Seminole (1953)

A cavalry lieutenant recounts his efforts to make peace with the Seminole Indian tribe, under an evil major.

Director:

Budd Boetticher

Writers:

Charles K. Peck Jr. (story), Charles K. Peck Jr. (screenplay)

Stars:

Rock Hudson, Barbara Hale, Anthony Quinn

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rock Hudson	...	Lt. Lance Caldwell
Barbara Hale	...	Revere
Anthony Quinn	...	Osceola
Richard Carlson	...	Major Harlan Degan
Hugh O'Brian	...	Kajeck
Russell Johnson	...	Lt. Hamilton
Lee Marvin	...	Sgt. Magruder
Ralph Moody	...	Kulak
Fay Roope	...	Zachary Taylor
James Best	...	Corp. Gerad
John Daheim	...	Scott (as John Day)

Storyline

Having a welcome strategic expertise in both the hot and dank Florida swamplands and the local tribe of Seminole Indians, the brilliant and ethical West Point graduate, Second Lieutenant Lance Caldwell, is transferred to scheming Major Degan's Everglades outpost, in 1835. Supposedly impeding the development of white civilisation, the Seminoles must be expelled from their native lands at all costs; all that stands between the aspirations of the venomous commanding officer and the last of the Indian clans is Caldwell. Sooner or later, a dead sentry and a fiery clash with the men of the powerful Seminole leader, Chief Osceola, will stain the vast and impassable marshes with blood, as a strong-willed beautiful woman stands in the middle. Can Caldwell be the voice of reason and compromise?

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Plot Keywords:

trial | seminole indian | indian war | native american attack | florida | 

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Taglines:

The fighting story of the great Chief Osceola!

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Genres:

Adventure | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1953 (UK)

Also Known As:

Die Rache der Seminolen

Filming Locations:

Everglades National Park, Florida, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,400,000, 31 December 1953

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Most of the birds and other animals heard in the film would never actually have been in Florida at that time as a general African jungle soundtrack was used.

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Connections

Referenced in Drive-in Movie Memories (2001)

User Reviews

Good early Rock

Better than average drama with a decidedly pro Indian slant was one of the many films Rock cranked out on his way up, this was one of seven pictures he made in 1953. He gives a good performance, one of his better early ones, as the resolute soldier who is on trial for his life.

The cast is full of familiar faces most of whom were also just starting out and would go on to greater fame like Lee Marvin, in good guy mode here, and Russell Johnson. Richard Carlson is the sore spot in the picture, he starts out okay but ends up chewing the scenery in an over the top performance.

Barbara Hale was never particularly well served by films having much more success on TV as Della Street on Perry Mason nor is she very well used here but she looks probably the best she ever did on screen beautifully shot in Technicolor and as Revere Muldoon has one of the greatest character names ever. Not really a western, not even set in the west but Florida this is an enjoyable picture especially for military history buffs.