The Stand at Apache River (1953)

Director:

Lee Sholem

Writers:

Robert J. Hogan (novel)
Arthur A. Ross

Release Date:

September 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Sheriff Lane Dakota captures robbery-murder suspect Greiner just as the latter is wounded in an Apache ambush...

Plot Keywords:

Apache | Native American | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Cast

Stephen McNally	...	Lane Dakota
Julie Adams	...	Valerie Kendrick (as Julia Adams)
Hugh Marlowe	...	Col. Morsby
Jaclynne Greene	...	Ann Kenyon
Hugh O'Brian	...	Tom Kenyon
Russell Johnson	...	Greiner
Jack Kelly	...	Hatcher
Edgar Barrier	...	Cara Blanca
Forrest Lewis	...	Deadhorse

Directed by
Lee Sholem

Writing credits
Robert J. Hogan		(novel "Apache Landing")
Arthur A. Ross		(as Arthur Ross)

Produced by
William Alland	....	producer

Original Music by
Frank Skinner

Cinematography by
Charles P. Boyle

Film Editing by
Leonard Weiner

Art Direction by
Hilyard M. Brown		(as Hilyard Brown)
Bernard Herzbrun

Set Decoration by
Oliver Emert
Russell A. Gausman

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jesse Hibbs	....	assistant director
Gordon McLean	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Richard DeWeese	....	sound

Music Department
Henry Mancini	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Hans J. Salter	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Herman Stein	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
William Fritzsche	....	technicolor color consultant
Harold Goodwin	....	dialogue director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #16354, General Audience) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Quotes:

Colonel Morsby:We scattered them from Mexico to California. We broke their ranks, and they re-formed. We burnt their villages, and they lived in caves. They have a will to survive, a passion for life, that shames any white man's. It never dies. Nothing destroys the Apache but death.

good production values and acting, holds interest

I gave it a 7 rating. It certainly deserved more than the 4.8 user rating given it at this point.

I was impressed with the high production values, which could be so high for a B Western because there was mainly just one locale -- a stagecoach way station beside a ferry crossing. I liked the substantial cast of well-known actors, the photography, costumes (especially gorgeous Julia Adams in tight-fitting gowns, yum), music, dialog, etc. The overall story was certainly weak. The fast moving story and all the characters and interrelationships made for an enjoyable movie.

There is a lot to say on the negative side. You need a lot of "suspension of disbelief" to tolerate the movie. The whites are surrounded and outnumbered by Indians in the stage depot. Everything is against them. In this dire situation, they are lucky that the Indians just want the Colonel to promise not to pursue the Indians for what some renegade Indians did. But the crazy hateful Colonel thinks Indians are always guilty, and says some people have the burden to prove that they are innocent! He won't make that promise. Eventually the Indian chief says it is enough for the Colonel to accompany the Indians back to the reservation, and then he can leave with no promise about returning or not. But the Colonel refuses, so the one-sided battle begins, but incredibly the good guy and his girl fight/kill the Indians to practically the last man standing.

The movie also contained silly soap opera relationships between the characters. The soap opera could have been worse and did add to the interest.