated Crime Film Classics

3. Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

Dir. Sam Peckingpah Cast: Warren Oates, Isela Vega, Robert Webber, Gig Young and Kris Kristofferson Alfredo Garcia makes the mistake of knocking up the daughter of El Jefe (Emilio Fernandez), a Mexican crime lord. El Jefe, being the loving father he is, puts a bounty on Alfredo Garcia- the condition that whomever kills him has to bring proof (you€™ve guessed it!) by bringing him the head. Then, we met the central character- a down-and-out piano-player, Bennie, played by character actor Warren Oates in a rare lead role. Bennie finds out via his prostitute girlfriend (Isela Vega) that Alfredo Garcia is already dead and buried. Seeing a chance to make some money, they set out to dig up Garcia€™s grave and cut off the head. It€™s difficult to describe the plot of this film without giving too much away. The film often takes some strange turns, and to say too much would spoil the viewing experience. And Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia is an experience. Never have I seen a film quite like this one. It€™s so completely soaked in tequila, blood and melancholy. Bennie is an odd choice for a main character. He€™s a complete loser. He€™s a piano-player who isn€™t very good at the piano. He has a girlfriend, but she€™s also a prostitute. He€™s drunk most of the time, too. Then he finally gets a chance to make a little money and, well, just about everything goes wrong. And it€™s through losing that he comes to identify with Alfredo Garcia as a fellow loser, always screwed over by everybody else. The most unforgettable images of the film are Bennie driving and talking to Garcia€™s head in a bag on the seat next to him. The main character spends a lot of the film wearing big sunglasses. It€™s something that could easily come off as pretentious, but it really works for his character. And it really says something about the acting ability of Warren Oates that he€™s able to pull off this incredible performance despite hiding his eyes. The film will not be to everybody€™s taste, but, wow, it packs a punch. It€™s grim and downbeat, but draws us into Bennie€™s drunk and violent odyssey through Mexico. Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia is a flawed, bizarre masterpiece.