Column South

Westerns that feature a cavalry theme don't hold much attraction for me but this one managed to hold my attention. It has an above average story by William Sackheim that helps - an above average and hard working cast, with above average photography by D.O.P. the Award nominated Charles P. Boyle (Anchors Aweigh '45)

The DVD copy I was given by a friend is from the Umbrella series: Six Shooter Classics (they really must do something about that silly marketing title). Universal originally used the magnificent IB Technicolor process for this film but this disc is well below average (compared with Umbrella's earlier 'Tumble Weed' that looked perfect). Sound transfer is also below standard. Robert Sterling ('Roughshod' '49) is good as the Fort Commander, with good support from Ray Collins, Greg Palmer (Lee) and Joan Evans. Dennis Weaver does very well as the Indian chief with his motley Hollywood tribe. Music is mostly from the Universal stock library and offers little help. Audie Murphy is reliable as always in his way. Veteran director Frederick De Cordova keeps things moving and probably helped with the good dialogue (as he was known to do). Have certainly seen far worse.

Column South is directed by Frederick de Cordova and written by William Sackheim. It stars Audie Murphy, Joan Evans, Robert Sterling, Dennis Weaver and Ray Collins. Music is scored by Joseph Gershenson and photography by Charles P. Boyle.

The Breach Between The North And South Was Rapidly Widening. A Grim Spectre Of Civil War Hovered Over The Land. It Was A Time of Crisis. . .A Time For Choosing Sides.

Story essentially involves Jed Sayre (Murphy), a friend to the local Navajo Indians, relinquishing his command of Fort Union to Captain Lee Whitlock (Sterling), who after arriving with his sister Marcy (Evans), demands changes to how the Fort is run and expects Jed to end his friendship with the Navajo. When a prospector is discovered murdered it is presumed the Navajo are the guilty party, so setting in wheels in motion for Jed to try and quell the impending war with the Indians and thus having to fight his friend Menguito (Weaver) In the mixer is the impending Civil War, with deserters, traitors and political shenanigans at HQ also taking a hand in proceedings. While Jed and Marcy dance around the inevitable with their love/hate relationship.

In spite of dangling some interesting narrative threads, Column South sadly doesn't rise above being a routine Cavalry Vs Indians Western. But it's never dull and Murphy fans get the usual committed performance. What is of most interest here is the location for the shoot, shot in Apple Valley, California, it's an appealing Oater location with its surrounding hills and craggy rocks that are formed down in the valley. To my knowledge, Apple Valley was only used in one other Western film, Richard Carlson's Four Guns to the Border in 1954, which is a shame because as I say, it's both a looker and carries a harsh edge that some of the great Western movie photographers really could have done great work with.

As it is, Column South is better than average, and certainly an easy film to while away the time with. But the running time doesn't allow the interesting factors in the story to get expanded, thus leaving the film with unfulfilled potential. 6/10

I do not know much about Director Frederick de Cordova but his oversight of COLUMN SOUTH failed to impress me: pedestrian cinematography, plot with a McGuffin (a letter from the fort commander apparently meant to remove the US forces from the fort and allow Navajo Indians to take over... uh?!) and a cast of then unknowns like Dennis Weaver as Menguito, the Navajo leader, and a rather plain-faced Joan Evans.

Thankfully, Audie Murphy saves the film with yet another spirited performance: while kissing Evans, he hears a snake (sounded like a rattlesnake but turned out to be some black reptile that looked suspiciously rubbery), kills it with with a handbag (!), out of which drops the McGuffin letter given by the fort commander. Murphy then has an inkling that that letter might carry dangerous tidings but he does not hesitate to risk court martial by opening and reading it, thereby confirming his worst suspicions.

At that point Murphy's resourcefulness emerges as he goes into the fort's arms depot tunnel, attaches fuses to dynamite and proceeds to blow the occupying Indians to bits - he really puts his shoulder to the wheel and thinks faster than anyone else!

Once the dust settled on the happy ending, I wondered whether I'll remember this film for any length of time (doubt it). 6/10.

This movie's would have been much better in black and white.All of the canvas painting of backgrounds would have looked a little bit real... maybe? It had to be tough on Murphy playing a fake soldier. I imagine the actors were in awe standing beside of the most decorated soldier in War World Two. Murphy's baby face always made it difficult for him to be taken serious as an actor. A real life liberal who was playing mostly conservative characters. This film is just a simple western in which the studios used Murphy to draw an audience. John Wayne was always in demand but I never could see why he, Wayne, who, to the surprise of many, avoided the draft while Murphy volunteered and was only 19 years old when he was given medals for his valor. Murphy died broke in a plane crash without ever reaching the stardom he deserved.

An Audie Murphy Western from 1953. Murphy plays a cavalry officer stationed at a fort just before the outset of the Civil War. He is adept w/dealing w/the Navajos particularly the leader named Menguito, played by Dennis Weaver of TV's McCloud fame, but he continues to butt heads w/his superior officer, a transplant from the old South who has recently been joined by his self-righteous sister who has an axe to grind w/any natives (a telling episode occurs when the scout of the base is seen at her window & she raises holy hell). The noose is tightened when a shipment of rifles goes missing & the military higher-ups suspect the Navajos of the theft so Murphy dejectedly conducts an investigation, finds the missing arms & orders Menguito & his tribe to a reservation but Murphy suspects foul play & as his suspicions are deepened, a more insidious plot asserts itself putting all parties on the road to an inevitable clash. More heft is given to this particular story-line then the majority of Murphy's oater output & this one ranks as one of his best which deftly fuses action, drama & racism in a well told package. Along for the ride are Russell Johnson & James Best as Murphy's subordinates & a special mention should go to Joan Evans who's portrayal of an uptight bigot who changes her ways is very vivid & telling.