The Undefeated is a 1969 American Western and Civil War-era film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson.

It is also loosely based on Confederate States Army General Joseph Orville Shelby's factual escape to Mexico after the American Civil War (1861–1865), and his attempt to join with Maximilian's Imperial Mexican forces.

Saddened and weary, Thomas leads his men out west towards home with the intention of rounding up and selling wild horses in the Arizona and New Mexico Territories to compensate them for their loyalty, friendship, and war service.

Together, they round up a herd of 3,000 horses and take them south across the Rio Grande of the North for sale to Maximilian's representatives in Durango, Mexico, after refusing a lower offer from corrupt and greedy U.S. Army purchasing agents.

Halfway there, Blue Boy discovers tracks indicating that Mexican Comanchero bandits are planning an ambush on the group of Confederate travelers.

Despite their differences, the Americans - Northerners, Southerners, and Cherokee Indians - repel the group of Mexican bandidos attacking the Confederate camp, with Thomas' former Union Army troopers saving the day.

In the 55 years since it has been released on new formats, including Beta / VHS video cassette tapes, laserdiscs, broadcast / cable television rights, compact discs and online / internet streaming etc.

As in his The Way West (1967), he takes a panoramic theme and then gets so close to it that we lose sight of the whole...[Old] pro Wayne saves a scene or two with his presence and delivery.

[13]A novelization manuscript was written by frequent author James Myers ("Jim") Thompson (1906-1977), and released in paperback form in 1969 by the publisher Popular Library.