VividSimon Simply Perfect

Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Curt Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

weezeralfalfa One of several films I'm familiar with that relates to the infamous massacre of peaceful Cheyenne, mostly women and children, at Sand Creek, CO. The historic Chivington, who led this slaughter, is renamed Major Ives(Warner Anderson). However, his hatred of all Native Americans is not changed. Perhaps the most glaring alteration of history is the designation of Chief Red Cloud as the main chief of the Cheyenne, whereas he actually was the most important chief of the Sioux during this period. ...The basic story is that Major Ives plans on building an army fort on Cheyenne land, besides his duty of escorting immigrants through Cheyenne territory, on their way to Oregon. This raises the ire of Red Cloud(whom we never see), and one of his lieutenants: Fire Knife, who uses the presence of his soldiers on their land as an excuse to attack the temporary camp of Ives, which includes some women and other civilians. Most of the soldiers and civilians are killed, but, inexplicably, Ives survives, and journeys with the rest to the nearest fort.....Vagabond scout Adam Reed(Roy Calhoun) happens upon Bostonian Kathrine(Peggy Castle) swimming in the nude in a small lake. Seems she's staying with Major Ives' bunch because her boyfriend is a lieutenant there. After this titillating scene, Reed interacts with her periodically, as he hangs around the camp. After her boyfriend is killed in the Indian attack, she soon latches onto Reed as the man most likely to insure her survival. Eventually, they kiss and hug several times. Given Reed's preferred wandering lifestyle, I'm not sure they have a future together, in which case, Kathren probably will return to the civilization of Boston....A more convincing developing couple consist of Mexican Tonio Perez(Noah Berry) and Nez Pierce maiden Honey Bear(Rita Moreno). As she emphatically states, she's not Cheyenne, who destroyed her native village. Tonio treats her well, thus she sticks with him, despite his perception that she is too young for him. That is, until she saves him from an Indian attacker. Thereafter, he's more accepting of her. Rita provides a beautiful impish presence, being more charismatic than blond Peggy Castle. ....One aspect of the story that doesn't come across as tenable is Major Ives' eventual desperate claim that he is part Cheyenne(and thus should be spared by the Cheyenne, out for vengeance). ....This B&W B western has a cheesy feel to it, but is generally acceptable entertainment. See it on YouTube.... Besides Major Ives, there is another villain on the European side in Peter Graves, as Sawyer. Along with his 2 buddies, he was a gold prospector, presumably on Cheyenne land. They were attacked by Cheyenne, and his one buddy got an arrow to the chest. Sawyer brought him to the army camp. While other's weren't looking, he drove the arrow deeper into his chest, killing him. He later admitted he killed his other partner for the gold. He met his end trying to escape into the bush with his sack of gold, where an Indian was hiding.

romanorum1 As rugged Indian scout Adam Reed (Rory Calhoun) rides in the open country of Utah towards a US Cavalry outpost, he is stopped by his close friend, Cheyenne warrior Fire Knife (Lee Van Cleef). Fire Knife gives Reed a yellow tomahawk to give to the outpost commandant, Major Ives whom he and Chief Red Cloud call a "butcher" and hold mainly responsible for the Massacre at Sand Creek. That site is a real historical event (1864) where the US Cavalry killed over 100 Indians, most of whom were women and children. The yellow tomahawk is a warning – more than the Cavalry gave earlier to the Indian – for the soldiers to clear out of the planned future fort or face the consequences. The soldiers will be allowed to depart peacefully.On his way to the military encampment, Reed spots blonde and nubile Kate Bolden (Peggy Castle) bathing and swimming in a pond. They briefly exchange words; Kate tells him that she's from Boston. At the post, arrogant commander Ives (Warner Anderson) is adamant: he has no intention of leaving, even though the encampment is in Cheyenne territory. No lover of the Indian, Ives believes that the red men are dangerous to civilization. Ives gives women (and children) a choice whether to leave for Ft. Ellis or remain. Orders are given for the men to fortify the position. When preparations are being made, Reed tells Master Sergeant Bandini (Dan Riss) that advance pickets should be placed on the hills, and that not all of the men should be placed behind the barricades. Bandini agrees but explains to Reed that he is resigned to taking orders, whether he agrees or not. The Indians soon attack, and Ives' faulty tactics manifest themselves. When the violence ends there are only nine survivors: the major, a corporal, a private, a Mexican Indian scout Tonio (Reed's friend, Noah Beery Jr.), Tonio's Indian girlfriend Honey Bear (a lovely Rita Moreno), an army engineer/surveyor, a slimy prospector (Peter Graves) who has murdered his two partners for gold, blonde Kate, and Reed. Now the survivors must make the dangerous trek to Ft. Ellis and safety. Reed wants to keep the major alive at all costs so that he can stand trial (court martial) for provoking an Indian war. Along the way, their numbers will shrink, as will those of the attacking Indians. When Reed and Fire Knife have a parlay, the latter says he will let the dwindling survivors leave peacefully, except for Ives. Reed cannot accept this condition. So the trek continues until the inevitable conclusion.Director Lesley Selander has directed a nice, very well-paced western. The actors are well-cast, and are given an above average script. Some sympathy is given to the Indians, who are defending their tribal lands from encroachment. There are two twists at the end that involve Major Ives; they will not be revealed here. The western was shot in Technicolor but released to television in black and white.

Michael O'Keefe Feels just like Saturday afternoon at the movies. The ever popular Rory Calhoun plays Adam Reed, a Wyoming Indian scout, who has a strong bond with Fireknife(Lee Van Cleef), a Cheyenne warrior. Against a treaty with the Indians, the army decides to build a fort on their land. Reed is caught between both sides, but as predicted ends up in a vicious fight to the finish with Fireknife. The fetching Peggie Castle plays Calhoun's love interest. On the lighter side Noah Berry Jr. plays a Mexican that scouts for the army and falls in love with a beautiful Indian girl Honey Bear(Rita Moreno).This almost forgotten B western features a star-studded supporting cast: Peter Graves, Warner Anderson, James Best, Ned Glass and Robert Bray. Thank you Encore Westerns channel.

BOB L'ALOGE An Indian scout warns the settlers around the army post they are in danger from Indians and he is proved right. Twenty-seven year old Castle fills out her tight-fitting shirt and jeans and makes her presence known as she breaks her engagement with an army officer and falls for Calhoun--who, as a scout, rescues her and the commander after the raid. But the rescue is only temporarily as, on their way to the nearest fort, they are attacked again by Indians led by Lee Van Cleef. He and his fellow Indians want the commander for what he did at Sand Creek. It was there, in history, that the Federal army slaughtered Indian women and children without giving them a chance to surrender. Calhoun wants to keep him alive and take him to the fort for court-martial so to help stop future slaughter of Indians.It's a typical 50's Western but one of the good ones--perhaps because of Rory Calhoun (who was always good) or Peggy Castle who made cowboys glad they were men. Or both!