****SPOILERS**** Anthony Quinn in one of his best later movies, after winning the Acdemy Award in "Lust for Life" in 1956, is the hard drinking as well as womanizing native American full-blooded Indian Flapping Eagle who ends up flapping himself into history. It was Flapping Eagle who becomes a activist for his fellow Indians when a construction company planned to build a highway straight through an ancient Indian burial ground on his reservation. Quickly dropping his out of control lifestyle of whoring and boozing Flapping Eagle or "Flap" as he's called by his friends does everything to prevent the highway from being built even sabotaging the equipment thats used to build it.
Facing jail time for his unlawful actions "Flap" soon uses the "White Mans" own laws to win his case in court with the help of self thought, in the law, Indian Wounded Bear aka Smith, Victor Jory,who finds a clause or loophole in the law stating that the land which the reservation is on is Indian territory not that of the construction company. Using heavy and underhanded tactics the company uses the law in the person of halfbreed Indian Sgt Refferty, Victor Franch, to do its dirty work for it.
***SPOILERS*** It's when "Flap" had a train loaded with cattle and earth moving equipment derailed and end up on Indian territory thus, according to a 19th century treaty , making it Indian property Sgt. Rafferty in an act of cold hearted revenge shot one of the Indians and good friend of "Flap" Indian wise-man She'll-Be-Back-Pretty-Soon, Pedro Regas, dogs who, in always attacking and biting him, he had in for him that "Flap" lost it. Getting Sgt. Rafferty alone in an Indian China & Novelity Shop and slugging it out with him despite getting worked over himself "Flap" put Sgt.Rafferty in the hospital on traction thus having him become a fugitive from the law.
Just when "Flap" was about to achieve what he set out to do in giving his fellow Indians respect as well as their land back by the courts he's gunned down by of all people Sgt. Rafferty who despite his injuries and being strapped into a hospital bed was able to hit him right in the heart from the safety of his hospital room window! A shooting feat that would even rival if not suppress the "Magic Bullet" theory BS explanation by the the now totally discredited, by as much as 90% of the American people, Warren Commission. Still despite not living to see it "Flap" did what he set out to do and it was his second in command the hotheaded young Indian warrior 11 Snowflake, Tony Bill, who was to pick up to ball or tomahawk after him!
Facing jail time for his unlawful actions "Flap" soon uses the "White Mans" own laws to win his case in court with the help of self thought, in the law, Indian Wounded Bear aka Smith, Victor Jory,who finds a clause or loophole in the law stating that the land which the reservation is on is Indian territory not that of the construction company. Using heavy and underhanded tactics the company uses the law in the person of halfbreed Indian Sgt Refferty, Victor Franch, to do its dirty work for it.
***SPOILERS*** It's when "Flap" had a train loaded with cattle and earth moving equipment derailed and end up on Indian territory thus, according to a 19th century treaty , making it Indian property Sgt. Rafferty in an act of cold hearted revenge shot one of the Indians and good friend of "Flap" Indian wise-man She'll-Be-Back-Pretty-Soon, Pedro Regas, dogs who, in always attacking and biting him, he had in for him that "Flap" lost it. Getting Sgt. Rafferty alone in an Indian China & Novelity Shop and slugging it out with him despite getting worked over himself "Flap" put Sgt.Rafferty in the hospital on traction thus having him become a fugitive from the law.
Just when "Flap" was about to achieve what he set out to do in giving his fellow Indians respect as well as their land back by the courts he's gunned down by of all people Sgt. Rafferty who despite his injuries and being strapped into a hospital bed was able to hit him right in the heart from the safety of his hospital room window! A shooting feat that would even rival if not suppress the "Magic Bullet" theory BS explanation by the the now totally discredited, by as much as 90% of the American people, Warren Commission. Still despite not living to see it "Flap" did what he set out to do and it was his second in command the hotheaded young Indian warrior 11 Snowflake, Tony Bill, who was to pick up to ball or tomahawk after him!