The Proud Rebel (1958)

The Proud Rebel, from 1958, is a heart-tugging (to me) Western starring Alan Ladd and Olivia deHavilland.  Directed by Michael Curtiz, this Technicolor film features Dean Jagger and Cecil Kellaway in supporting roles and introduces Mr. Ladd’s youngest child, David. 

When the Union Army blazed a path of destruction through Georgia, young David Chandler (David Ladd), witnessed the death of his mother during the burning of Atlanta.  He was then shipped off to an orphanage in the North, where he remained until his soldier father, Johnny (Alan Ladd), found him after the end of the war.  The trauma of seeing his mother killed and the city burned, so shocked the young boy that he was left unable to speak.  As the film begins, Johnny is intent upon finding a doctor who can treat his son, and the two of them, along with David’s beloved dog, Lance, make their way to Aberdeen, Illinois, where they meet with a local doctor (Cecil Kellaway).  Although Dr. Davis can’t help, he is acquainted with a physician who works with Dr. Mayo in Rochester, Minnesota, and he suggests he might be of help.

While the Chandlers are in the general store buying supplies for their trek to Minnesota, dog Lance is tied outside, where local bullies, the Burley brothers, attempt to steal him.  After Johnny is mocked for his Southernness and the boy for his inability to speak, a brawl ensues.  Frightened, David runs away and straight into the path of a wagon driven by local farmer, Linnett Moore (Olivia deHavilland).

Charged with assault and battery because of the brawl, Johnny is taken to court, where a Confederate-hating judge finds him guilty and sentences him to 30 days or $30.  Linnett pays Johnny's fine, saying he can work it off.  Though working for Linnette will delay him getting to Minnesota, Johnny intends to pay his debts and raise the necessary funds for the trip.    

The Burley patriarch, Harry (Dean Jagger), is determined to force Linnett to sell her farm, even approaching Johnny about working for him.  On top of that, a local man is interested in purchasing Lance and he makes an offer to Johnny for him.  With his desperate need for funds for the trip to Minnesota, Johnny finds himself considering the sale of David's beloved dog. Will he go through with the sale?  Will he assist Harry Burley in convincing Linnett to sell her farm?  And what about David?  Will he have the operation?  Will it be successful and enable him to speak again?  These are the questions which play out in the balance of the film.

While not a spectacular film, The Proud Rebel is an interesting, exciting, enjoyable viewing experience, with believable performances by all.  The characters created by Alan Ladd, Olivia deHavilland, and David Ladd are ones I really cared about and rooted for.  I found myself teary-eyed on more than one occasion. While I'm calling this a 3-star film, it's more like 3.5.

This film ought to be fairly easy to track down, as it is out on DVD and also available in its entirety on YouTube.  Fans of Alan Ladd and Olivia deHavilland ought to quite enjoy it.

Happy viewing!! 

Ride a Crooked Trail (1958)

One of my favorite Audie Murphy Westerns is Ride a Crooked Trail.  From 1958, the film also stars Gia Scala and features Walter Matthau and Henry Silva in supporting roles.  The film was directed by Jesse Hibbs, who directed Mr. Murphy in several other films, including his own story, To Hell and Back.

After unsuccessfully attempting to rob a bank, Joe Maybe (Audie Murphy) is being hunted by lawman Jim Noonan.  During the chase, Marshall Noonan plunges off a cliff and to his death, whereupon, Maybe takes the man's horse and badge and heads into the river town of Webb City.

Webb City's hard-drinking Judge Kyle (Walter Matthau) is determined to keep the riff-raff out of his town and, thus, stops all strangers as they enter the city limits.  If they and their business are legitimate to the judge, he bids them welcome; if not, he directs them out of town.

Claiming the new arrival fits the description of bank robber Joe Maybe, Judge Kyle is ready to arrest him.  After a quick shootout with the man results in a wounded shoulder for the judge, he notices that the stranger carries the legendary broken-star badge of Marshall Noonan, and he assumes that the man is, in fact, the famous marshall.

With the judge needing to recover from his gunshot wound, he asks "Noonan" to hold down the fort and keep the peace for him.  Though Maybe wants to get on out of town, the judge won't take "no" for answer, so Joe Maybe takes on the law-abiding identity of Marshall Jim Noonan.

His cover is nearly blown when The River Queen docks in Webb City and old flame Tessa (Gia Scala)  disembarks. Part of Sam Teeler's (Henry Silva) gang, Tessa is in town to scope out the local bank.  Upon catching sight of her former love, Tessa calls him "Maybe," but the quick-thinking Joe lies that she's his wife and that she called him "baby."

