As a "Western movie" buff, I am surprised that this film is not more familiar to aficionados of the genre. It is a near epic, classical film.
Of course, it suffers from the usual defect common to Westerns made in this era: The Native American leads are played by white actors and there isn't adequate time to fully develop all of the characters.
Still, it is a magnificent film. It has elements of Shane, which was made several years before, and of The Searchers, which was made a year after.
The sweep and the grandeur are very reminiscent of John Ford films. No expense was spared in cinematography, locations, and the number of extras that were employed. Hundreds of Native Americans were employed, including women and children of all ages. The number of mounted cavalry approximate the size of a cavalry regiment. There weren't that many mounted soldiers in John Ford's cavalry trilogy. And, it was all achieved without the aid of computer graphics.
The dialog is realistic and the story, itself, is based on a true incident. A young Robert Wagner is very believable and likable in his solid, understated role.
This film is enormously enjoyable. I remember seeing it in the 1950s at a drive-in theater, and if only I could do so again!
Of course, it suffers from the usual defect common to Westerns made in this era: The Native American leads are played by white actors and there isn't adequate time to fully develop all of the characters.
Still, it is a magnificent film. It has elements of Shane, which was made several years before, and of The Searchers, which was made a year after.
The sweep and the grandeur are very reminiscent of John Ford films. No expense was spared in cinematography, locations, and the number of extras that were employed. Hundreds of Native Americans were employed, including women and children of all ages. The number of mounted cavalry approximate the size of a cavalry regiment. There weren't that many mounted soldiers in John Ford's cavalry trilogy. And, it was all achieved without the aid of computer graphics.
The dialog is realistic and the story, itself, is based on a true incident. A young Robert Wagner is very believable and likable in his solid, understated role.
This film is enormously enjoyable. I remember seeing it in the 1950s at a drive-in theater, and if only I could do so again!