Unconquered (1947)

58% of users liked it
(343 ratings)

Cecil B. DeMille's first postwar production, the $5 million Technicolor historical spectacular Unconquered lacks only the kitchen sink. The story begins in England in the 1760s, as Abigail Martha Hale (Paulette Goddard), unjustly accused of a crime against the Crown, is sentenced by the Lord Chief… More Cecil B. DeMille's first postwar production, the $5 million Technicolor historical spectacular Unconquered lacks only the kitchen sink. The story begins in England in the 1760s, as Abigail Martha Hale (Paulette Goddard), unjustly accused of a crime against the Crown, is sentenced by the Lord Chief Justice (C. Aubrey Smith) to 14 years' forced servitude in North America. Carted off to the auction block, Abigail is highly coveted by slavemaster Martin Garth (Howard da Silva), but the highest bidder turns out to be Virginia militiaman Captain Christopher Holden (Gary Cooper). Having been jilted by his aristocratic fiancee Diana (Virginia Grey), Holden harbors no romantic feelings for Abigail, but he's determined not to let her fall into Garth's grimy clutches. The patriotic Holden also knows that Garth, who is married to the daughter (Katherine de Mille) of Indian chief Pontiac (Robert Warwick), has been trading firearms to the Ottawas. The treacherous Garth later participates in the "Pontiac Conspiracy," an allegiance of 18 Indian nations forsworn to wipe out every colonist on the East Coast. To put Holden out of the way, Garth arranges for him to be court-martialed and sentenced to death on a trumped-up desertion charge. But Abigail, partly in repayment for her rescue from Seneca chief Guyasuta (Boris Karloff) and partly because she's fallen in love with Holden, helps him escape, just in time to save a nearby military fort from an Indian massacre -- a feat accomplished by a subterfuge straight out of Beau Geste, which also starred Gary Cooper! As historically suspect as any Cecil B. DeMille epic, Unconquered is still marvelous escapist entertainment, especially during the time-honored bathtub scene involving a bare-shouldered Paulette Goddard (who spends most of the film in either a state of dishabille or bondage, or both!) Once again, however, Mr. "Spare No Expense" DeMille cuts corners by filming most of his major exterior scenes within the artificial confines of the Paramount sound stages. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 26 min.
Directed By: Cecil B. DeMille
Written By: Charles Bennett, Fredric M. Frank, Jesse Lasky
Genres: Western, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Sep 24, 1947 Wide
On DVD: May 22, 2007

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
There are no special features in the new DVD edition (part of Universal Classics 2, June 2007), other than an introduction by TCM host Robert Osborne; other titles in the collection are Scarface (1932), No Man of Her Own, and So Proudly We Hail.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
You don't expect from DeMille logic or accuracy as the showman is notorious for preposterous spectacles such as this expensive historic epic whose appeal rests on Cooper's masculine image and Paulette Goddard's sexiness shown in a bathtub or torture stake
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
The DVD provides a colourful picture in the movie's original non-widescreen format.
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
By 1947, Cecil B. DeMille and the movie studios should have known better that to paint a picture of Native Americans as stupid, bloodthirsty, depraved rapists and murderers.

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Featured Audience Ratings

moon r

Big and loud it's Cecil B. Demille, like a drunk braggert uncle at a family holiday gathering. And this time he's on about manifest destiny and how Native Americans deserved to be divested of their home and life. Oy. Coop is solid as ever but its the supporting cast… More
Big and loud it's Cecil B. Demille, like a drunk braggert uncle at a family holiday gathering. And this time he's on about manifest destiny and how Native Americans deserved to be divested of their home and life. Oy. Coop is solid as ever but its the supporting cast that's the show here. Look for the great Karloff as a sullen Indian chief.
jay n

Typical DeMille starts out promisingly but goes on too long but still kind of fun.

Cast

            Gary Cooper as Capt. Christopher Holden

            Paulette Goddard as Abby Hale

            Howard Da Silva as Martin Garth

            Boris Karloff as Guyasuta Chief of the Senecas

            Ward Bond as John Fraser

            Katherine De Mille as Hannah

            Cecil Kellaway as Jeremy Love

            Richard Gaines as Col. George Washington

            Porter Hall as Leach

            Marc Lawrence I as Sioto medicine man

            Mike Mazurki as Dave Bone

            Gavin Muir as Lt. Fergus McKenzie

            Alan Napier as Sir William Johnson

            Jane Nigh as Evelyn

            C. Aubrey Smith as Lord Chief Justice

            Victor Varconi as Capt. Simeon Ecuyer

            Henry Wilcoxon as Capt. Steele

            Dorothy Adams as Mrs. Bront

            Mimi Aguglia
            
            Eddie Albert as Mermaid barker

            Eric Alden
            
            Erville Alderson
            
            Richard Alexander as Slave

            Lloyd Bridges as Lt. Hutchins

            Lex Barker as Loyal American Officer

            Griff Barnett as Brother Andrews

            Paul E. Burns as Dan McCoy

            Virginia Campbell as Mrs. John Fraser

            Leonard Carey as Jeremiah Dixon

            Lane Chandler
            
            Chief John Big Tree
            
            Chief Thundercloud as Chief Killbuck

            Davison Clark as Mr. Carroll

            Iron Eyes Cody as Red Corn

            Jeff Corey
            
            Edgar Dearing
            
            Claire Du Brey
            
            Fernanda Eliscu
            
            Julia Faye as Widow Swivens

            Al Ferguson
            
            Byron Foulger as Townsman

            Greta Granstedt
            
            Virginia Grey as Diana

            Karolyn Grimes
            
            William Haade
            
            Frank S. Hagney
            
            Chuck Hamilton
            
            Raymond Hatton as Venango Scout

            Rose Higgins
            
            Olaf Hytten
            
            Si Jenks as Farmer

            Noble Johnson as Big Ottawa indian

            Tiny Jones as Bondswoman

            George Kirby as Charles Mason

            Fred Kohler Jr. as Sergeant

            Bob Kortman as Frontiersman

            Anna Lehr
            
            John Merton as Corporal

            Charles B. Middleton as Mulligan

            John Miljan as Prosecutor

            Belle Mitchell
            
            Art Mix as Citizen

            William Murphy
            
            Clarence Muse as Jason

            John Mylong as Col. Henry Bouquet

            Ottola Nesmith
            
            Inez Palange
            
            Hugh Prosser as Soldier

            Constance Purdy
            
            Buddy Roosevelt as Guard

            Sid Saylor as Spieler for Dr. Diablo

            Jay Silverheels as Indian

            Nan Sunderland as Mrs. Pratt

            Ray Teal as Soldier--Gilded Beaver

            Oliver Thorndike as Lt. Baillie

            Ethel Wales
            
            Frank Wilcox as Richard Henry Lee

            Jeff York as Wide-Shouldered Youth

            Denver Dixon as Citizen

            Mary Field as Maggie

            Francis Ford
            
            Jack Pennick as Joe Lovat

            Robert Warwick as Pontiac Chief of the Ottawas

            June Harris
            
            Russ Conklin as Wamaultee

            Charmienne Harker
            
            Mike Kilian
            
            Isabel Cooper
            
            Sally Rawlinson
            
            Gertrude Valerie
            
See full cast