Happy to meet the respectable wife of a U.S. Marshall, Judge Kyle sets the couple up in a lovely little house, where they must keep up the pretense of being a loving, law-abiding married couple, all the while planning to rob the bank when Sam Teeler and his gang arrive in town.

Adding to Maybe/Noonan's dilemma is the presence of the little orphan boy, Jimmy.  A ward of the court, he needs respectable parents, and it seems that Mr. and Mrs. Noonan fit the bill. With Jimmy watching him, Judge Kyle beginning to get suspicious, and the Teeler gang anxious to get to the robbery, the "marshall" isn't quite sure what he wants to do.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.

Ride a Crooked Trail is loads of fun.  As stated, it's one of my favorite (so far) of Murphy's Westerns...it's right up there with No Name on the Bullet as one that is a 4-star, "really like it" film.  First of all, I'm a sucker for these kinds of storylines.  They draw me in every time. Besides Audie, who looks like he is having a lot of fun in this film, the one to watch here is Walter Matthau.  He is terrific in his role!  Gia Scala, who I'm not overly familiar with, is beautiful, and I think she is great in her part.  She and Audie have fantastic chemistry together. Finally, the film has a couple of very touching moments, both of which got me a little misty-eyed.

This film ought to be fairly easy to track down, as it is out on DVD, plus it is available in its entirety on YouTube.  Fans of Murphy, Matthau, and Scala ought to quite enjoy it.

Happy viewing!!


NOTE:  All photos in this article were obtained from the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website  (HERE)

Whispering Smith (1961)

As a child of the 1960's, I grew up on TV Westerns---Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Big Valley, The Rifleman, Wagon Train, Death Valley Days, and The Virginian were all part of the fabric of my growing-up years.  Even though several of those shows were a bit before I was old enough to understand TV, through re-runs, the shows caught up with me.  And even if I never watched an episode of a particular show, because my Western-lovin' dad did, I had at least heard of it.  So imagine my surprise to discover, through my search of Audie Murphy's filmography, that he, too, starred in a TV Western---1961's short-lived (26 episodes filmed/20 aired) Whispering Smith. No one in my life had ever mentioned this show, so it wasn't until a few short months ago that I learned of its existence.

Based on the 1948 Alan Ladd film of the same name, the story---set in the 1870's---is about a Denver police detective named Tom "Whispering" Smith.  (The nickname "Whispering" is due to Smith's soft-spoken demeanor---talk about a perfect role for Audie!)  With lawlessness going gangbusters in the West at that time, Detective Smith has more than his share of crimes to solve and criminals to apprehend, and he does so with the help of his partner, George Romack (Guy Mitchell).

Having discovered the existence of Whispering Smith, I immediately popped on over to Amazon, where I found the 3-disc, 26-episode series available for $11.99 (the price has increased slightly since then).  Despite having never seen a single episode of the show to know whether or not I'd like it, I quickly added it to my cart, grabbed a book or two, then made my way to the check-out.  When my package arrived three or four days later, I hastily opened it and then popped the first disc into the player. Yes, I was in need of an Audie fix, but even more, I wanted to see this show I had never heard of.  My verdict?  A big, 4-star thumbs-up!

Because the series lasted for only 1 season---giving me a mere 26 episodes to enjoy---I don't want to race my way through it.  I want to savor it...make it last as long as possible.  (I feel similarly about Audie's filmography; while I want to catch every film he made, there's a sadness in doing so, since there will never be any more.  When I'm done, I'm done.)  Thus, as of now, I've only watched 6 episodes of the series, but I have "really liked" every single one.

Each 30-minute episode is interesting and fast-moving and features a couple of guest stars---Robert Redford, Gloria Talbot, Harry Carey, Jr., and Richard Chamberlain are some of the notable ones I've seen so far.

Oh, just have to say, episode #5 ("Safety Valve") features a short swordfight scene between Audie and one of the guest stars.  After my recent month of Stewart Granger viewing, I have come to very much appreciate swashbucklers, and it was loads of fun seeing Audie taking on that role.

Without question, I heartily recommend this series.  For me, it's a great, 4-star way to get an Audie fix when I don't have time for a whole movie...or when my family is rebelling and demanding we watch someone other than Audie for a change!

