StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

zardoz-13 Anthony Mann's "The Last Frontier" qualifies as a terrific U.S. Calvary versus the Indians western that is reminiscent of John Ford's "Fort Apache." Victor Mature of "My Darling Clementine" plays the leading character, Jed Cooper, a frontiersman who can get the drop on a Sioux Indian. Jed, his illiterate, surrogate father Gus (James Whitmore), and their Native American friend Mungo (Pat Hogan) are three frontiersmen who almost die when Sioux Chief Red Cloud demands not only their firearms but also their animal pelts. The trio discusses their predicament, and Gus convinces them that their lives are worth far more than their guns and their pelts. They surrender everything, and Red Cloud and his army of Indians allow them to go. Red Cloud warns them that they cannot return least he kill them. Our heroes learn that Red Cloud is agitated because the U.S. Calvary has cut down lots of trees to construct a fortress in the middle of nowhere near Laramie. Captain Glenn Riordan (Guy Madison of "Payment in Blood") and his army engineers have established the fort and have orders to hold it. Our heroic trio marches into Fort Shallan and Captain Riordan hires them as scouts. Deep down inside, Jed wants to become a blue coat, but Riordan refuses to let him enlist because he feels that Jed isn't civilized enough. Riordan explains the concept of civilization. He specifies that a civilized man has a wife, children, and knows and works with many people. Jed is just the opposite. He has no wife, no children, and no sense of responsibility.During the first evening, Jed, Gus, and Mungo get roaring drunk. Jed wanders noisily around the fort and stumbles into a woman's quarters, and Corinna Marston (Anne Bancroft of "The Graduate") tolerates his intrusion, and he notices a photograph of her husband. Corinna's martinet husband, Colonel Frank Marston (Robert Preston of "Best of the Badmen"), reminded me of Henry Fonda's ramrod-stiff, Custer style officer Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday. Marston has a reputation for sacrificing men. He fought in the historic battle of Shiloh and his men were slaughtered in a barrage of cannon. When he arrives as Fort Shallan, Marston orders that Riordan's men must be trained to be soldiers. Odious Sergeant Major Decker (Peter Whitney of "The Big Heat") whips these engineers into shape, but he doesn't cotton to Jed. Eventually, Jed and Decker engage in a knockdown drag-out fistfight. Marston intends to use the soldiers to launch an attack on Red Cloud. Jed warns everybody that Marston will get them killed. One day, Jed and Marston ride out of the fort and spy on Red Cloud's village. Jed explains that the village is only one of many that Red Cloud has established around the fort. Meantime, Jed admires Corinna from afar and she senses his lust. During their surveillance of the Indian camp, Jed warns Marston that they risk their own exposure if they remain too long. On the way back to their horses, Marston plunges into a bear pit. Audaciously, Jed refuses to help Marston out of the pit unless he promises not to attack Red Cloud. Marston refuses and Jed leaves him there for a day or two. Reluctantly, he returns and helps Marston out of the bear trap.Inevitably, Marston attacks Red Cloud, and Gus dies during the battle. Jed warns the infantry that they must retreat to Fort Shallan, while Marston and his horse-mounted troopers are massacred. The ending with Jed ultimately becoming a sergeant is rather to good to be true. Nevertheless, everything about this western looks beautiful, including the massively built fort, and nobody gives a bad performance. This is one of Victor Mature's best performances, and Peter Whitney plays against type as a sadistic sergeant who will perform any task that Marston assigns him no matter how beyond the pale it is. Nothing about this wonderful western seems contrived. "The Last Frontier" is nothing like Mann's westerns with James Stewart.

disdressed12 this is another good western,which i enjoyed.it's not an epic or anything,but it is good for what it is.it' about 3 fur trappers,led by a men named Jed,who is crude and uncivilized.Jed and his two friends find themselves as scouts for a fort that is the only thing standing between them and and Indian band,who resent the Americans on their land,and want to take it back.that's the gist of the story.what follows is action,excitement,even a bit of humour,and forbidden romance.one of Jed's friends,Gus,reminded me a lot of the character Quint(played by Robert Shaw)in the movie Jaws.they both have that crusty,gruff demeanor.anyway,if you're a western fan,you should find lots to like about this particular entry.i think it deserves a 7/10

sirjasonwright I enjoyed this western. Victor Mature played a good part. The scenery Is fantastic. I listened with headphones on because I discovered the soundtrack Is stereo- quite something for a western In 1955! Ann Bancroft looks nothing like she looked In the Graduate no where near as sexy! This western Is not run of the mill at all, most of the scenes are Inside a military fort or shot on location. Mature Is a trapper turned military scout trying to prevent a glory-mad Colonel from attacking the Indians as It would mean a massacre of the whole fort. Robert Preston plays the colonel who Is constantly at loggerheads with Mature. All in all a very entertaining western.

bux The casting of Mature as the "savage" and Robert Preston (NOT Preston Foster!!) as the crazed cavalry officer made this one very appealing. The story, pushing the envelope for it's time, has our hero attempting to steal a married woman. James Whitmore has a nice supporting role, and take it from me-the BEST westerns came out of the 50s!