Comanche Territory (1950)

Silver has been found on comanche territory and the government accomplished a peaceful agreement with the indians. When James 'Jim' Bowie comes into the scene he finds the white settlers ... See full summary »

Director:

George Sherman

Writers:

Lewis Meltzer (screenplay), Oscar Brodney (screenplay),

Stars:

Maureen O'Hara, Macdonald Carey, Will Geer

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Maureen O'Hara	...	Katie Howard
Macdonald Carey	...	James Bowie
Will Geer	...	Dan'l Seeger
Charles Drake	...	Stacey Howard
Pedro de Cordoba	...	Quisima
Ian MacDonald	...	Walsh
Rick Vallin	...	Pakanah
Parley Baer	...	Boozer, the Bartender
James Best	...	Sam
Edmund Cobb	...	Ed
Glenn Strange	...	Big Joe

Storyline

Silver has been found on comanche territory and the government accomplished a peaceful agreement with the indians. When James 'Jim' Bowie comes into the scene he finds the white settlers living near by planning to attack the indians although they know about that agreement and the beautiful Katie seems to play a leading role in this intrigue.

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Plot Keywords:

silver | cowboy | cowboys and indians | saloon | cowboy hat | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Im Lande der Comanchen

Filming Locations:

Big Park, Sedona, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Parley Baer.

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Goofs

In the opening scenes, McDonald Carey is wearing a dark brown rimmed hat. When rides out of the Indian village and into town with Will Geer, he's wearing a cream colored rimmed hat.

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Quotes

Stacey Howard: You all know what we're here for. I had you men picked because I think you all feel the way I do. We didn't come out here for the good of the glorious West... but for our own good. And that being so, we're moving on Comanche territory tonight.

User Reviews

It's fellas like him that give the white man a bad name.

Comanche Territory is directed by George Sherman and written by Oscar Brodney and Lewis Meltzer. It stars Maureen O'Hara, Macdonald Carey, Will Geer and Charles Drake. Music is by Frank Skinner and cinematography by Maury Gertsman.

A government treaty set up to protect sacred Comanche land is due to expire, just as silver has been found beneath the mountains on the land. James Bowie (Carey) has been sent to negotiate a new treaty with the Comanche leaders, thus allowing the silver to be mined without upsetting the Indians. But there are underhand plans being drawn up by settlers in the town of Crooked Tongue, a town run by feisty Katie Howard (O'Hara). Can Bowie prevent the pillaging of the sacred Indian land? Something that will inevitably lead to blood being shed…...

Good solid B Western that gets in and does its job without pretension or pointless filler. Shot in Technicolor and filmed impressively on location in Sedona, Arizona (Big & Little Parks/Red Rock), it's a film that offers an interesting story and a good sprinkling of action. Cast are mostly fine, Geer files in for the Arthur Hunnicut/Walter Brennan type role, O'Hara is spunky and a Technicolor picture (check out that gorgeous black and green frock sequence) and Carey, whilst hardly a convincing or robust Jim Bowie, plays it with restraint and works off of Geer and O'Hara rather well. The action is competently staged by old pro Sherman, who also doesn't let the pace sag, and Gertsman's photography of the landscapes (particularly Red Rock) is the high point of the production.

Problems? Well Charles Drake as Katie Howard's crooked brother turns him into a pretty tepid villain, while the big saloon punch-up is beset by amateurish punch throwing. There's also the issue of non Native American actors playing Indians, which once in a while in the 50s did throw up the odd good turn, however here isn't one of them. Though in fairness they aren't helped by the script, which doesn't exactly give the Comanche characters some telling dialogue to impact on proceedings. Good to report that Pegasus' DVD release contains a very good print, there's the odd moment of colour fluctuation, but by and large it's a neat transfer. Though you may want to slightly tone down your colour setting since Sherman and Gertsman have gone for the high contrast option for the Technicolor filters! 6.5/10