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| “ | Oy, Saint Patrick! | „ |
| ~ Emmet Keogh's most famous quote. |
Emmet Keogh is the main deuteragonist of the 1972 Western movie, The Wrath of God. He is an Irish political assassin and a former member of the Squad residing somewhere in South America due to a price on his head back in Ireland.
He was portrayed by the late Ken Hutchison.
Personality[]
Despite his reputation, Emmet Keogh is a kind, caring, gentle, loyal, selfless, charming, and generous man with a heart of gold. Given his love for Chela, he is very concerned and protective of her.
As an Irish patriot, Emmet is rather sensitive about anything done or spoken against Ireland as shown when trying to attack Jennings after learning from Colonel Santilla that the latter once served as an informer for the Black and Tans during the Irish Revolution under the alias of Jamieson.
Biography[]
Prior to the events of the movie, Emmet Keogh was once a member of the Squad performing political assassinations back in Ireland, which earned him a price on his head, thus, forcing him to flee and eventually settle somewhere in South America.
One day, after witnessing some prisoners executed by a firing squad during the Day of the Dead festivities, Emmet goes and buys a train ticket to "anywhere where there's peace" (in this case, North). Then, after joining in the festivities with some children on the streets on his way back to the hotel he's been staying at, Emmet comes across an American Catholic priest named Father Oliver Van Horne when he notices one of the latter's car tires breaking down while driving through town. Emmet offers Father Van Horne a match for his cigar and have a brief conversation until the priest is called upon by a man about to be condemned to death along with two other prisoners in a public execution by a firing squad asking for forgiveness and absolution. After witnessing Father Van Horne give the last rites to the executed prisoners, Emmet hurries back to the hotel where he meets up with his partner, British gunrunner named Jennings. Though offered a reasonable sum of money for driving a truckload of Scotch whiskey to Huila for Jennings due to having lost his last driver to a firing squad earlier in the morning, Emmet refuses to take the job as he has had enough of anything involving violence. Nevertheless, Emmet is reluctantly forced to comply and accept the job after he fails to stop a thief hired by Jennings to steal the former's passport and ticket while bathing, but for an offer of $500 instead.
On the way, Emmet once again comes across Father Van Horne on the road when he notices the latter having had a flat tire on his way and is having problems repairing it. After Emmet offers to help out, he is offered a drink by Father Van Horne then they introduce themselves before going their separate ways while promising to meet each other again at a nearby station on the way later on even after Emmet playfully shoots Father Van Horne's empty bottle thrown in the air.
Once at the rendezvous point, Emmet is held and taken in at gunpoint by soldiers led by Sergeant Luis Delgado serving under Colonel Francisco Santilla, the leader of the revolutionary forces. When Emmet discovers that Gómez whom he was supposed to meet has been hanged by the soldiers earlier, he tries to leave to catch a train, but is told by Delgado to wait instead. Then, when Emmet witnesses Delgado and his men trying to rape a slightly mute Aymara Indian woman named Chela, he intervenes in order to save, only to find himself knocked off-guard and then brought to be hanged while forced to watch the soldiers rape the woman. Luckily, help arrives for both Emmet and Chela including Tacho the innkeeper when Father Van Horne suddenly appears and surprisingly kills everyone minus one soldier who manages to escape with an automatic machine gun. After Chela and Tacho help Emmet down, a hint of romance begins to spark between Emmet and Chela. Warned by Tacho that the soldier who escaped will eventually bring more soldiers and have all roads blocked by fast telegraph due to Colonel Santilla being a very smart man, both Emmet and Father Van Horne escape in the latter's car as quickly as possible while bringing Chela along to guide them on her way back to her own people in the Wind River Country; much to the latter's slight reluctance despite being forced at gunpoint by Emmet earlier.
