The Charge at Feather River (1953)

In Colorado territory, Miles Archer is asked by the cavalry at Fort Bellows to aid in rescuing two white women abducted by the Cheyenne and to provide security for the railroad construction teams.

Director:

Gordon Douglas

Writer:

James R. Webb

Stars:

Guy Madison, Vera Miles, Frank Lovejoy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Guy Madison	...	Miles Archer
Frank Lovejoy	...	Sgt. Charlie Baker
Helen Westcott	...	Anne McKeever
Vera Miles	...	Jennie McKeever
Dick Wesson	...	Pvt. Cullen
Onslow Stevens	...	Grover Johnson
Steve Brodie	...	Pvt. Ryan
Ron Hagerthy	...	Johnny McKeever
Fay Roope	...	Lt. Col. Kilrain
Neville Brand	...	Pvt. Morgan
Henry Kulky	...	Pvt. Smiley
Lane Chandler	...	Pvt. Zebulon Poinsett
Fred Carson	...	Chief Thunder Hawk
James Brown	...	Pvt. Connors
Ralph Brooks	...	Pvt. Wilhelm

Storyline

The story involves an overland journey through hostile Cheyenne territory to rescue two white women captured by the Cheyenne. One has turned renegade and is not anxious to be rescued as she is about to be married to Chief Thunder Hawk. Vera Miles dies and the cavalry comes to the rescue in the nick of time by a stream called Feather River. Knives, arrows, spears and tomahawks all come flying at the audience. Frank Lovejoy discourages a rattlesnake with tobacco juice and even gets off a shot into the audience.

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Plot Keywords:

wilhelm scream | 3 dimensional | woman held captive | indian war | cavalry charge | 

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Taglines:

Gallantry Never Equalled! Spectacle Never Before Seen!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 July 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Burning Arrow

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$3,650,000, 31 December 1953

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (WarnerPhonic/RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

André De Toth, who had directed the 3-D features House of Wax (1953) and The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953), turned down an offer from Warner Bros. to direct this film.

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Goofs

In the final battle scene, there are three Indians charging the position. The Indian in the middle has his own reins, plus the reins of the rider on the left of screen. This is before they are fired at. Then, as the left-hand rider is shot, hangs on but then falls into the river, the central rider pulls his horse straight.

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Quotes

Pvt. Connors: Say, is this really a repeater?
Quartermaster Sergeant: A repeater? Son, you can load this on Sunday and shoot it all week.

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Connections

Featured in Starman (1984)

User Reviews

3D western rescue mission

Warner Brothers produced this 3D extravaganza that was the biggest commercial success for westerns in 1953. Guy Madison leads a band of guardhouse soldiers and misfits to rescue two white women being held by Indians, which essentially all there is to this film. The 3D format was in its early stages as a Hollywood gimmick to compete with the growing popularity of home television, and the effects work very well here. The rescuers make off with the ladies and are pursued by the Indians until the white men make their stand at an island in a creek bed. The Indian weaponry comes at the audience non-stop throughout, and a spray of tobacco juice aimed at a rattler is thrown in for good measure. Madison was quite popular as television's Wild Bill Hickock and is good as a displaced cattle rancher who is given his thankless task by the army. For all the film's polish and presentation, the movie was made in just three days.