James Garner, Sidney Poitier, Bibi Andersson

Lieutenant McAllister is ordered to transport several ammunition wagons to another fort through Apache territory with only a small troop of rookie soldiers to guard them. Along for the ride is ex-scou...( read more  read more... )t Jess Remsberg who is trying to track down Ellen Grange, who, having recently been freed from Apache captivity, has mysteriously run off again to rejoin them. Remsberg frees Ellen again and leaves her with the embattled soldiers as he rides off to the fort, not only for help, but to find the man who killed and scalped his Indian wife.

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53% liked it

249 ratings

Unrated, 103 min.

Directed by: Ralph Nelson

Release Date: July 15, 1966

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DVD Release Date: May 20, 2003

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Flixster Reviews (29)


  • July 20, 2009
    Ralph Nelson gained a lot of experience as a television director in the early days. He has also teamed up with Sidney Poitier several times. I have enjoyed all of the films I've seen directed by Nelson, not as the most excellent overall piece of film work, but through the belie...( read more)vable performances he draws out of his actors.

    Andersson plays a frontier woman who was captured by the Apache. She discovers they are not savages and that their way of life is very satisfying. When she is re-kidnapped by white soldiers, her life becomes hell. As expected from this frontier culture, everyone hates or avoids her as if she's been infested with some disease from spending time with the Indians. Everyone thinks she must be a spoiled woman since the savages probably used her as a whore, including her trader husband. She makes several attempts to run back to the Apache, but they consider her a traitor because they think she went back willingly with the white people. She's caught in between these two cultures at war. A major theme of the story is universal Xenophobia. But then the chief threatens to bury her alive for being a traitor, so the Indians are shown to be more savage in the end. And to top it all off, Andersson does have a mixed baby from her time with the Apache tribe.

    The rest of the ensemble is well developed and provides the adventure and framework. Garner plays a freelance scout who often contracts with the army. He is an expert in the terrain and knows something about Apache strategy since he was married to an Indian woman. He sympathizes with Andersson and is a loner himself because he's never felt welcome in either culture. He's also out for revenge against a white man who scalped his wife. Poitier is a retired army sergeant who has taken up saddle-breaking horses for a living. He's the rare black man on the frontier who is well educated, well dressed, and well respected by almost everyone. Travers plays a Scottish Lieutenant who is charged with training some new recruits and transporting a wagon full of munitions and explosives to another fort across Apache territory. Weaver plays Andersson's husband and he has a wagon of goods he wants to trade at the other fort too. The schedule is rushed forward on this dangerous mission. So instead of heading off to the other fort ahead of the army on his revenge quest, Garner is convinced to scout for the military caravan once again. Poitier has to tag along to tame some of the wild horses on the way in order to receive the remainder of his promised pay. Travers has to deal with inexperienced troops and match military strategy with the Apache chief who is determined to get a hold of the munitions wagon for himself. Weaver, the racist, comes along for the trip as well, expecting protection and just generally causing more drama.
  • August 11, 2009
    Set in the Utah desert this is a really good Western. James Garner, Sidney Portier, Dennis Weaver and Bibi Anderson make up a fine cast for this movie. The soundtrack is also one of my favorites. If you want to see a good Western with a good plot ... I suggest this one. Plus, it'...( read more)s not your typical "John Wayne" type movie. This has a distiction all of its own.
  • December 15, 2008
    no thanks not my thing
  • November 3, 2008
    wow what a movie...i have just seen this movie 4 the 1st time ever n think that this is a good Action & Adventure, Western movie 2 watch....its got a really good cast of actors/actressess throughout this movie...its got some really horrbile scenes but this is a really good wester...( read more)n movie 2 watch the fight scenes n the gun shoot outs throughout this movie are pretty kewl as well throughout..this is a good Action & Adventure, Western movie 2 watch n its really enjoyable
  • November 3, 2008
    I've seen this good western when I was a kid and there are some horrible scenes in it. I'll never forget this western.

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