In the morning, thinking that they have outran and outwitted Colonel Santilla, Emmet and his friends savor their moment of triumph until they unintentionally run across and through a nearby military campsite, thus, provoking the soldiers led by Sergeant Cordona to chase after them and eventually capture them when their car comes to a halt on an unfinished bridge despite Emmet's best attempt to shoot at them with Father Van Horne's machine gun. Then, both Emmet and Father Van Horne are subjected to a cruel mistreatment when being slightly stripped then tied and pulled to the back of the car by the sergeant while Chela is forced to sit in the backseat and watch with horror on their way to prison. On the way, when the soldiers stop to rest their horses, Emmet is offered water provided by Chela whereas Father Van Horne is denied such by the sergeant. After a long drag walk, at night, Emmet and Father Van Horne are put into the same cell along with Jennings whom Emmet tries to attack as he learns from the sergeant that the truckload of whiskey he was forced to drive for him in the first place actually turned out to be a truckload of weapons consisting of rifles, pistols, and grenades to be sold to the counter-revolutionary forces before passing out due to excessive exhaustion.
The next morning, all three men are subjected to what later turns out to be a mock execution by a firing squad in a bullring before being introduced to Colonel Santilla himself in person. After Colonel Santilla describes each of them including Jennings's past concerning the Black and Tans, which sends Emmet in a temporary fit of rage against the latter due to his Irish patriotism, and reveals $53,000 stashed inside Father Van Horne's bag (presumably stolen bank money), both Emmet and the others are generously invited to join the former for breakfast.
When Father Van Horne questions the colonel out of suspicion of his true motives behind sparing their lives in the first place after ransacking the table without hesitation, it turns out that Emmet, Father Van Horne, and Jennings (referred to as Santilla's unholy trinity) have been selected in particular for an important mission: kill a man named Don Tomás de la Plata residing in the town of Mojada (the very same man whom Jennings was anonymously selling guns and ammunition to through agents in the first place). Through a forged letter in Jennings's name and sent to de la Plata by Colonel Santilla, both Jennings and Emmet are to pose as a mining company representative and engineer to help with the re-opening and financing of a silver mine de la Plata has recently shown interest in as he is in desperate need of money for wealth and power and also buying weapons as well whereas Father Van Horne is to help them out with the upcoming killings and at the same time, help the people of Mojada through spiritual counsel and guidance as they are in desperate need of a priest since de la Plata has had quite a reputation for desecrating the church and killing priests in the past (and anyone who so much as helped them): the last one (sent by the Church) hanged and the one before that left wandering in the desert naked and out of his mind by de la Plata. If the mission is successful, all three men will earn their freedom and an equal share of Father Van Horne's $53,000. Before agreeing, Emmet asks the colonel about Chela whom he reveals he had released earlier on account of her written story involving his troops' misbehavior towards her.
At night, after being provided with good service and such, Emmet and Jennings begin to fight due to his grudge over the latter for his misleads and past involvement with the Black and Tans until he is stopped by Father Van Horne who then suggests that he take a walk to calm down instead. While walking, Emmet is suddenly taken by surprise and silenced by someone later introducing himself as Nacho, chief of the Aymaras when Emmet finds himself reunited with Chela. After Nacho thanks Emmet for saving Chela, he is given an amulet by Chela symbolizing their love and marriage. When Nacho tells Emmet to come with them, Emmet regrettably refuses since he has been forced to go with Father Van Horne and Jennings to Mojada tomorrow despite the latter's death warning.
In the morning, on their way out, Emmet and his friends are briefed by Colonel Santilla (having prudently withheld the money for safekeeping) on the additionally provided supplies needed with conducting a very satisfactory requiem mass for de la Plata and his army aside from Father Van Horne's machine gun in his car before all three leave for Mojada.
On their way to Mojada, Emmet and the others are greeted by the Aymaras including Chela and Nacho. During the journey, Emmet and Father Van Horne are asked by Jennings about it, which they reply to. Then, Emmet is warned by Jennings about the Aymaras when it comes to love, marriage, and divorce involving death. Finally, Emmet and Jennings approach Mojada while Father Van Horne snugs back out of sight when they notice a guard on the hilltop.
