40 Guns to Apache Pass

40 GUNS TO APACHE PASS (1966) was the last starring western for war hero-turned-western star Audie Murphy, who had ended his fruitful 15-year association with Universal Pictures the previous year. Released by Columbia Pictures, it turned out to be an unfitting send-off, undercut by an extremely low budget, a talky script, and an undistinguished no-name cast (aside from Murphy and screen vet Kenneth Tobey).

The plot might have made a good western had it been accorded a bigger budget and a stronger cast. A beleaguered Arizona cavalry division harassed by Cochise and his Apache warriors is expecting a shipment of repeating rifles, which could mean the difference between life and death for Apache Wells, an outpost housing the army and surviving settlers. The weapons become the object of less-than-intense conflict involving the Cavalry, the Indians and, later, a renegade group of army deserters. Murphy plays Captain Coburn, a no-nonsense type who romances a settler's daughter (Laraine Stephens) and agrees to take her two younger brothers (Michael Blodgett, Michael Burns) into the undermanned regiment after their father is killed in an attack. A display of cowardice by the youngest brother (Burns) has dire consequences, resulting in a meandering subplot requiring his redemption.

The production values here are far less polished than one would find in a typical TV western of the time, such as "Wagon Train" or "The Virginian." The no-name performers overact and are given reams of unnecessary dialogue in order to pad out the film's running time. Frequent narration tells us things we can see for ourselves. Most of the film was shot at ordinary-looking Southern California ranch locations. All this is especially disappointing given the participation of director William Witney, a one-time action specialist at Republic Pictures, who'd been directing for 30 years at this point.

Things pick up, however, in the film's final third when Corporal Bodine (Kenneth Tobey), a vengeful ex-sergeant with a grudge against Murphy, decides he has other plans for the 40 rifles and convinces four of the remaining soldiers from the escort to accompany him. Murphy, who'd been left for dead, has to get the rifles back while Burns, the cowardly brother, has to prove himself a man. This section of the film was shot in more remote California locations which actually pass for Arizona and features a larger band of Apaches on the prowl as Murphy undertakes a holding action, guarding a pass alone with a stack of fully loaded repeating rifles. Director Witney's considerable expertise kicks in during this stretch and gives a hint of what might have been. Composer Richard LaSalle pumps things up with a rousing, if clichéd, score

Audie Murphy only appeared in two more films, both little-seen. First was the international thriller, TRUNK TO CAIRO (1966), directed by future Cannon Films mogul Menahem Golan, while his final film was the Budd Boetticher western, A TIME FOR DYING (1969), which Murphy produced and appeared in briefly as Jesse James.

Audie Murphy, the Most Decorated WWII Soldier, Including the Medal of Honor, had a Long and Successful Run in mostly Moderate Budgeted Westerns, and was a Household Name. He was a Humble Hero, Soft Spoken, but Intimidating Behind an Icy Stare.

Always Quick to Point Out that being a Good Actor was an ongoing Fight He Never Won but Never Gave Up trying, managed 44 Films, some to Box Office Glory. His Autobiographical Film, "To Hell and Back"(1955) Broke Box Office Records and Wasn't Topped for 20 Years.

In this, His Last Major Role, was Characteristic of His Real Life and Screen Persona, but the Movie itself was Anachronistic. The Vietnam War was Raging and by 1967, ironically the "Summer of Love", most Leaders within the know knew that "the Nam" was going to be a Tough War.

This Film has a "John Wayne" Attitude and a No Apologies Conceit that was Conservative.

The "Whites are the Good Guys", "Indians are the Savages", Cliché was No Longer Sell-Able and the Film Suffers from a Story-Line Best Suited in a more "Unenlightened" Time.

Murph, looking as Young as Ever but showing Signs of Body Sprawl, Delivers a Dutiful Performance. He is "Helped" by Kenneth Tobey giving a Good-Bad Guy Role and He makes the most of it and is the Film's only Interesting Element. Audie looks more Hesitant, perhaps Sensing that His Time On the Screen had Passed.

Rather than trying to Pursue other Ranging Roles Audie Murphy Retired from the Screen but Never Retired from the Hearts of Grateful Americans and Remained a Real Hero for the Rest of His Short Life.

He Died in a Plane Crash at the Age of 46. The Only Grave Receiving More Visits in Arlington is JFK.