NOTE:  All photos used in this article are from the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website  (HERE)

For more information about the production history of Whispering Smith, check out this article at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website (HERE)

Cast a Long Shadow (1959)

From 1959, comes Cast a Long Shadow, a Western starring Audie Murphy, Terry Moore, and John Dehner.  Based on Wayne Overholser's novel of the same name, this film features James Best, Rita Lynn, and Denver Pyle in supporting roles.

Wealthy Jake Keenan has died, leaving his ranch to Matt Brown (Audie Murphy), an illegitimately-born young man, who has always believed that Keenan was his father.  Having been gone from New Mexico a long time, and uninterested in the ranch of a man who treated his mother so badly, Matt jumps at the chance to sell his new inheritance to the very men who had worked it for years.  He'll return only long enough to finalize the sale, then be on the road again.

Matt's return to the ranch brings former flame, Janet (Terry Moore), back into his life.  Though they had been in love, Janet broke things off. Older now, she vows that she knows what she wants, and it's Matt.  Because of Matt's "no name" status, though, Janet's brother declares that he's not good enough, which only serves to fill Matt with the desire to prove himself.

Before the sale can take place, Chip Donohue (John Dehner) discovers that the ranch is heavily in debt, and unless payment is made within days, the bank will foreclose. The only way to make payment is to get the cattle to market immediately.

Determined to prove himself to the town naysayers, Matt changes his mind about selling; instead, he'll run the ranch, and he'll lead the drive to market. More than that, he'll do it his way...with no input from anyone and a policy of zero tolerance for those who disobey him.

Though Janet insists that being a big man doesn't mean Matt has to throw away his good qualities or rule with an iron hand, Matt is determined to do things his way...even if he is killed in the process.  How everything plays out is the balance of the film.





Though Cast a Long Shadow is not a spectacular film---nor one of my favorite Murphy Westerns---I still found it to be interesting and exciting.  The action got underway immediately, and things never dragged.  Unlike the majority (if not all) of Audie's Westerns, this one is not in color, but that only serves to give the feeling that it's an early 1950's film, rather than late '50's.

Out on DVD, this should be fairly easy to track down. For me, it's a 3-star, "like it" film---nothing outstanding, but definitely watchable.

Happy viewing!


NOTE:  All photos used in this article were obtained from the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website (HERE)

Posse from Hell (1961)

Posse from Hell, from 1961, is a Western starring Audie Murphy and John Saxon, with Zohra Lampert, Vic Morrow, Royal Dano, Rudolph Acosta, and Robert Keith in supporting roles. Directed by Herbert Coleman, the film is based on Clair Huffaker's novel of the same name.

After breaking out of the death cell, four cruel outlaws (among them Vic Morrow and Lee Van Cleef) descend upon the sleepy little town of Paradise. Shooting the marshall and four other men and then robbing the local bank, they ride out of town, taking a young woman hostage with them.

With his dying breath, the marshall deputizes his friend Banner Cole (Audie Murphy), a loner who has lost faith in people.  Though Banner would really prefer to track the outlaws himself, he puts together a posse of seven men.

The hodgepodge of a posse includes Jeremiah Brown (Robert Keith), who, based on his Civil War career, thinks he ought to be in charge and, thus, often bucks Banner's authority; the kidnapped girl's weak-willed, drunken uncle (Royal Dano); a local Indian (Rudolph Acosta), looking for acceptance by the townspeople; and city slicker, Seymour Kern (John Saxon), a banker in town on business.  Goaded by the local bank president into joining the posse, his manhood grows while on the trail of the killers.  For once, he feels like a man at a man's game.

The men's relentless search for the outlaws first leads them to the woman hostage (Zohra Lampert), left---raped and abandoned---on the trail. Although her despair over the treatment she received at the hands of the outlaws has left her with little desire to live, she warns Banner that the gang is vicious and that with a posse of his size, he won't be able to stop them.  More determined than ever, however, Cole spurs his posse onward. Little by little, the posse grows smaller, as men are either killed or desert.  In the end, two men remain. Which two and how it all plays out is the balance of the film.



Posse from Hell is a very solid 3-star film for me...3.5 stars really.  On my rating scale, it falls somewhere between "like it" and "really like it."  It's interesting and exciting and even sports a couple very touching moments.  There's terrific character development, particularly in Audie's and John Saxon's characters.  Both men bring their characters to life beautifully, and it is interesting watching them change.  Zohra Lampert, as the kidnapped/raped young woman, is fantastic!

This film is not on the TCM schedule anytime soon; nor, to my knowledge, is it out on DVD.  It is, however, available in its entirety on YouTube.  I think it is definitely worth watching.