In town, Emmet and Jennings are greeted and welcomed by de la Plata's second-in-command, Jurado and his men. Emmet and Jennings are told by Jurado that they will be directed to de la Plata's hacienda for dinner once properly settled at the hotel owned by Carlos Moreno and Jurado has informed his master of their arrival. After Jurado and his men leave, Emmet and his friends arrive at the hotel where Moreno has been expecting them. After Father Van Horne is told by Moreno to leave the town for his own safety and out of fear of his and his family's lives if they do anything to help him in any way; given de la Plata's fierce reputation for murdering priests in Mojada, Emmet and Jennings keep their dinner date with de la Plata at his hacienda tonight while Father Van Horne is dropped off to the desecrated church which has been left in a rather dilapidated state.
At night, Emmet and Jennings arrive at the hacienda where they first meet de la Plata's kind-hearted, spiritual mother, Señora de la Plata praying at the hacienda's chapel before they are taken to a courtyard where de la Plata's men are placing bets during a cock fight and they meet de la Plata himself in person. Jennings is paid and Emmet has been discovered with a gun after both of them have been searched by Jurado for any possible hidden weapons as instructed by de la Plata, which de la Plata confiscates, but promises to return when they leave Mojada.
As Emmet and Jennings talk business with de la Plata and his mother at dinner, they are informed by de la Plata that he will be out there trying to find and kill Colonel Santilla whom he suspects might take advantage of their visit as a diversion to allow the latter's revolutionary forces to invade and liberate Mojada. Then, Emmet and Jennings are instructed to inform Father van Horne to leave once they leave Mojada and not to give one service or sacrament in the meantime after de la Plata has been informed by Jurado that they had brought a priest into town earlier in the day despite his mother's pleas and protests before leaving the dining room in anger due to his animosity of such people.
After dinner, Emmet and Jennings enter the church as it is being cleaned and fixed up by both Father Van Horne and his newly adopted son, Pablito whom he had found sleeping inside earlier due to de la Plata having orphaned him years ago. After Father Van Horne introduces him to his friends, Emmet and Jennings are inquired by the latter for any useful information about de la Plata, only to reveal that the tyrant knows of the latter's presence in town and is threatening to kill him should he give either a service or a sacrament during his stay. To make matters worse, de la Plata won't be present at the mine as expected the next day, thus, leaving the three men to deal with de la Plata's mother instead. Nevertheless, that doesn't discourage Father Van Horne from coming over to the mine the next day and blessing it now that it has been re-opened.
After Father Van Horne blesses the mine in the morning with Pablito's help and unsurprisingly finds himself warned and threatened of his upcoming demise by Jurado for defying his master's orders, Emmet is assigned to assess the condition of the mine while Jennings stays behind with Father Van Horne to determine what they might need in terms of transport and equipment. Then, Emmet tells Father Van Horne off when the latter refers to him as "his son" before he and Señora de la Plata are escorted inside and shown the mine by Jurado.
During an inspection, the silver mine suddenly collapses, trapping both Emmet, Señora de la Plata, Jurado, and a few miners inside whom Father Van Horne and Jennings manage to free. However, during Señora de la Plata's rescue, Emmet and the others are left for dead by a cowardly Jurado when the mine continues to collapse despite the former's pleas for his assistance. Then, Emmet and the others leave to rescue more people while Father Van Horne stays behind to give the last rites to a dying man named Don Jardona. Outside the mine, Emmet prevents Pablito from entering with Jennings to save Father Van Horne for his own safety. After Jennings helps Father Van Horne make it out alive and well, Emmet and everyone else are informed by Father Van Horne that he intends to hold a mass at 4 for the deceased, which further angers Jurado who doesn't hesitate to ride out and inform his master of the priest's current actions; unaware that the priest's defiance is merely bait to lure de la Plata to his demise.
