The Yellow Tomahawk (1954)

When the army insists on building a fort on Indian land, in defiance of a treaty, the warnings of a scout go unheeded.

Director:

Lesley Selander

Writers:

Richard Alan Simmons (screenplay), Harold Jack Bloom (story)

Stars:

Rory Calhoun, Peggie Castle, Noah Beery Jr.

Cast

Cast overview:
Rory Calhoun	...	Adam
Peggie Castle	...	Katherine
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Tonio (as Noah Beery)
Warner Anderson	...	Major Ives
Peter Graves	...	Sawyer
Lee Van Cleef	...	Fire Knife
Rita Moreno	...	Honey Bear
Dan Riss	...	Sgt. Bandini
Walter Reed	...	Keats
Patrick Sexton	...	Lt. Bascomb (as Patrick Joseph Sexton)
Robert Bray	...	Lieutenant Banion
Adam Williams	...	Cpl. Maddock
James Best	...	Private Bliss
Ned Glass	...	Willy

Storyline

When the army insists on building a fort on Indian land, in defiance of a treaty, the warnings of a scout go unheeded.

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Plot Keywords:

treaty | fort | native american

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Taglines:

An Indian Scout and a Blonde Wildcat . . . They Faced the Most Savage of All Indian Raids!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Hand am Abzug

Filming Locations:

Kanab Movie Fort, Kanab, Utah, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bel-Air Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Surprisingly Good Western --

The 1950s was the decade of the message western, and this is a low budget version of the genre. But don't let the low budget (or the deterioration of the film negative) scare you away. This story about a bloody confrontation that is the direct result of a barbarous US general's attempt to occupy Indian lands is surprisingly brutal, sympathetic to the native Americans, and much more cynical about the inherent decency of those in power than one would expect from a movie from this era. Yes, if you look, you will find ample and annoying western movie clichés. Rory Calhoun and Rita Moreno are the recognizable stars here -- and they are playing types, rather than roles. (Rory is the scout raised by the native Americans, who is conflicted. Rita Moreno has an obnoxious role as the cute native American who has attached herself to Rory's Mexican sidekick). The reason to watch is plot, pacing, and, yes, the ending that you will not predict.

Note. The film was shot in color, but TCM broadcast it in black and white. This looks like a film in bad need of restoration, particularly as much of it was shot against sagebrush that was actually in bloom.