Another Western starring Jeff Chandler as a man trying to make peace between Indians and whites, despite the efforts of hot headed Indians and nasty arms traders (where would liberal Western filmmakers be without nasty whites selling arms and stealing horses?). The difference this time is Chandler doesn't play an Indian, but rather a cowboy - a doctor.
What makes this especially interesting is that it's set during the Civil War, and involves Southern sympathisers trying to whip up Indians to fight the union. A Southern general is an Indian, which is kind of weird, but fascinating - there's a scene where his black servant makes a mistake and the general thumps him, making this one of the few Civil War tales from this era to (a) feature a black character (even if he's only in the movie for a short bit) and (b) refer to the racism of the South. Chandler has to prove his down with the Injuns by taking a beating, then impresses him by preaching the Union doctrine of racial equality.
I'd love to know how historically accurate this was - the real life character Red Cloud has a support role as does real life Cherokee Confederate General Stand Waite - but I'm presuming Universal followed their usual practice of plundering history for a few names and characters and letting their imagination do the rest. Faith Domergue plays one of the most liberated film heroines in 50s Universal stories - in addition to being beautiful and loving Chandler and all that, she's also a top rider, who has a job (selling horses) and holds her own with men. Lyle Bettger does his usual solid job as a hard arse villain.
Maybe three stars is a bit too much for a film which is full of formula elements - peace loving hero, wronged Indians going on warpath, etc - but it has enough points of difference to make me enjoy this. I especially liked how it actually took a political stand with the South.
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