Back at the church, Emmet and Jennings are briefed by Father Van Horne on his plan of attack once de la Plata shows up at 4 for the upcoming mass. Then, Emmet returns to his hotel room to bathe until he is shocked and surprised to find both Nacho and Chela waiting for him there. After Nacho leaves them alone, Emmet and Chela eventually begin to make love. Later, Emmet makes it the church just in time to take up his firing position when de la Plata and his men return as expected. However, when de la Plata's mother unexpectedly shows up, enters the church, and threatens to die with the priest at her side if one more priest is killed in her name, Father Van Horne's life is spared in return for having saved her life earlier today for now, but not before he is warned and threatened by de la Plata for the last time. Then, Emmet overhears de la Plata's reason behind his hatred of priests and other God related things when Father Van Horne states he will "die when it is God's will".
Two years ago, while de la Plata was somewhere in the North, Colonel Santilla and his men partially liberated Mojada from his tyranny. In doing so, they brought ruin to his home, beat his father to death before defecating on his body before the very eyes of his own mother, Señora de la Plata, and finally, violated both his mother and sister (who later killed herself out of shame). Then, Father Van Horne curiously asks de la Plata if anyone did anything to help, but unfortunately, no one, not even the town's priest did anything to stop them due to the latter's corruption involving liquor and laziness (lying all day in bed of the widow who kept house for him). Such betrayal eventually led to a sudden deep, abnormal hatred of priests and anything related to God and religion in de la Plata's mind and soul once he had returned home afterwards. From then on, no more services, masses, and sacraments provided by the church in town and any priest who would dare set foot in Mojada and try to defy his orders including anyone who so much as helped the former would be killed while the church itself was desecrated and left it in its former state; much to the horror of his mother who hadn't lost faith in the Catholic faith. Thus, leaving the people of Mojada heavy with sin, their confessions unheard, many marriages made unholy, both children and babies not baptized, and the dying not having faced the end of their years in peace as well.
After de la Plata instructs Father Van Horne to leave Mojada tomorrow at 9 or die and leaves with his men while his mother stays behind to warn Father Van Horne of her son's intentions for his own safety and have her confession heard, Emmet and the others are upset and frustrated when they are forced to abandon their first attempt on de la Plata.
Later, Emmet and everyone else learn from Father Van Horne that he promises them that tomorrow, he will make a procession around the square and that they will be liberated from de la Plata and his men's tyranny once and for all, bringing to both de la Plata and his men the wrath of God despite Jennings' doubts later on.
At night, at the hotel, Emmet returns to his hotel room, only to find Nacho waiting at his door, thus, implying that Chela is waiting for him inside. After having made love again, Emmet decides to celebrate and personally invites both Chela and Nacho for drinks despite Aymara Indians not being allowed in a canteen. As Emmet begins to order drinks for him and his friends, he is angry to learn that Jurado is present when he hears the latter deliberately insulting Chela due to the canteen rules despite drunkenly suggesting taking her out and possibly raping her as well. When Emmet defiantly talks back to Jurado about his cowardice earlier in the day, he is nearly threatened to death by the latter with his gun, but not before Nacho warns him with his rifle. Not wanting to prove Emmet's point further in front of everyone else, Jurado decides to fight him with his bare hands. Even though Jurado cheats during the fight by using a chair, a pair of jugs, a blade, and later, his dagger against him, Emmet wins the fight by knocking him out even after Chela finally speaks out for the first time to warn him about the latter's final attempt with his dagger and then, he is rescued from another one of de la Plata's men's attempt to finish him off by Father Van Horne and Jennings. While Father Van Horne and Jennings return to have another drink, Emmet spends the night with the Aymaras at their village to recover from all the bruises and beatings received during the fight.
However, the next morning, Emmet finds himself tied up and restrained by the Aymaras for his own safety, but against his own free will; much to his own anger. After much protest and threat of leaving Chela should she betray him, Emmet is eventually set free by Nacho and rides off to rejoin his friends at the church just in time for the upcoming battle against de la Plata and his men. During the ambush, however, Emmet and Jennings kill some of de la Plata's men with guns and grenades whereas Father Van Horne only manages to wound de la Plata mainly on the right arm and kill some of his men with his machine gun before de la Plata and the rest of his remaining men flee and retreat.
