Arrow in the Dust (1954)

A calvary deserter risks his life to warn and protect a wagon train from an impending Indian attack.

Director:

Lesley Selander

Writers:

L.L. Foreman (novel), Don Martin (screenplay)

Stars:

Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Keith Larsen

Cast

Cast overview:
Sterling Hayden	...	Bart Laish
Coleen Gray	...	Christella Burke
Keith Larsen	...	Lt. Steve King
Tom Tully	...	Crowshaw
Jimmy Wakely	...	Pvt. Carqueville
Tudor Owen	...	Tillotson
Lee Van Cleef	...	Tillotson Henchman
John Pickard	...	Sgt. Lybarger
Carleton Young	...	Maj. Andy Pepperis

Storyline

Army deserter Bart Laish decides that the best way for him to get away is to join a wagon train headed for Oregon. They're about a week ahead of him and on the trail Bart comes across an old friend, Major Andy Pepperis who is dying from wounds received in an Indian attack. He warns Bart that the Indians will next attack the wagon train and afterward finds the army station, Camp Taylor, destroyed. He assumes Pepperis' identity and catches up to the wagon train taking command of the soldiers escorting it. He proves to be a capable leader and quickly gains everyone's respect. As they get closer to their destination, Bart is closer to being caught and has to decide if and when he will leave them.

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Plot Keywords:

wagon train | attack | soldier | indian attack | last stand | 

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Taglines:

Ablaze with the gun-thundering terrors of the West's most violent days!

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pfeile in der Dämmerung

Filming Locations:

Burro Flats, Simi Hills, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Allied Artists Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

About 45 minutes into the movie Major Pepperis has his pants leg cut off by Stella so that she can bandage his leg. Then he goes to solve a problem with one of the wagons. When he returns his pants leg is un-torn and his leg is not bandaged.

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Quotes

Bart Laish: But after your father died, why didn't you go back home?
Christella Burke: Delaware is small. It's crowded with too many memories.

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Soundtracks

"THE WEARY STRANGER"
By Jimmy Wakely

User Reviews

A bit dumb....

I enjoy Sterling Hayden and his gritty and realistic acting style. So, I thought I'd give this one a try even though both reviews for this on IMDb are really poor. I hoped they're wrong and it was worth my time.

Hayden plays a guy named Bart Laish. When the film begins, you learn that Bart is a deserter from the Cavalry and is hiding out west. However, as fate would have it, he comes upon a group of dying soldiers that were attacked by Indians. The dying leader just happens to be Bart's cousin and begs Bart to take his place and assume command of the rest of his outfit--which is a few miles away from this massacre! And, the deserter DOES!!! Later, after proving himself against wave after wave of faceless and stupid natives (who seem to just ride by hoping to get shot), all is forgiven with the US Cavalry and Bart is once again allowed to legally wear the uniform. Talk about impossible and ridiculous! In addition to a ridiculous plot and faceless Indians, it's also one of Hayden's relatively flat performances. I guess the other two were right after all....

By the way, in one scene it's supposed to be at night but it appears to be daylight! Huh?!