Storyline: In 1763, felon Abby Hale is sentenced to slavery in America. In Virginia, heroic Capt. Holden buys her, intending to free her, but villain Garth foils this plan, and Abby toils at Dave Bone's tavern. Garth is fomenting an Indian uprising to clear the wilderness of settlers, giving him a monopoly of the fur trade. Holden discovers Garth's treachery, but cannot prove anything against him. Can Holden and Abby save Fort Pitt from the Senecas?
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Another Cecil B. DeMille large production, with all that it implies: Filmed in Technicolor, with many extras, colourful costumes and sets, violence, and sensationalism. It's set on the western frontier in the mid-18th century, shortly before the War of Independence, pitting American colonists against Native Americans, spurred on by white agitators who seek to profit from halting the colonization of the west.
Obviously it's targeted to the audience of the time, and has little interest in historical accuracy or in telling things from the perspective of the Indians. The Indians are savages, the pioneers are good, Gary Cooper (as Captain Christopher Holden) is gallant and heroic, and Howard Da Silva (as Martin Garth) is evil beyond redemption.
I'm no big fan of Gary Cooper, who seems rather inexpressive to me, but there's no denying his screen presence. Paulette Goddard is not given much to do for most of the film, only having to look helpless and adorable, meticulously made up despite being dragged through the forest and down a giant waterfall. When she is given something with more depth to do, she does fine, though. Contrary to modern reviewers who can't accept an actor playing a character from a different race, I rather enjoyed a menacing Boris Karloff as the Seneca chief.
As far as Cecil B. DeMille's productions go, this wasn't my favorite. The plot is flimsy, with the hero acting as an agent of the government but unable to confide in the troop commanders on the field, for no convincing reason other than it being required by the plot. Some scenes are a bit cringeworthy if judging by modern standards, and somehow it never really looks like we are actually in the frontier.
Still, it's epic at times, and entertaining.
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Another Cecil B. DeMille large production, with all that it implies: Filmed in Technicolor, with many extras, colourful costumes and sets, violence, and sensationalism. It's set on the western frontier in the mid-18th century, shortly before the War of Independence, pitting American colonists against Native Americans, spurred on by white agitators who seek to profit from halting the colonization of the west.
Obviously it's targeted to the audience of the time, and has little interest in historical accuracy or in telling things from the perspective of the Indians. The Indians are savages, the pioneers are good, Gary Cooper (as Captain Christopher Holden) is gallant and heroic, and Howard Da Silva (as Martin Garth) is evil beyond redemption.
I'm no big fan of Gary Cooper, who seems rather inexpressive to me, but there's no denying his screen presence. Paulette Goddard is not given much to do for most of the film, only having to look helpless and adorable, meticulously made up despite being dragged through the forest and down a giant waterfall. When she is given something with more depth to do, she does fine, though. Contrary to modern reviewers who can't accept an actor playing a character from a different race, I rather enjoyed a menacing Boris Karloff as the Seneca chief.
As far as Cecil B. DeMille's productions go, this wasn't my favorite. The plot is flimsy, with the hero acting as an agent of the government but unable to confide in the troop commanders on the field, for no convincing reason other than it being required by the plot. Some scenes are a bit cringeworthy if judging by modern standards, and somehow it never really looks like we are actually in the frontier.
Still, it's epic at times, and entertaining.