As the villagers clean up the mess left out in the square, Emmet and his friends recruit and instruct Moreno and a few others on how to defend themselves if and when de la Plata and his men return. However, Emmet and the others are horrified to find a wounded Nacho arriving on horseback with a message from de la Plata to Father Van Horne, stating that unless he shows up at the latter's hacienda alone and unarmed, he will proceed to kill all the men, women, and children he has taken hostage including Chela as well.
When Emmet learns that Father Van Horne plans to run away with Jennings out of fear for his own life and unwilling to make a martyr of himself, using their remaining ammunition on Santilla's men should they give them any trouble along the way, he refuses to leave as he is determined to find and rescue Chela. During an argument with Father Van Horne, Emmet learns through a confession that Father Van Horne was once a highly devoted priest of the Boston diocese until one day, he was embittered, declared heretic, and excommunicated by a corrupt bishop after the former had "chased the Merchants from the Temple". Although Emmet states "once a priest, always a priest", he is simply insulted by Father Van Horne in return who then proceeds to his car with Jennings, but not before Jurado and some of de la Plata's men return to town with Pablito as one of their hostages whom Jurado murders in cold blood in front of Emmet and everyone else's eyes when trying to rejoin them in order to prove their master's point and coerce Father Van Horne into coming to his master; informing them that every half hour, they will proceed to kill another hostage and the next one being Chela unless Father Van Horne heeds to de la Plata's demands.
After mourning for Pablito's death, Emmet and Jennings round up all the men with guns to storm the hacienda while Father Van Horne rides out to the hacienda armed with nothing more than just a Bible and a crucifix out of vengeance. Later, while modifying Father Van Horne's car to make it strong enough to break through the gates, Emmet is baffled to find Chela not amongst the freed hostages; unaware that de la Plata plans to keep and use her as bait in order to lure both him and Jennings as well. So, Emmet decides to sneak into the hacienda with Nacho and the other Aymaras and rescue Chela while Jennings drives the car through the gates with a grenade signal.
Having snuck into the stables, Emmet and the Aymaras kill and take a few of de la Plata's men prisoners (some of which tried to bring Chela over to tempt Jennings and the others) and rescue Chela before he and Nacho proceed with their objective, leaving Chela under her people's protection and care until it is over. In the ensuing battle, Emmet and Nacho manage to blow up the gates with grenades, thus, allowing Jennings to drive the car through them. After most of de la Plata's men are killed by Emmet and Jennings, Emmet comes to over to rescue Father Van Horne tied up tightly to a stone cross by Jurado earlier, but only manages to free his legs after getting shot on the right arm by de la Plata, forcing him to flee for cover.
After Jennings sacrifices himself by killing both Jurado and himself with a grenade despite already dying, Emmet now gets himself shot on the right leg by de la Plata. Unable to shoot back, Emmet abandons his machine gun and takes refuge inside the chapel to avoid any more shots by de la Plata. Inside the chapel, Emmet tries to ambush de la Plata, but to no avail. Though cornered and held at gunpoint, Emmet is thankfully saved when de la Plata suddenly gets shot twice by his own reluctant mother before the latter could deliver the final shot.
After de la Plata stumbles out and collapses near the stone cross Father Van Horne has been tied to, Emmet comes out of the chapel with Nacho and Señora de la Plata before happily reuniting with Chela. After Father Van Horne manages to kill de la Plata by toppling the cross onto him when trying to shoot someone in a final attempt, thus, putting an end to his tyranny once and for all, Emmet and a now-free Father Van Horne's wounds are generously tended to by everyone as church bells are being sounded across the countryside. Emmet listens to Father Van Horne's claims about the church bell sounds being a gospel, at least, according to the latter.
Trivia[]
- In the movie, Emmet Keogh mentions having a grandfather back in Ireland. Whether alive or not remains unknown as does the rest of Emmet's family members as well.