Alicia I love this movie so much

VividSimon Simply Perfect

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

jadekite22 If you've stuck through at least a season of just about any western television serial, you'll be familiar with FORT MASSACRE's plot, involving a troop crossing Apache territory. As a fan of RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, I expected Joel McCrea would be the sole reason for reinvesting myself in this film's well-trodden set-up. While McCrea's performance is certainly a draw (especially given his character's hard edge, usually reserved for a supporting or villainous character) the real standout here was John Russell as Private Travis. I've never encountered a character like his--in this or any other film genre--solely driven by his indecision. You might expect that this is because such an arc wouldn't make for a compelling lead, but damn if FORT MASSACRE doesn't become his film by the end. Thanks to some interesting and revealing exchanges between McCrea and Russell, as well as superb cinematography by Carl Guthrie (BACKFIRE, THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL), this obscure "B" western deserves more recognition than it currently receives.

takaroberts It has been years since I have seen this movie and I have been looking for it for a long time. I still remember moments in the movie as if I just saw it yesterday because of its gripping mature story line and deep rich character portrayals. I still get goosebumps when I think about it. The plot development was powerful with what I found to be a shocking conclusion. I find classic story telling with intense character portrayals to be much more interesting than some of the movie gimmicks used by most of the industry today. This movie is not shy on realism or story. I guess that some of that which makes up the high quality depth of this motion picture story simply goes over the head of some people, (based on some of the other reviews I have read about this film). I believe this is an absolute must see for McCrea or Russell fans.

Marlburian The plot seemed promising if a little familiar: US Cavalry patrol in trouble; officers dead, sergeant (McCrea)in command of disparate group of soldiers, including the usually excellent Forrest Tucker, trying to get to safety. McCrea often plays pleasant characters - or characters pleasantly - but we suspect this is not the case when early in the film he slavishly - stubbornly - follows the patrol's original orders. But it's still a shock when he shoots a surrendering Apache in the stomach. (I've run the tape several times and I'm sure that during the short action at the watering-hole McCrea's bristles become a beard - presumably a continuity error, but it makes him look even tougher.) The problem with the film is the Private Travis character; he's a recruit, but very self-possessed, and soon the sergeant is confiding in him, which jarred a little. Travis is secretive about his past, and perhaps it would have helped had there been a little more revealed about him - a suspicion, say, that he had once been an officer, which might have made the sergeant's attitude to him easier to understand.I don't like the contrived introduction of attractive young women into a men-only situation in films. Seeing that Susan Cabot had a high billing, I feared the worst, and thought she might turn up with the traders' covered wagon. In fact her appearance is towards the end, as a most unlikely-looking Indian girl, and then she has no effect at all on the plot and, indeed, none on the men. At least we're spared her being attacked by one soldier and saved by another.Two largish groups of Indians converge on the "Fort Massacre" of the title, but some of these seem to have wandered off before the final encounter with the cavalry.Forrest Tucker's screen presence usually makes him stand out in films, but in this one he's just another soldier.

Poseidon-3 There are a few decent elements in this tough, brief cavalry-western along with some tiresome and unentertaining ones. McCrea (always an easy, attractive presence on the screen) plays a sergeant who's left in charge of his regiment after a particularly lethal skirmish with the Apaches. Most of the men bellyache constantly about wanting to ignore their mission to join up with a wagon train and go home, but he presses on, even if it means inciting more violence along the way. He carries a chip on his shoulder from the death of his wife and children at the hands of Indians. The biggest battle involves the taking of a desperately needed water hole with McCrea's men outnumbered four to one. Eventually, even though McCrea has managed to get the men through various tough scrapes, they can no longer tolerate his vicious attitude towards the Indians and his seeming disregard for human life in general. The climax occurs at an abandoned set of buildings built into a cliff wall, which one of the men dubs Fort Massacre. Here they encounter an elderly Piute man and his granddaughter who are scratching to survive on anything they can find. McCrea's character is complex for a film as seemingly unimportant as this one and his less likable traits are made all the more perplexing because of the actor's innate charm and likability. He does an admirable enough job in the film, but the direction, script and supporting cast keep him from really making a historic impact in the role the way John Wayne was able to in "The Searchers." Some familiar faces are peppered amongst the cavalrymen, notably Pyle (of "Dukes of Hazard" fame) and Tucker as a cantankerous Irishman. Russell has a significant part as a rather aimless fellow officer who waffles between believing in and doubting McCrea. Unfortunately, his Rod Serling-esque manner of speaking hampers his authenticity. There is unwelcome camp and comedy present in the performance of veteran western actor McDonald as the Piute man. Cabot has little to do as his granddaughter (and at 31, she's hardly right to be playing an innocent Indian maiden!) It's worth a glance for McCrea fans and for its beautiful mountain scenery, but can't quite cut it as a classic. If the scenes of travel on horseback were trimmed, the movie might be 45 minutes long! Maybe this should have been an episode of "Death Valley Days" instead.