“Unfortunately the War Department does not reward courage. Just results.” – Col. Frank Marston
Number of Times Seen – 1 (11 Nov 2021)
Brief Synopsis – Three trappers are ambushed by Indians and seek refuge at a nearby Army post.
My Take on it – This is an intriguing idea about the kind of things people would do when stranded at an outpost far from civilization.
The cast is superb with Victor Mature, James Whitmore, Robert Preston and Anne Bancroft all doing nice jobs with the kind of characters they are given.
Each have different viewpoints on how things should be done and the clashes help make the story more thrilling.
The problem here is that the plot itself feels far too thin and instead of giving something more gripping and thrilling, we end up getting something far more ‘by the book’ which constantly feels too shallow and simple.
The interactions with the Indians are fine, but these are also scenes that could have been presented in a much better way that will add to the suspense of it all.
The setting is set up quite well and they give the viewer the feeling that this outpost is extremely far away from any kind of reinforcements or even a higher ranking officer who could help steer the situation in more profound ways.
The dialogue is fine, but some of the delivery feels a bit too wooden for its own good.
The romance aspect of the story doesn’t feel real enough and that also takes away from things too much.
MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – James Whitmore plays Victor Mature’s father figure and helped raise him, in the film, despite the fact that Mature was actually eight years older than Whitmore. (From IMDB)
Rating – BAFTA Worthy (5/10)
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