Tomahawk (1951)
(Battle of Powder River)
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor 82m
Director: George Sherman
Cast: Van Heflin, Yvonne De Carlo, Alex Nicol, Susan Cabot, Jack Oakie
Synopsis:
A cavalry scout attempts to mediate between his own people and the oft-betrayed Sioux nation, but is distracted by an Indian hunter turned cavalry officer who threatens to destabilize a fragile peace.
Review:
The sort of film that no doubt inspired Costner's Dances with Wolves, this begins impressively with a peace conference in which a fair amount of Sioux is spoken, and the South Dakota locations do a fair job of passing for Wyoming. However, it is let down by plot melodramatics and a militarily unconvincing final battle (the whole point about breech-loaded rifles being faster to reload is lost if the Sioux chief waits before despatching the next wave). The final straw, though, is when the worthy commentary intones that the Sioux would benefit from another thirty years of peace: it would only be eight before Little Big Horn. Interestingly, there is no love interest, since Cabot, who technically plays Heflin's sister-in-law, is clearly in possession of his heart, even if De Carlo does try.
(Battle of Powder River)
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor 82m
Director: George Sherman
Cast: Van Heflin, Yvonne De Carlo, Alex Nicol, Susan Cabot, Jack Oakie
Synopsis:
A cavalry scout attempts to mediate between his own people and the oft-betrayed Sioux nation, but is distracted by an Indian hunter turned cavalry officer who threatens to destabilize a fragile peace.
Review:
The sort of film that no doubt inspired Costner's Dances with Wolves, this begins impressively with a peace conference in which a fair amount of Sioux is spoken, and the South Dakota locations do a fair job of passing for Wyoming. However, it is let down by plot melodramatics and a militarily unconvincing final battle (the whole point about breech-loaded rifles being faster to reload is lost if the Sioux chief waits before despatching the next wave). The final straw, though, is when the worthy commentary intones that the Sioux would benefit from another thirty years of peace: it would only be eight before Little Big Horn. Interestingly, there is no love interest, since Cabot, who technically plays Heflin's sister-in-law, is clearly in possession of his heart, even if De Carlo does try.
(Battle of Powder River)
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor 82m
Director: George Sherman
Cast: Van Heflin, Yvonne De Carlo, Alex Nicol, Susan Cabot, Jack Oakie
Synopsis:
A cavalry scout attempts to mediate between his own people and the oft-betrayed Sioux nation, but is distracted by an Indian hunter turned cavalry officer who threatens to destabilize a fragile peace.
Review:
The sort of film that no doubt inspired Costner's Dances with Wolves, this begins impressively with a peace conference in which a fair amount of Sioux is spoken, and the South Dakota locations do a fair job of passing for Wyoming. However, it is let down by plot melodramatics and a militarily unconvincing final battle (the whole point about breech-loaded rifles being faster to reload is lost if the Sioux chief waits before despatching the next wave). The final straw, though, is when the worthy commentary intones that the Sioux would benefit from another thirty years of peace: it would only be eight before Little Big Horn. Interestingly, there is no love interest, since Cabot, who technically plays Heflin's sister-in-law, is clearly in possession of his heart, even if De Carlo does try.