Happy viewing!!


NOTE:  All photos in this post were obtained through the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website (HERE).

The Wild and the Innocent (1959)

What do you get when you cross Audie Murphy with Sandra Dee?  An unlikely pairing, right? Maybe...but you also get the fun and sweet The Wild and the Innocent.  From 1959, this romantic comedy Western also features Joanne Dru, Gilbert Roland, and Jim Backus in supporting roles.  Strother Martin and Peter Breck (of Big Valley fame) also have parts in this charming little film.

Somewhere in the mountains of Wyoming, Yancy Hawks (Audie Murphy) lives with his uncle and his uncle's wife.  Trappers, the two men have been in the mountains for years; in fact, Yancy's never been out of them and in a town before.  After his uncle is mauled by a bear and needs to be still in order to recuperate, Yancy is sent on to the trading post to get needed supplies.  To his dismay, he discovers that the trading post has been closed and in order to sell his pelts and purchase what he needs, he will have to go into the big city---to the general store in Casper.

Enroute to the "big city," Yancy comes across a man (Strother Martin) traveling westward with a whole passel of kids.  Saying she would make a good wife, the man offers to trade his daughter, Rosalie (Sandra Dee), for half of Yancy's furs. Insisting that he would have to love a woman in order to marry her, Yancy declines the man's offer and continues on his way.

Not long afterwards, the dirty, unkempt Rosalie, who has run away from her pa, re-enters Yancy's life.  Sure that her father would have traded her to the first man who would take her, she chose to strike out on her own.  Since she figures she'll be able to find a job in the big city, and since that is Yancy's destination, Rosalie requests that he take her with him.  Although he doesn't really want the responsibility of the girl, Yancy agrees, and two very innocent, naive souls soon have their first-ever taste of city life.

The city's 4th of July celebration is in full-swing, so after cleaning up and getting some new clothes, both Yancy and Rosalie enjoy a night on the town.  Not knowing exactly what a dance hall girl is, Yancy is soon quite smitten with one of them (Joanne Dru).  Meanwhile, Rosalie, who is in love with Yancy and yearns for him to notice her, is romanced by the town's sheriff (Gilbert Roland) and offered a job at the dance hall.  She's unsettled about the type of gown she must wear and the kind of work she's expected to do, but since she has to support herself, what choice does she have?

Both Yancy and Rosalie are so innocent that the sheriff makes the comment that one doesn't know the kind of world he's in and the other doesn't even know she's pretty.  Will these two innocents get taken for a ride in the big city?  Will Yancy realize Rosalie loves him?  Or will he keep his attentions on the dance hall girl?  And what will Yancy do when he discovers Rosalie will soon be part of the dance hall establishment? How it all plays out is the balance of this very delightful film.




Although I'm calling this 3-stars, it's more like 3.5---it's cute, fun, sweet, totally charming, and somewhere between "like it" and "really like it" for me. There are a few parts which caused me to giggle like crazy.  First, when new clothes are bought for Rosalie---one of the items is a corset, and she has no idea what it is, nor does Yancy.  She tells him that she was informed it was to "hold her up."  Yancy's response, "Hold you up where?"  was quite comical.  Later, after she had donned her new gown over the corset, Yancy told her to take the corset off, that it made her bulge in places.  (Yes, the innocence of those statements is laughable to us today, but that is part of the film's charm.)

Besides the delightfully winsome storyline, it's fun seeing Sandra Dee in this change-of-pace role.  I think she did a great job.  The Big Valley's Peter Breck portrays one of the rowdy, drunken cowpokes who wants to bully the ill-equipped-for-city-life mountain man. Breck seemed totally in character, as on The Big Valley, he is usually the first one of the Barkley brothers to get into a scuffle.  Audie Murphy is perfect in this role; in fact, his character is much how I think of him in real life---an unsophisticated, small-town guy, able to stand right there with the best of them. Oh, and it must be mentioned that Audie is incredibly handsome at this point in his career!  While he was in his mid-30's here, his naturally youthful looks allowed him to believably portray a character who was probably supposed to be in his late teens.  (Audie was 17 years older than Sandra Dee, and, quite honestly, that fact didn't even occur to me until I was doing this post and realized her birth year---she actually could have passed for early 20's here.  And since Audie looked younger than his years, their pairing worked.)

The movie is corny, predictable, and (of course) very dated, but it's also charming, sweet, and unpretentious.  Put on your 1950's lenses, sit back, and enjoy a trip back to a more innocent time.

