The Stalking Moon

This is a very exciting, and somewhat unusual western, I suggest. Some have called it a thriller, bit that is a pejorative term for something 'empty", for a too-loud, over-musicked and graphically violent film with comic book level characters--at least most time, an implication of a seeking for sensationalism... This film is unarguably a well-directed "duel" film, whose setting in the U.S. West is justified by two things: first is that the opponent in the film is a powerful Apache warrior with the advantage of surprise and the motivation of trying to steal back his only son; second is that the ethical central character of the film is.a resourceful Westerner himself, a first-rate warrior, one who chooses to risk bringing the Apache warrior down upon him. Veteran author T.V. Olsen's thin-but-serviceable storyline was adapted for the screen by Wendell Mayes and written as a screenplay by Alvin Sargent. If this film's life began, as one might suspect it did, as a vehicle film for usually excellent leading man Gregory Peck, it was certainly made into something more because it was given a first-rate production in every respect. The ecologically minimal Southwest's scenery and the colors and changes of light at different hours of the clock were utilized to bring a sense of immense space to the setting. The director, solid achiever Robert Mulligan, was able to hire Frank Silvera for a small but important role as a Major who advises the star, Gregory Peck; Eva Marie Saint for the near-to-thankless role of a woman rescued from the Apache warrior, "Salvaje" (the Savage in Spanish); and Robert Forster, on the verge of a good little career as the star of TV's ""Banyon" and several films as the man who risks his life to help Peck. Adding Russell Thorson, Lou Frizzell, Richard Bull, long-time supporting actor Henry Beckman, and fine actor Lonny Chapman also helped immensely. The story breaks into four parts, one of the reasons it has such a biting edge, as cold as a wind coming up an arroyo out of the arid land at sunset. The first part is "the set-up", which details the captures of several renegade Apaches by Peck, a veteran scout, thus establishing his coolness, his credentials for the duel to come, and more. The second part I term "the leave-taking"; during this phase as he goes to a lonely post-army life before leaving for his own land, the scout takes along Eva Marie Saint, rescued from Apache hands, along with her son; his reasons are hinted at but not entirely made clear. The third portion of the films I call 'the preparation and waiting", as Peck knows Salvaje, played by Nathaniel Narcisco, is coming after them. And the fourth is the long body of "the duel itself", during which Peck is aided by Forster and proves his own mettle may times over, in strategy, tactics, fighting ability, courage and the stubborn ability that he has learned on the trail for many years to do whatever needs to be done without giving way to fear, doubt or fatigue. Some have commented on the music, supplied by Fred Karlin; it is eerie and lonesome but not in my opinion in any sense overdone. Charles Lang's cinematography is atmospheric everywhere and deserves special mention within this late western. Also, the art direction by Roland Anderson and Jack Poplin,  and the spare but important set decorations by Frank Tuttle add to the authentic feel of the film for me. I have lived in that zone, and I found it to be quite authentic in feel within the narrative. I had seen The Stalking Moon" when it was first released, but this feature I found even better the second time around, because instead of wishing some characters had been given more lines, this time I followed the director's purpose; I do not, as a writer, find this to be a "Cape Fear" type thriller; it is to me more like a number of older adventure films set in many places where the climactic duel is a prolonged one between individuals or groups, usually men fighting for a place of no intrinsic but only of situational or strategic value. In one sense, this film is not about the boy Salvaje wants nor even the mother; it is a film about Peck's accepting the final challenge in a very successful career in order to have what he wants, a sort of victory over the West that will justify his conclusion that he can handle whatever throws against him, natural, human or emotional. This is a powerful film, and one not to be missed in my judgment. This is not noir; there is no law in wilderness territory; and in Sam Varner, the West here serves as the stage for a man worthy of its harsh beauties and of its immense challenges.

This is not your common variety of western, it's not even an action entry but presents a thoughtful look at the last days of the Indian tribes before the reservations took hold. It's a plausible story of these times that unfolds at a leisurely pace and builds to a suspenseful climax. It's also devoid of the simplistic over the top foolishness of the Italian spaghetti Westerns. Moon is a violent renegade Indian, who's hunting down a group of people who have rescued his forcefully abducted white woman, along with her/his young son, as they attempt to move them to the safety of civilisation.

Movie making veterans, director Robert Mulligan (To Kill A Mockingbird '60) & director of photography Charles Lang (The Magnificent 7 '60) capture superb mountain vistas along with the murderous 'stalking' being performed by this sociopathic Indian known as the 'ghost of the moon'. An evocative music score by Fred Karlin adds much haunting atmosphere to this seemingly little remembered film.

Stalking Moon should interest patient viewers of the genre & those who follow the careers of Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint, etc - the always interesting and under used Italian/Irish Robert Foster (Pieces of Dreams '70) makes an impression as Peck's half breed tracker friend, along with Frank Silvera as Major. Some have unfairly described this as a racist story but Pecks close friendship with Foster, and many of his comments and actions throughout the film tend to disprove this. Recommended for lovers of the more serious western stories.

Scout Sam Varner (Gregory Peck) is retiring from the Army. He guides a squad of US troopers to round up a group of native Indians. Among the mostly women and children are Sarah Carver (Eva Marie Saint) and her half-Indian son Ashki. She is desperate to leave immediately. Only Varner is leaving right away to his new homestead in New Mexico. He agrees to take them to a stage coach station. Death follows her. It's the boy's father, a great warrior named Salvaje.

This is an opportunity to have a great western. If Salvaje is to be feared, his brutal killings need to be shown. The military detachment needs to be massacred. I don't mind the station massacre. It's a nice ghostly affair. This could be a fearsome western but it doesn't have the power of other more modern westerns. Director Robert Mulligan's most famous movie is probably "To Kill a Mockingbird" also starring Peck. Mulligan doesn't have the action thrills. As for Eva Marie Saint, her character is far too quiet. I understand the nature of her plight but she should be talking the native tongue with her son. The movie is a bit too quiet. Instead of increased mood, it slows the pacing. The potential is there for a landmark western.

Not even listed as one of Gregory Peck's better films, I consider this to be one of the most exciting Westerns I have ever seen. The Stalking Moon, Jeremiah Johnson, High Noon,.. all three are Western Classics.

The movie begins slowly but the sense of foreboding builds throughout the film as Sam and his adopted family wait for the inevitable. Eva Marie Saint portrays an abused woman with spare dignity and understated grace, the little boy is great and Gregory Peck is a formidable presence, growing stronger in character and determination as his feelings for the woman and her son develop. Nathaniel Narsisco, as the Stalker is realistically and excruciatingly frightening as he silently tracks his prey.

Although almost 40 years old the movie holds up well even when compared to films like Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.I have just read Roger Ebert's condemnation of this film and cannot believe that he and I differ so greatly as to its relative merits. How ever this is the man who loved "over the top" Donald Pleasance in "Will Penny" so one should not be surprised.

This western was released when Hollywood was about finished with the genre and the film went largely unnoticed. However, the movie is well photographed, with good work by Gregory Peck, although Eva Marie Saint doesn't have much to do in the way of dialogue. Peck is a cavalry scout who quits the military to ranch in New Mexico and takes Saint and her half-breed son with him. Peck and Saint eventually turn up the romantic flames, but her boy is the object of a deadly game of search and destroy. The lad's father, a murderous Apache warrior, wants to reclaim him, and perhaps kill the woman for deserting him. The film has plenty of suspense, creepy shadows, and eerie noises in the dark and at times seems more like a mystery than a western. Most of the action occurs at picture's end, and Fred Karlin's plaintive yet thrilling score builds up the tension as Peck and Salvaje edge towards their showdown.