Run of the Arrow (1957)

A Rebel vet, O'Meara has refused to surrender when Lee does at Appomatox. O'Meara travels west and after escaping from, he joins the Sioux and takes a wife. After denouncing himself as an ... See full summary »

Director:

Samuel Fuller

Writer:

Samuel Fuller

Stars:

Rod Steiger, Sara Montiel, Brian Keith

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rod Steiger	...	Pvt. O'Meara
Sara Montiel	...	Yellow Moccasin (as Sarita Montiel)
Brian Keith	...	Capt. Clark
Ralph Meeker	...	Lt. Driscoll
Jay C. Flippen	...	Walking Coyote
Charles Bronson	...	Blue Buffalo
Olive Carey	...	Mrs. O'Meara
H.M. Wynant	...	Crazy Wolf (as H. M. Wynant)
Neyle Morrow	...	Lt. Stockwell
Frank DeKova	...	Red Cloud (as Frank De Kova)
Tim McCoy	...	Gen. Allen (as Colonel Tim McCoy)
Stuart Randall	...	Col. Taylor
Frank Warner	...	Banjo Playing Singer
Billy Miller	...	Silent Tongue
Chuck Hayward	...	Corporal with Saddle

Storyline

A Rebel vet, O'Meara has refused to surrender when Lee does at Appomatox. O'Meara travels west and after escaping from, he joins the Sioux and takes a wife. After denouncing himself as an American, he must make a choice when the Army and Sioux go to battle.

---

Plot Keywords:

sioux | truce | renegade indian | mute child | u.s. cavalry | 

---

Genres:

Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 September 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hot Lead

Filming Locations:

St. George, Utah, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures, Globe Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was originally produced by RKO Pictures, but the studio went bankrupt before it was released. Universal bought it from RKO and distributed it as a Universal picture.

---

Quotes

Pvt. O'Meara, 6th Virginia Volunteers Sharpshooter: Ain't that 'Trebler'? I said ain't that Lee's horse?
6th Virginia Surgeon: Yes.
[as he attends to wounded Lt. Driscoll that O'Meara brought in]
Pvt. O'Meara, 6th Virginia Volunteers Sharpshooter: What's Lee doing here?
6th Virginia Surgeon: He's surrendering to Grant.
[he continues tending to Driscoll's wound]
6th Virginia Surgeon: Lead looks mighty close to the heart.
Pvt. O'Meara, 6th Virginia Volunteers Sharpshooter: That's the first Yankee I missed in four years. Bet you because the bullets warped.
6th Virginia Surgeon: [Annoyed] Well why didn't you cut it out and looked for yourself?
Pvt. O'Meara, 6th Virginia Volunteers Sharpshooter: Because I didn't want to dirty me hands , that's why!
[...]

---

Connections

Remade as The Naked Prey (1966)

User Reviews

RUN OF THE ARROW (Samuel Fuller, 1957) ***

Interesting, unusual Western to emerge during the genre's heyday given writer/director Fuller's typically uncompromising viewpoint. Starting off on the last day of the American Civil War, it deals with Southerner-of-Irish-descent Rod Steiger's inability to cope with defeat which sends him the way of the Sioux (the renowned Method actor, making a surprising third genre appearance in as many years, brings his customary intensity to the traditional Western canvas). After meeting up with renegade Indian Jay C. Flippen(!) and surviving the titular challenge, he's accepted by the Redskins and even lands himself a squaw (Sarita Montiel aka Mrs. Anthony Mann) and a mute foster-son; the latter is then involved in a startling sequence as, about to drown in quicksand, he's saved by a passing American horse soldier…except that he's rewarded for his good deed by falling headfirst into the slime himself! Steiger's past also comes back to haunt him at this point, with the arrival of the Cavalry (led by sympathetic Brian Keith and nasty Ralph Meeker – the latter was the last man to be shot during the war, by Steiger himself!) who want to build a fort in Sioux territory. Though the Indians (with Charles Bronson as Chief) desire peace, one of their number is a rebel and wages a one-man war against the whites…but Steiger has him do the 'Run Of The Arrow', which is then callously interrupted by Meeker. With Keith murdered by a Sioux arrow, the younger officer takes over command and, obstinately but unwisely, takes the unit further into Indian territory in search of a more strategic point for constructing. As Steiger's entreaty for surrender is rejected, the Cavalry are massacred (quite a violent scene for the time) – but Meeker is kept alive, since awaiting him is the fate allotted to those who willfully obstruct the 'run'. It's here, though, that Steiger draws the line for, whatever his feelings for Meeker personally, he can't bear to see his fellow man tortured: ironically, he uses the bullet he had shot him with originally, kept all along as a token, to end his ordeal. Looking on, Bronson – and, even more so, Montiel (voiced here by Angie Dickinson!) – realize that his place is with the white man after all; a wonderful scene has her throw the U.S. flag at Steiger and bringing him to admit that his home state of Virginia is equally represented on it. The concluding scene, then, has the surviving unit starting off to rejoin its ranks with Steiger (accompanied by his 'family') at the head.