While not out on DVD or on the TCM schedule anytime soon, The Wild and the Innocent is available in its entirety on YouTube.  It's in four 20-minute parts, and although it's always a bit of a pain to watch in parts, it's definitely better than nothing.  I do hope you get a chance to see this.

Happy viewing!

NOTE:  All photos in this post were obtained from the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website (HERE)

Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1963)

First up for Audie Murphy month is 1963's Gunfight at Comanche Creek.  Obviously, with that kind of title, you know this is undoubtedly a Western, but it's definitely much more than that. Also starring Ben Cooper and DeForest Kelley, the film is done somewhat in documentary style, with a narrator informing us of dates, places, and actions.

At sunrise in Comanche Creek, Colorado, a man exits a cafe, bound for the local jail, a breakfast tray for the prisoner and deputy in his hands.  Before reaching his destination, he is intercepted and knocked out by three men, who then enter the jail and release the prisoner, Jack Mason.  In the jailbreak, one of the outlaws shoots and kills the deputy, and Mason is fingered as the killer, and a price is put on his head. Although the men are complete strangers to prisoner Mason, he rides off with them.

Two weeks later, all four men enter a bank in Harmony, Colorado, and with Mason being recognized from flyers, he is fingered in the robbery, adding to the bounty on his head.  Since he's wanted dead or alive, he is shot by his new gang, who then collect the reward.

Meanwhile in Wichita, the National Detective Agency has been formed in order to fight the lawlessness of the West.  Having realized how the Colorado gang operated, they had been working undercover to bring them down.  The prisoner set free and subsequently killed for reward was their own man, as was the accosted breakfast-carrying man.  Needing to get another man inside the gang, they again send one of their own---Bob Gifford (Audie Murphy)---to Northwest Colorado, with his partner Nielsen keeping an eye on him at all times.

Leaving his credentials behind, Gifford takes on the identity of Judd Tanner, a man wanted for train robbery. Things go according to plan, and "outlaw Judd" is arrested in Comanche Creek and locked up in jail.  As expected, he is broken out by the murderous gang and taken to their hideout, where the next robberies are planned.

Judd soon realizes that gang leader Troop (DeForest Kelley) is working under the orders of someone in Comanche Creek...someone who, like himself, is not what he appears to be.  Judd needs to find out who that is, and he need to do so soon---before the bounty on him gets so high that, like Mason, he is killed for the reward money, and before the gang realizes a lawman has infiltrated their ranks.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.



This film is interesting, exciting, and a solid 3, maybe even a 3.5.  While I found the documentary style a bit annoying (and unnecessary), the story kept me on the edge of my seat.  The acting was decent, and each man was believable in his role.  Since there are horses, guns, outlaws, and frontier towns, without question, this is a Western, but it's also very much an undercover crime drama.  Thus, even if Westerns aren't your thing, you ought to give Gunfight at Comanche Creek a try.  You might be surprised and find you quite enjoy it. (Remember, Westerns aren't my genre of choice, and I'm at 3 or 3.5 stars on this.)

Though not on the TCM schedule anytime soon, the film is out on DVD and ought to be fairly easy to track down.

Happy viewing!

Rawhide (3 stars)

Rawhide, from 1951, is a Western drama starring Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward. Directed by Henry Hathaway, the film features Hugh Marlowe, Edgar Buchanan, Dean Jagger, Jack Elam, and George Tobias in supporting roles.  Since Ty Power was one of the guys of the month last month, I had been looking through his filmography for "new to me" films I wanted to see; when I discovered that he did two films with my #2 gal (this one and Untamed), I went on a mission to obtain at least one of them.  I finally tracked Rawhide down...and in time to be included as part of Susan Hayward month.

On its way from San Francisco to St. Louis, a stagecoach makes a stop at Rawhide Station, a remote post attended by Sam Todd (Edgar Buchanan) and Tom Owens (Tyrone Power). Disembarking the stage for a meal at the station are, among others, Vinnie Holt (Susan Hayward), and the small child she carries with her.  Before the passengers can depart the station, a soldier informs the stage driver that condemned prisoner Rafe Zimmerman (Hugh Marlowe) has escaped. In the interest of safety, Vinnie and little Callie are left behind at Rawhide, while the remainder of the passengers continue on their journey.

