The Proud and the Damned

The Proud and Damned
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ferde Grofé Jr.
Produced by	Michael Du Pont (associate producer) Ferde Grofé Jr. (producer) George Montgomery (co-producer) Stanford Tischler (associate producer)
Written by	Ferde Grofé Jr.
Starring	Chuck Connors
Music by	Gene Kauer Douglas M. Lackey
Cinematography	Remegio Young
Edited by	Philip Innes
Release date	1972 (1972)
Country	United States Colombia
Language	English

The Proud and Damned, also known as The Proud and the Damned, Proud and Damned, and Proud, Damned and Dead, is a 1972 American-Colombian co-production western film directed by Ferde Grofé Jr.. Some sources quote the title as "The Proud and the Damned", which is not the original name. The actual title, "The Proud and Damned", is clearly displayed in the title text of the original film version in the opening of the movie. Some images erroneously use the title "The Proud and the Damned".

In 1870, ex-Confederate mercenaries and American Civil War veterans Sgt. Will Hansen (Chuck Connors), Ike (Aron Kincaid), Hank (Henry Caps), Jeb (Smokey Robards), and Billy (Peter Ford) have just emigrated from their home state of Texas to Colombia in South America. After their arrival, they are ambushed by Colombian soldiers who force them to come meet General Martinez, the evil, cold-hearted dictator of their country. Martinez sends them to San Carlos, a town where rebel forces are preparing to start a civil war against Martinez's army. The Texans are instructed to live among the rebels, and report back to Martinez what they know within the next couple of days. Martinez warns them that they'll be severely punished if they fail him.

The next day, while on their way to San Carlos, Will's gang runs into a gypsy family who are on their way to the same town. Will escorts them after he and the gypsies' daughter, Mila, fall in love at first sight. They all ride into San Carlos, meet the governor, and rent a cabin outside of town. Will and Mila sneak out that night and make love. Mila's father is angry when he hears of this, and slices her cheek. When Will finds out about this, he shoots Mila's father.

Being from famously rebellious Texas, Will's gang finds itself in sympathy with the San Carlos rebels. Will and his gang disobey Martinez's orders and don't report back to him, so Martinez kidnaps Will and hangs him. Will's friends find his body, give him a funeral, and vow to avenge his murder. They join the rebels in a battle with Martinez's army and drive them back. They later ambush Martinez and the rest of his surviving soldiers in a canyon, joined by the rebel army's captain. They manage to kill Martinez, but all are gunned down by his soldiers except for Billy, who was unconscious after falling from his horse. The film ends with Billy riding off into the sunset.