A cavalry officer, the sole survivor of an Indian attack, and a wagon load of prisoners travel through hostile Indian country.A cavalry officer, the sole survivor of an Indian attack, and a wagon load of prisoners travel through hostile Indian country.A cavalry officer, the sole survivor of an Indian attack, and a wagon load of prisoners travel through hostile Indian country.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
Max Showalter
- Phillip Scott
- (as Casey Adams)
Judy Strangis
- Susan
- (as Judy Stranges)
Scott Betenson
- Minor Role
- (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey
- Narrator
- (uncredited)
Roger Wagner Chorale
- Offscreen Chorus
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
10bux
Not as routine as it may sound-a cavalry captain and a wagon load of prisoners join forces on a trek through hostile Indian country. Fine acting from a strong cast, tight direction, and a rousing musical score make this one good fun.
Dragoon Wells Massacre is a rare gem. I can say rare, because there are only 11 people commenting on it. The good news is it can now be found on YouTube. There are two characters that stand out. Mona Freeman ( Ann) and Sebastian Cabot ( Jonah). I simply hated these characters ( but for different reasons). Ann because she is a miserable woman always complaining, and Jonah because he is a nasty, evil murdering coward who sells guns and whiskey to the Indians. What makes the movie is the scenery, music and suspense. It is really a 10 Little Indians type story where various people are thrown together and it is a question who survives and who gets killed. The most interesting characters are two who are paired off together. Captain Matt Riordan ( Dennis O'Keefe), the only soldier who survived an Indian massacre and Maria Fay ( Katy Jurado) a Mexican woman who you strongly suspect is a prostitute. These two prove the old adage correct. "Opposites Attract." The question remains: Who survives and who dies ( besides Jonah obviously)? That is why you watch: To find out. I would like to rate this movie higher: Very good instead of just good, but I can't because of Mona Freeman she ruins things. 7/10 stars.
I may as well say at the outset that I am biased toward this movie. I liked westerns as a teenager and I liked westerns movies in color with recognizable actors. As an older fellow I now like mostly black and white movies westerns included. I stumbled on the production company filming this movie while on vacation with my folks in southern Utah desert in the summer of 1956. Iwas able to wander around the location and Stayed to watch about four takes of a two shot involving Okeefe and Cabot. After waiting eight months I saw the movie and a local theater and found the plot to be far more complex than most. This is not a run-of-the-mill 50s, one hero type, Western. I recommend it to anyone who likes some character development and appreciates the product of some of the good talents offered by Hollywood both in front of and behind the camera. I would like to find it on DVD.
Monogram Pictures changed its name to Allied Artists in an effort to change its image from that of a cheap B-studio. For the most part, it didn't really work. Allied Artists' product suffered from the same deficiencies that Monogram's did: shoddy production values, lesser talent--both in front of and behind the cameras--and a lack of originality in its stories. This film, however, does not fall into that mold. While the story--survivors of an Indian attack make their way across the desert to safety--may seem trite, what is done with it isn't. Director Harold D. Schuster, a former editor, is hardly a household name, but he has made several tight little B pictures (1954's "Loophole" is a first-rate film-noir thriller about a bank teller framed for a robbery), and this is one of them. Dennis O'Keefe does a very good job as a cavalry officer who survives an Indian attack, and must lead a disparate group to safety across the desert. They come across a group of traders who aren't exactly what they seem to be, and must band together with them for mutual protection. Jack Elam plays a gunfighter who isn't quite what he seems to be, either. There's a good musical score, Schuster handles the action scenes quite well, and there are some interesting plot twists. Altogether, a well-paced, intriguing little western, highly recommended.
Thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Many twists and turns. Wonderfully acted, written and filmed.
I kept saying "Gol this is a good movie".
Such a nice surprise when some reviews are not favorable.
Great character developments on many actors.
Beautiful scenery too.
Great mixture of recognizable actors. All of them do their best to put forth their stories.
I always enjoy Jack Elam in any movie. He did not disappoint in this movie.
Well worth sitting down with a bowl of popcorn and enjoying the ride.
Nice to hear a line about American Indians not being treated fairly.
Great direction and filming which captures the intriguing surroundings of the southwest.
I kept saying "Gol this is a good movie".
Such a nice surprise when some reviews are not favorable.
Great character developments on many actors.
Beautiful scenery too.
Great mixture of recognizable actors. All of them do their best to put forth their stories.
I always enjoy Jack Elam in any movie. He did not disappoint in this movie.
Well worth sitting down with a bowl of popcorn and enjoying the ride.
Nice to hear a line about American Indians not being treated fairly.
Great direction and filming which captures the intriguing surroundings of the southwest.
Did you know
- GoofsAbout an hour into the movie they come across a cabin where a little girl is found. The cabin is made of large logs, yet it is situated on a plain without a tree in sight.
- How long is Dragoon Wells Massacre?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime
- 1h 28m(88 min)
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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