Arrow in the Dust

A devotee of westerns I have watched some classics and disasters. Arrow in the Dust wasn't offensively bad but it does lack in most areas.

A great western will have a great lead/s that you can root for or rally against. They hunt down the killer, complete the impossible drive or defend the town/farm/girl etc.

Hayden lacks the charisma (in this film) to make you care about the cause and the supporting cast don't really fill you with a need to want them to get to safety.

You feel indifference.

The film has some good action along with some poor scenarios, the outcome being a sense of ho-hum.

Watch it but be warned it won't stir your emotions :)

In this western Sterling Hayden has more or less the same role that Glenn Ford had in MAN FROM ALAMO, a deserter seeking to redeem himself. So, you see, this is not that new but still worth watching, and a not so bad movie from western specialist Lesley Selander, but not at the scale of SHOTGUN, my favourite and his best for me, who saw so many of his movies. This one however takes its promises in terms of action, excellent atmosphere. So, you can watch it without any problem, despite the predictable scheme, Sterling Hayden does more than his job, you won't be deceived. Lee Van Cleef in an early role as a supporting villain.

Arrow in the Dust is directed by Lesley Selander and adapted to screenplay by Don Martin from the L. L. Foreman novel. It stars Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Keith Larson, Tom Tully and Tudour Owen. Music is by Marlin Skiles and Technicolor cinematography by Ells W. Carter.

Bart Laish (Hayden) is an army deserter, a gambler and a killer, but soon he is going to get a shot at redemption...

It's all very formulaic in plotting, yet there's some thought gone into the screenplay, whilst Selander wastes no chances to keep things brisk by inserting another finely constructed action sequence. Laish (a typically robust Hayden) finds himself in command of a wagon train, with soldiers and civilians, all now looking to him to stave off the wave after wave of Indian attacks, which interestingly sees the Pawnee and the Apache teaming up.

Naturally there's trouble in the camp, not only via some suspicious business men whose motives will reveal a key narrative thrust, but also by way of Gray's Christella Burke. She wanders in from some Estée Lauder advertisement (we don't care, we love 50s Westerns!), and pulses quicken for protagonist and viewers alike. Thematically the narrative is honourable, with decent amounts of angst and tortured heroics. There's some nifty war tactics, plenty of splendid gun play, and of course there's a human redemptive beat pulsing away - just begging to be found?

There's the usual "B" Western issues, such as weakly choreographed fighting between man versus man, dummies being flung over cliffs, and some average acting in support slots (not Lee Van Cleef, though, who is pottering around with menace). However, the Burro Flats location filming is beautifully photographed - in sync with Skiles' genre compliant score, while Hayden does enjoyable stern backed machismo, which plays off of Gray's sensuality perfectly, and Tully does grizzle to actually provide the film's best performance.

One for fans of this era of Western genre film making. Not a waste of time. Good show. 6.5/10

A Fine Actor, Sterling Hayden, seems to be Broken by the Blacklist, and is at His Worst in this almost Incompetent Western. The other Cast Members are not that good either.

The Indians, with Blankets not Covering Up the Fact that They didn't use Saddles, are only On Screen for the Killing, and are Never Shown in Close-Up, making Them Disposable and Less than Human. "You know what Indians do to Women and Children.", is a Line in the Awful Screenplay.

The Battles are Frantic and Bullet Ridden with a few Arrows Flying and couple Landing in the Dust to Justify the Title. Overall, a rushed and Routine, Low-Budget 50's Western (as if We needed more of those in the Decade).

This will be an Embarrassment to Sterling Hayden Fans and despite the occasional good shot of Colorful Scenery, it is easily Forgettable.

The use of stock footage and uninspired acting and direction make this a very slow, routine western effort. Despite the cast (Hayden, Larson) this one is just too predictable to suffer through. And yet, in spite of it's failings, it often appears on TV while better efforts rot in a can somewhere. Go figure.