ThiefHott Too much of everything

SunnyHello Nice effects though.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

alexandre michel liberman (tmwest) Charles Marquis Warren directed some tough westerns like Arrowhead, Seven Angry Men, Hellgate and Trooper Hook, and in the same style, this one. This film has a lot in common with Warner's Rocky Mountain, which was released in 1950,almost at the same time, both excellent films that deal with a small group of soldiers facing almost certain death. Lloyd Bridges is Captain Philip Donlin, who at the beginning of the movie catches his wife Celie (Marie Windsor) in the arms of Lt. Haywood (John Ireland). Just after that he commands a mission to warn Custer about the attack he is going to face at Little Big Horn. Through the somber mood of the film we get to know each character and feel for him. There must have been a huge difference in the budgets between this picture and Rocky Mountain, but Lippert achieved the same quality level.

spanishmick I haven't seen this film in over 40 years but I still remember it as if I saw it yesterday. I only wish I had a copy of it so I could enjoy viewing it over and over again. The stars , all gave great believable performances. The two leading men,Llyod Bridges and John Ireland both give strong portrayals and force you to wish both men would be saved from their fates. All lesser characters similarly make you concerned for their safety and well being. I especially think of Hugh O'Brien Pre Wyatt Earp T.V. star , who played the gambler who became a hero. This film has always been one of my favorites and I recommend it to anyone who is a film buff of any magnitude ,who wants to see how films should be made

drdyer Saw this when it first came out and have seen it several time over the years. Still stands up and is worth watching.The performances, story and production are tops and keep you glued to the screen through the entire movie.The attention to detail of uniforms and other costumes is excellent, along with the horse handling.It is well photographed and edited, with good lighting, especially the night scenes.I haven't seen it in about 20 years, wish they would put it on television again.Hope they at least bring it to my local video store.

frankfob Lippert Pictures was never, to put it mildly, known for its extravagant productions. Its budgets were minimal, the talent it used--both in front of and behind the camera--was usually second- or third-string, its product was churned out quickly and cheaply for the second- and third-run market. Every so often, though--almost in spite of itself--Lippert managed to turn out a top-notch film. Sam Fuller's "The Steel Helmet" and "The Baron of Arizona" were two, and this is a third. In fact, this looks like it could have been made by Fuller--it has the gritty edge that's typical of his films, and the issues of duty, honor and sacrifice that infused so many of Fuller's movies. Writer/director Charles Marquis Warren was a somewhat inconsistent filmmaker; he made some moody, tense, first-rate little westerns ("Hellgate," "Arrowhead") and some absolute crap ("Charro"). This is one of his best (so good, in fact, that he remade it--badly--in 1958 as "Desert Hell", changing the story from soldiers in the American west to Foreign Legionnaires in the Arabian desert). A small cavalry patrol stumbles upon a huge gathering of Indians about to ambush Custer's 7th Cavalry troopers. The only way to warn Custer's unit about the impending attack is for the patrol to ride directly through the hordes of Indians. There are no false heroics here, either; the officer in charge of the patrol knows that the action he must take will result in almost certain death for everyone in his small unit, but he also knows that if they don't warn Custer, it will result in certain death for Custer's entire command. He has no desire to die or to cause the death of his men--several of whom he doesn't even like--and he's torn between what he knows is his duty and his reluctance to order his men on what will almost certainly be a suicide mission. This is a tough little film, full of short, brutal--surprisingly so, considering the era in which it was made--action scenes where nobody dies prettily. It's a nail-biter and will have you on the edge of your seat. Tightly directed, sharply written, with a great supporting cast of veteran western actors, including Jim Davis, John Ireland, John Pickard, Reed Hadley and Wally Cassell. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this one.