A Distant Trumpet

This last Raoul Walsh film has to be assigned the status of a hot mess but since it is a Walshian mess there are, of course, some nuggets to be found within the detritus. Chief among these is one of the finest cavalry/Indian battle scenes you are likely to see, a nearly fifteen minute affair complete with well orchestrated charges, strategic retreats, feints and ambuscades. Nice to see this finest of action directors go out with at least one great action sequence under his belt. Also notable are good performances from Suzanne Pleshette and James Gregory. Plus, the Arizona location shooting is awesome (thinking especially of those extensive, terraced rapids next to War Eagle's camp). And Max Steiner's half stirring, half mocking musical score, one of HIS very last, rises to the occasion, as well.

Because I am a huge Walsh fan I will deal with the two main flaws as quickly as I can and assign them to others. One is a florid, clunky screenplay with a too hasty and historically inaccurate denouement and stiff, melodramatic dialogue from messers John Twist (known mostly for gal weepies and it shows), Richard Fielder and Albert Beicht. The other is Troy Donahue's performance in the lead. Put simply, it sucks. When he's with good thesps like Pleshette and Gregory you don't notice as much but when he's paired with a similarly crappy actor like Diane McBain it's like watching rejected scenes from "Surfside 6".

Bottom line: If you're a Walsh fan you'll like it, if you're a Pleshette fan you'll put up with it and if you're a Donahue fan, may I suggest therapy? Give it a C plus.

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.

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.

Is that a western from Lesley Selander, Sidney Salkow, or what? I can't believe that this however good western is from the fabulous Raoul Walsh, his last stand by the way. His last film. Let's be fair, it's a good western, but it's for Walsh the metaphor of THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON, Custer 's last stand. But Errol Flynn is dead now, and Raoul Walsh's career faded out. So sad. The last film of a director is always touching for me. But imagine Troy Donahue as the lead in a Raoul Walsh's film...I did not weep but I feel some grief inside of me. But if you have not seen it yet, don't miss it. Imagine you are watching a Lesley Selander, Gordon Douglas or Sidney Salkow's western; the latest gave us SITTING BULL and GREAT SIOUX MASSACRE during the same period.