Bandidas

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Bandidas
Wanted...alive or dead
Directed by	Joachim Rønning Espen Sandberg
Produced by	Luc Besson
Written by	Luc Besson Robert Mark Kamen
Starring	Penelope Cruz Salma Hayek Steve Zahn Sam Shepard Dwight Yoakam Ismael 'East' Carlo
Music by	Eric Serra
Cinematography	Thierry Arbogast
Editing by	Frédéric Thoraval
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	February 3, 2006 (USA)
Running time	93 min.
Country	France / Mexico / USA
Language	English Spanish
Budget	$35,000,000
Official website
All Movie Guide profile
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Bandidas, a 2006 movie starring Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek, tells the tale of two very different women in turn-of-the-century Mexico who become a bank robbing duo in an effort to combat a ruthless enforcer terrorising their town. This is the first movie that Cruz and Hayek (who are reportedly close friends) have starred in together.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Bandidas, an Action Comedy, tells the tale of María Álvarez (Cruz) and Sara Sandoval (Hayek). María is a poor farm-girl whose father is being forced off his land by a cruel US land baron, Tyler Jackson. Sara is the wealthy daughter of the owner of the nearby properties, and has recently returned from Europe where she attended school. In one fell swoop, both Maria's and Sara's fathers fall under attack by the baron, (Sara's father is killed, Maria's is shot but survives) giving him free reign in the nearby territories. As an act of revenge, Maria and Sara become bank robbers, stealing and giving back to the poor Mexicans who had lost their lands. At first the two are catty and quick to fight over the smallest matters, but under the tutelage of famed bank robber Bill Buck (Sam Shepard) they learn to trust each other. Angered by the recent attacks by the newly infamous 'Bandidas' Jackson brings in a specialist, criminal investigator, Quentin Cooke (Steve Zahn). It doesn't take long for Sara and Maria to hear of this, and they quickly capture Cooke and convince him to help them. Now there are three robbers, each playing their part in bigger, more ambitious heists. As time goes on, each of the girls compete for Quentin's affections, but he rebukes them since he's engaged. In a move to make the money they've stolen useless, Jackson moves the gold that backs the money on a train up towards U.S. territories. Midway, he decides to steal the gold, betraying the Mexican government. The Bandidas manage to hunt him down, but when they get their chance to kill him, they can't feeling it would make them no better than him. Jackson manages to draw his gun and almost gets a shot off at Maria but Sara shoots first, finishing the villain off. In the end Quentin ends up with his fiance and Maria and Sara ride off into the sunset, their eyes set on Europe where the banks are, according to Sara, "bigger".

Spoliers end here

[edit] Cast

Actor	Role
Penélope Cruz	Maria Alvarez
Salma Hayek	Sara Sandoval
Steve Zahn	Quentin Cooke
Sam Shepard	Bill Buck
Dwight Yoakam	Tyler Jackson
Audra Blaser	Clarissa
Denis Arndt	Ashe
Ismael 'East' Carlo	Don Diego