Posing as a lawman, the escaped prisoner soon makes his appearance at Rawhide Station, and in short order, his three gang members arrive as well.  After shooting Sam, the four men take over the station---their target is the next Eastbound stage and all the gold it is carrying.  Before that stage arrives, though, the Westbound stage will be passing through, and Tom is to act as though all things are normal, not giving any clue that Zimmerman and his men are lying in wait.  Though Tom would like to alert the stage driver to what is going on, he is kept in line through threats to harm Vinnie and Callie, whom the outlaw gang has mistakenly taken to be Tom's wife and daughter.

Locked in a room with Vinnie most of the time, will Tom be able to warn the stage driver of the impending danger?  And once the robbery is accomplished, is there any hope for Tom, Vinnie, and Callie to escape?  These are the questions which play out in this film.




While Rawhide is not a spectacular film, it is definitely entertaining and exciting.  I found the storyline interesting and the acting quite good.  Susan Hayward was her usual exceptional self.  She was appropriately strong and hard---traits she always exhibited perfectly.  Ty Power---in what I think was an unusual role for him---was quite believable here.  Hugh Marlowe---who I've only seen as a "good guy"---did great in his role as well.  Jack Elam was quite terrific too.  If I was more into Westerns, I probably would be rating this one 4 stars.  So, 3 stars, from a non-Western fan means this is a very solid film.

Rawhide is out on DVD; however, I tracked it down through a site called "Westerns on the Web" (HERE).  If you like Westerns, definitely stop by that site.  They have dozens of movies, all available for free viewing on their site.  Additionally, the film is available in its entirety on YouTube.

Happy viewing!!

Escape from Fort Bravo (4 stars)

Escape from Fort Bravo, from 1953, is a romantic Western adventure film starring William Holden, Eleanor Parker, and John Forsythe.  Directed by John Sturges, this color film features William Demarest, Richard Anderson, and Polly Bergen in supporting roles.

The story begins in 1863, at Fort Bravo...a remote Union prison in Arizona Territory.  One of the soldiers stationed at Fort Bravo is Captain Roper (William Holden).  A hardened, unkind, cynical man, Roper performs his duties with an iron hand.

Given the fort's remote desert location and the local warring Mescalero Indians, escape from the prison is hardly likely; however, when one man does try to escape, Roper, intending to make an example of him and, thus, discourage future break-outs, drags the man back to the fort at the end of a rope.  With Roper's rather inhumane methods, his superior, who doesn't approve of such actions, makes the statement that he's glad he and Roper are on the same army.

The Confederate prisoners, of course, despise Roper and even taunt him by whistling "Dixie" as he walks by.  Captain Marsh (John Forsythe) tells a few of his men that they are waiting for the right time and then they will break out....and the right time soon arrives...in the person of Carla Forrester (Eleanor Parker).

A friend of Roper's superior's daughter, Carla has come to the fort supposedly for a visit.

However, in actuality, she is engaged to Captain Marsh, and her purpose in being at the fort is to make arrangements with a Confederate sympathizer for guns and transportation of the prisoners.

Additionally, she is to distract Roper---a job which she does perfectly.

Completely smitten with Carla, Roper's emotionless facade begins to crack.

Totally in love with her, he asks her to marry him and to stay on at the fort.  Carla indicates she loves him too...but does she?

Has her playing at love become real?  Or are her kisses and tender words just an act?

What will Roper do when he discovers that several of his prisoners are gone...and that the woman he loves has deceived him?  And what about the Mescaleros?  As they move in for attack, will anyone be able to survive against them...especially in the harsh desert terrain of Arizona?  These are the questions which will play out in the balance of this film. 




William Holden was totally gorgeous at this point in his career!!  He is ruggedly handsome in this film, and he looks fabulous in the Union uniform.

As always, Mr. Holden's acting was super. He definitely could portray the hardened, cynical, unemotional man to the hilt.  Eleanor Parker was lovely, and although it was a bit unrealistic to think that she would have so many gowns with her (she was just visiting the fort), the gowns were stunning. There was great chemistry between Parker and Holden here---definitely passion in their kissing scenes. While I'm not a huge fan of Westerns, there was enough romance in this film to make it enjoyable for me.  The ending was a bit abrupt, though, and could have been better, so although I'm giving 4 stars, it's more like 3.5...still a very solid, enjoyable viewing experience and one which I highly recommend (even to those who don't ordinarily enjoy Westerns).

The film is out on DVD, so it ought to be fairly easy to track down.  Fans of William Holden and Eleanor Parker ought to especially enjoy it.

Happy viewing!!