Director William Witney is no John Ford. But it's doubtful that even the great Ford could have done anything with this lame western which has possibly one of the dullest screenplays ever written.

Saddled with bad material, it's no wonder that AUDIE MURPHY finds himself floundering about in a role that's so poorly written, he never has a chance. The actor himself admitted to being a "no talent" when it came to screen acting, and here he really gets his chance to prove it. The only other respectable performance in the film is given by KENNETH TOBEY, usually Mr. Nice, here cast as the bad guy who wants to sell rifles to the Indians and ends up in a heap of trouble when Audie decides to single-handedly take care of the situation and put Tobey and his cronies out of business. It takes more than an hour to get to this situation and by that time it's doubtful whether anyone was left watching.

Filmed in muddy color with some interesting background scenery the only thing to dwell on during long stretches of dull dialog, it's no wonder Murphy's career was in decline by the time he did this film away from his home studio, Universal. Unfortunately, a tragic plane accident took his life only a few years later.

This joke of a movie -- with terrible acting, a thin plot and cheap production values -- at least gave me a laugh once when I badly needed one. For some unaccountable reason, they sent us this movie about the cavalry to see when we were serving in the actual 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) in Vietnam.

These guys couldn't shoot straight, except for the few times when a single shot felled multiple Indians, but they also could not be wounded, even when taking cover behind the flimsiest rail fence.

So little thought went into this movie that it deserves to be ranked among the worst of all time. However, I gave it a second star because of the laughs.

A fully-fledged ninety minutes approx action Western, fast moving, tense and excitement throughout its running time. Here Audie Murphy takes on Apaches led by their chief Cochise who are on the warpath in 1868 Arizona. As Murphy as US Army captain Coburn is assigned by his Colonel to a dangerous assignment : to get a shipment of forty rifles through Indian territory . As a group of volunteers (Kenneth Tobey , Michael Burns , Brubaker , Kenneth MacDonald.. ) is formed and all of them face off a lot of risks , assaults , attacks, ambushes, treason ... Along the way, captain Coburn : Murphy gets in trouble with his beautiful girlfriend : Loraine Stephens whose two brothers : Michael Burns, Kenneth MacDonald are volunteers in the perilous adventure. The West ablaze.. courage aflame ! He had to get the guns through the whole Apache nation ! He had to get the guns through ..if had to take on the whole Apache nation to do it ! Guns, guts ... Glory !

Typical Audie Murphy spectacle with usual ingredients as violent fights , go riding, ambushes , betrayals , thrills and cavalry charges. It contains slickness enough and crude vigour, though some scenes are failures. Audie Murphy is nice as the regular hero who struggles Indians as well as baddie soldiers . This so-so though passable Western has action enough with breathtaking attack scenes and riding pursuits across deserts and rocky landscapes . A nail-biting storyline allowed director William Witney to keep thrilling scenes at his own exciting and moving gallop. Resulting to be another usual Hollywood product but B-series. The flick bears remarkable resemblance to another Eddie Murphy/William Witney Cavalry Western titled "Rifles Apaches" 1964 with similar issue about confrontation between Apache Indians and soldiers, equally shot at the same outdoors, Rock Mountains, California, being well photographed by cameraman Jacques Marquette.

The motion picture was middlingly directed by William Witney . This prolific filmmaker Witney was a craftsman who worked a lot for Republic Pictures , the studio where he laboured for many years churching out a series of short budget westerns , many of them starred by singing cowboys as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry . Witney spent his entire career making serials and second-features, one of them this 40 Guns at Apache Pass, as well as Rifles Apaches. After WWII William Witney went on directing western films as Shadows of Tombstone , Heart of Rockies , Bells of Coronado , The painted stallion, The Lone ranger , Home in Oklahoma, On the Old spanish trail, High Time in Nevada , Gay Ranchero, Helldorado , Rex Ryder , Eyes of Texas , among others. In addition , his television work included some quite interesting episodes of successful series, such as : High Chaparral , Bonanza , Laramie , Zorro , The Virginian, Wagon Train and he followed working in cinema and was capable to make passable films in medium budgets as Santa Fe Passage , The Bonnie Parker story , Robur and Escaped from Devil Island . Rating : 5.5/10 . An acceptable and decent , at times, Western that will appeal to Audie Murphy fans.