The conflict between the whites and Indians in this film comes in a distant second to the tug of war involving director Anthony Mann and cinematographer John Altin's moody, menacing visuals and Guy Trosper's heavy handed, Hollywood liberal screenplay. The three lead actors are caught in the middle with Rat Fink Bob and Louis Calhern delivering effective studies in various shades of darkness while sexy, beautiful Paula Raymond is, like Trosper's script, heavy and humorless.
I am happy to report that, after a gargantuan struggle, Mann and Altin come out on top with that last shot of Taylor dying and falling out of frame as we pan to the aspen trees and Tetons looking like it influenced Peckinpah's ending in "Ride The High Country". Give it a B minus.
PS...Ironic that inter racial love between Taylor/Raymond is addressed here since, in real life, Raymond was married to Floyd Patterson. You can look it up.
I am happy to report that, after a gargantuan struggle, Mann and Altin come out on top with that last shot of Taylor dying and falling out of frame as we pan to the aspen trees and Tetons looking like it influenced Peckinpah's ending in "Ride The High Country". Give it a B minus.
PS...Ironic that inter racial love between Taylor/Raymond is addressed here since, in real life, Raymond was married to Floyd Patterson. You can look it up.