War Arrow (1953)

Major Howell Brady arrives in Indian Territory in hopes of recruiting peaceful, relocated Seminoles to help the army fight rampaging Kiowas.

Director:

George Sherman

Writer:

John Michael Hayes

Stars:

Maureen O'Hara, Jeff Chandler, John McIntire

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Maureen O'Hara	...	Elaine Corwin
Jeff Chandler	...	Major Howell Brady
John McIntire	...	Col. Jackson Meade
Suzan Ball	...	Avis
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Sgt. Augustus Wilks (as Noah Beery)
Charles Drake	...	Sgt. Luke Schermerhorn
Henry Brandon	...	Maygro
Dennis Weaver	...	Pino
Jay Silverheels	...	Satanta
Jim Bannon	...	Capt. Roger Corwin (as James Bannon)
Stephen Wyman	...	Captain Neil (as Steve Wyman)
Bradford Jackson	...	Lieutenant (as Brad Jackson)

Storyline

Major Howell Brady and two non-coms are assigned to go to Indian territory and recruit peaceful Seminoles relocated from Florida to aid the army in fighting the larger, rampaging Kiowa tribe. Brady promises them better land than the subsistence reservation they have been assigned to. Maygro, their chief, although initially reluctant, finally agrees for the good of his people. However, Brady's superior, Col. Jackson Meade, is hostile to the idea and distrusts having Indians as allies. Beautiful widow Elaine Corwin, proves a pleasant distraction for Brady although her husband, a unrepentant Confederate whose body was never found, may still be alive and leading the savage Kiowas against the hated Yankees.

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Plot Keywords:

kiowa | indian territory | confederate | fighting | fight | 

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Genres:

War | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Verschwörung auf Fort Clark

Filming Locations:

Agoura, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Beery picks up the arrow it has no arrowhead. When he hands it to Drake it suddenly has an arrowhead attached.

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Quotes

Sgt. Augustus Wilks: I'm beginning to feel a little foolish.
Sgt. Luke Schermerhorn: You got the face to go with it.

User Reviews

Not as Good as Most Movies with a Talentless Leading Lady

You can always tell a bad Maureen O'Hara movie. If she is top billed, it's P U Stinky. Her main acting skills involve a mane of red hair and large bosoms.

In this movie, O'Hara, once again, plays a fiery redhead who likes to tell the man she loves that she wants nothing to do with him. This was her sole role in movies until she got too old. Then she just got cranky with everybody.

Jeff Chandler was second billed. The movie revolves around his character. He gets more screen time and all the action, but he is sadly lacking in the mammary department.

They have plenty of Indians in this movie. Too many perhaps. It looks like they didn't all get outfitted in the same wardrobe department. Perhaps some of them simply wandered over from another movie.

The plot is solid as a rock. There are a bunch of Indians who always attack in small groups. And there is another bunch that are peaceful. So the Army teaches the peaceful bunch how to fight in small groups like the other bunch. And then there is a big battle where everybody forgets their roles and just attacks everybody else en masse.

And finally Maureen O'Hara gets to model a cool outfit.

The end.

This movie gets two stars: One for Ms. O'Hara's physical qualities, and one for her lack of screen time.

I almost deducted a star for Dennis Weaver's portrayal of an Indian, but it was a relief to see the man walk around without a stick tied to his leg.