A Distant Trumpet

Raoul Walsh's last movie and a western at that! He produced unforgettable classics of the genre such as " Colorado's territory" and "pursued ".

The movie suffers from a desultory script which mixes the Indian's plight with bland love affairs.The lead,Troy Donahue ,lacks charisma and is not very credible as a tough lieutenant .Diane McBain is as expressive as a Barbie Doll ,and only Suzanne Pleshette rises to the occasion.

There's a good use of the wide screen,a superb score by Max Steiner (with trumpets),a general who loves Latin quotations Julius Ceasar style (Veni Vidi Vici) That said,there's never a dull moment with Raoul Walsh .This is not his best or among his best ,but it's always good value.

Bringing closure to the Apache hostilities on the Arizona frontier is the subject of this cavalry-Indian dust-up. William Clothier's wide screen CinemaScope camera captures the colorful vistas and expanses of the southwest where the battles take place. The casting of the picture is somewhat off-beat, from the heroic Matthew Hazard to the Latin-quoting General Alexander Upton Quait and finally, and tragically, to the cowardly Private Cranshaw. The Indian scouts serve the cavalry with bravery and dignity while their wild and fierce brethren ride the warpath a final time to hold on to their way of life. There is also a romantic triangle that complicates matters at the post. Director Raoul Walsh, an old hand at action westerns, serves up several Indian-trooper clashes and Max Steiner contributes a very nice score that is reminiscent of his earlier music in John Ford's legendary westerns.

A majestically simple Cavalry Western concerning the savage and stirring story of the last of the Great Indian Wars . Dealing with West Point graduate Lt. Hazard : Troy Donahue taking on lax discipline , a loving triangle : Suzanne Pleshette , Diane McBain , and eventually fighting brave Indians in impressive battles . Pulitzer Prize Winner Paul Hogan's epic novel of Indians and Indian-fighters !

Raoul Walsh's last movie saddled with a regular storyline but with vivid pacing and action enough . Decent Western emerging as a sweeeping and spectacular cavalry story with noisy action , thrills , emotion and breathtaking battles . It displays astounding massacres before introducing the ordinary liberal message of the Sixties . An enjoyable cavalry and Indians film in which Raoul Walsh letting them to speak their own language , by using subtitles on screen . A little reminiscent of John Ford trilogy : "Fort Apache , She wore yellow ribbon, Río Grande" , in mood and manner. Although , the film relies heavily on the romantic complicaciones among three protagonists . Main and support cast are acceptable. Troy Donahue gives a colourless acting as the stiff-uper-lip officer , while Suzanne Pleshette and Diane McLean play well as his beautiful lovers . Along with the familiar secondaries as William Reynolds , Claude Akins , Kent Smith , Larry Ward , Russell Johnson and especial mention for James Gregory as the proud Maj. General Alexander Quaint .

It is brilliantly and colorfull photographed by William Clothier . Rousing and moving musical score by the classic Max Steiner , including attractive leitmotif . The motion picture was competently directed by Raoul Walsh. The laconic mastery here denies the aacusations of decline levelled at Walsh , even if many of his later movies were disappointing . Raoul Walsh was a prolific filmmaker who made a lot of films in all kinds of genres with penchant for adventures, Noir Film and Western , outstanding the following ones : " The Thief of Bagdag , Big Trail , The Roaring Twenties , They Drive By Night, Dark Command , They Died With boots On , Strawberry Blonde , High Sierra , Gentleman Jim, Desperate Journey, Northern Pursuit, , Background to Dager , Uncertain Glory , Objetivo Burma, Pursued, Silver River , The Enforcer, Distant Drums , White Heat , Along the Great Divide , The World in his Arms , The Lawless Bread , Blackbeard , Sea Devils , A Lion in the Streets , Gun Fury, Band of Angels The Tall Men The Naked and the Dead , Esther and the King" and many others .

Troy Donahue and Warner Bros had a great collaboration starting with "A Summer Place" and following with "Parrish" "Susan Slade" "Rome Adventure" and "Palm Springs Weekend" where Troy was always first billed over stars such as Claudette Colbert, Karl Marlden and Angie Dickinson, etc. Jack Warner obviously decided it was time to ramp up the Troy Donahue films and assigned veteran and legendary director Raoul Walsh who directed many of Warner Bros. greatest stars such as Errol Flynn in this rousing action drama. In addition William Clothier another stalwart professional of great films was the Cinematographer. First rate Warner Bros. production values and great action scenes crafted by Raoul Walsh, and some fine acting by a cast of supporting players makes this a fine film to watch anytime. Thumping Max Steiner score is tops.

Warners in the 1960's had a large group of fine contract players and Jack Warner slotted them in major Warner Bros films when he could so look here for Diane McBain and William Reynolds -both WB contract players- in this film. For Diane McBain this was her second film with Troy Donahue after "Parrish" and Suzanne Pleshette who married Troy Donahue after "Rome Adventure" is also cast.Very effective western with a splendid rousing memorable Max Steiner score.

This may have started out as an "A" production and its visual elements are certainly first-rate. The ever-reliable William Clothier contributes sparkling color photography which fills the wide-screen with some of the most impressive vistas you're ever likely to see in a western. Unfortunately, by casting Troy Donahue in the lead role, Warner Bros. indicated it was relegating this production to "B" status, and the result is just another cavalry-and-Indians movie. Suzanne Pleshette shows promise as "Kitty" but it's hard to do good work when one's leading man is of the Ken-doll variety. Diane McBain has little to work with as the fiancee and merely adds to the feeling that "A Distant Trumpet" is a spin-off from Warner Bros. stable of TV westerns. At least the cavalry soldiers actually get dusty in this movie, and there's a good scene of Bobby Bare being branded on the back for cowardice.