40 Guns to Apache Pass (1967)

Director:

William Witney

Writers:

Willard W. Willingham (written by)
Mary Willingham (written by)

Release Date:

1 May 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Western | Adventure | Romance

Plot:

The Apaches are on the warpath and the Army must defend them. Murphy's mission is to get a shipment of rifles...

Plot Keywords:

Rifle | Apache | Smuggling | Cavalry | Cowardice

Cast

Audie Murphy	...	Capt. Bruce Coburn
Michael Burns	...	Doug Malone
Kenneth Tobey	...	Cpl. Bodine
Laraine Stephens	...	Ellen Malone
Robert Brubaker	...	Sgt. Walker
Michael Blodgett	...	Mike Malone
Michael Keep	...	Cochise
Kay Stewart	...	Kate Malone
Kenneth MacDonald	...	Harry Malone
Byron Morrow	...	Col. Homer E. Reed
Willard W. Willingham	...	Trooper Fuller (as Willard Willingham)
Ted Gehring	...	Trooper Barrett
James Beck	...	Trooper Higgins
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maurice Hart	...	Narrator (voice)

Runtime:

95 min | West Germany:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #21321) | UK:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Lovejoy Buttes, Lancaster, California, USA

Company:

Robert E. Kent Productions

Quotes:

Col. Homer Reed: [to Capt. Bruce Coburn upon his successful delivery of needed rifles] For once, I'm *glad* you disobeyed orders!

Overcoming Your Inner Sissy

Audie Murphy is a Cavalry captain who must get "40 Guns to Apache Pass" so that White settlers can defend themselves against savage Apache Indians; he enlists a questionable group to assist in the mission. The men include young Michael Burns and Michael Blodgett (as Mike and Doug Malone), and old Confederate-with-a-grudge Kenneth Tobey (as Bodine). Laraine Stephens adds more blonde femininity to the cast, as the Malone boys' sister (Ellen).

This is a tired and formulaic Western, with tired and formulaic being enhanced by comparison to more successful 1960s films in the genre. This film's redeeming feature might have been the pairing of veteran Audie Murphy and newcomer Michael Burns - however, Mr. Burns never achieved Mr. Murphy's star status.

Burns plays a "sissy" coward who, according to his sister, "can't stand the sight of blood." Watch for Burns' little glance at his own brow blood for a sign he's becoming brave! Murphy is no sissy; he learned the thrill of fighting at age nine, and joined the Army when he was fifteen. Listen as Murphy revels in the exhilarating fight he LOST at age nine! One of the film's more important scenes involves Burns showing cowardice as his brother is attacked by Apaches; the scene is unbelievably ludicrous, and perfectly illustrates the film's point - and pointlessness. "40 Guns" is additionally bogged down by a calming narrator who explains little that isn't obvious.

** 40 Guns to Apache Pass (1967) William Witney ~ Audie Murphy, Michael Burns, Kenneth Tobey