Often I wish we could give scores like 6.5, as "Flaming Feather" isn't quite good enough to merit a 7 but better than a 6. I also notice that the other reviewers really liked this one. Well, I did too--just not quite as much.
The film begins with a rancher (Sterling Hayden) having his homestead attacked by an Indian bandit named 'The Sidewinder'. In the attack, Hayden loses everything but his life and is naturally determined to watch this bandit and punish him. Along the way, he meets up with the Cavalry--and Hayden isn't particularly nice to them. After all, they should have stopped the Sidewinder, as he and his gang have been at it for years and no one STILL has any idea who he is. He and the Commander (Forrest Tucker) make a bet as to who will get the Sidewinder.
In town, Sterling meets up with two interesting ladies--a crazy red-head who seems like poison and a gorgeous and nice dark-haired lady (Barbara Rush) who is headed west to marry some guy named 'Lucky'. However, twice folks try to either kill or kidnap her--and both times the hero, Sterling, rescues her. What's next and what the fiancé (Victor Jory) has to do with all this is something you'll need to see for yourself.
I think the film's biggest strength is that the plot is unusual--something pretty rare with a western. And, it never hurts to have Sterling Hayden starring in a film. But the film also has a few problems--such as wasting Edgar Buchanan in a support role, a ridiculous fighting scene where tiny little Jory is a match for the hulking Hayden as well as a final scene where the Indian lady runs up and grabs a gun and shoots someone--as Forrest Tucker just sits there and lets her do this. This final complaint is just sloppy and with a better finale, I might have scored this one a bit higher. Worth seeing--just not brilliant.
The film begins with a rancher (Sterling Hayden) having his homestead attacked by an Indian bandit named 'The Sidewinder'. In the attack, Hayden loses everything but his life and is naturally determined to watch this bandit and punish him. Along the way, he meets up with the Cavalry--and Hayden isn't particularly nice to them. After all, they should have stopped the Sidewinder, as he and his gang have been at it for years and no one STILL has any idea who he is. He and the Commander (Forrest Tucker) make a bet as to who will get the Sidewinder.
In town, Sterling meets up with two interesting ladies--a crazy red-head who seems like poison and a gorgeous and nice dark-haired lady (Barbara Rush) who is headed west to marry some guy named 'Lucky'. However, twice folks try to either kill or kidnap her--and both times the hero, Sterling, rescues her. What's next and what the fiancé (Victor Jory) has to do with all this is something you'll need to see for yourself.
I think the film's biggest strength is that the plot is unusual--something pretty rare with a western. And, it never hurts to have Sterling Hayden starring in a film. But the film also has a few problems--such as wasting Edgar Buchanan in a support role, a ridiculous fighting scene where tiny little Jory is a match for the hulking Hayden as well as a final scene where the Indian lady runs up and grabs a gun and shoots someone--as Forrest Tucker just sits there and lets her do this. This final complaint is just sloppy and with a better finale, I might have scored this one a bit higher. Worth seeing--just not brilliant.