He specialized in robust action pictures, particularly westerns. He excelled at bringing to life tautly written stories about tough characters facing difficult circumstances. Conversely, just as often, he failed to redeem poorly written material, turning out an equally inadequate picture. Throughout his career he regularly alternated hits (such as El último tren de Gun Hill (1959), Los siete magníficos (1960), La gran evasión (1963), Ha llegado el águila (1976)) with misses (such as El viejo y el mar (1958), Por amor (1961), Una muchacha llamada Tamiko (1962), La batalla de las colinas del whisky (1965)). He has also been criticized for his lack of stylistic trademarks, though his best films remain exciting to watch.
