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IMDbPro

The Indian Fighter

  • 19551955
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:26
1 Video
31 Photos
Western
A scout leading a wagon train through hostile Indian country unwittingly gets involved with a Sioux chief's daughter.A scout leading a wagon train through hostile Indian country unwittingly gets involved with a Sioux chief's daughter.A scout leading a wagon train through hostile Indian country unwittingly gets involved with a Sioux chief's daughter.
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
    • André De Toth
    • Robert L. Richards(story)
    • Frank Davis(screenplay)
    • Ben Hecht(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kirk Douglas
    • Elsa Martinelli
    • Walter Matthau
    • André De Toth
    • Robert L. Richards(story)
    • Frank Davis(screenplay)
    • Ben Hecht(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kirk Douglas
    • Elsa Martinelli
    • Walter Matthau
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 29User reviews
    • 36Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:26
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos31

    Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas and Elsa Martinelli in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Walter Matthau, Lon Chaney Jr., Frank Cady, and Hank Worden in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas, Walter Abel, and William Phipps in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas and Elsa Martinelli in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter (1955)
    Kirk Douglas and Elsa Martinelli in The Indian Fighter (1955)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kirk Douglas
    Kirk Douglas
    • Johnny Hawks
    Elsa Martinelli
    Elsa Martinelli
    • Onahti
    Walter Matthau
    Walter Matthau
    • Wes Todd
    Diana Douglas
    Diana Douglas
    • Susan Rogers
    Walter Abel
    Walter Abel
    • Captain Trask
    Lon Chaney Jr.
    Lon Chaney Jr.
    • Chivington
    • (as Lon Chaney)
    Eduard Franz
    Eduard Franz
    • Red Cloud
    Alan Hale Jr.
    Alan Hale Jr.
    • Will Crabtree
    • (as Alan Hale)
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    • Briggs
    • (as Elisha Cook)
    Ray Teal
    Ray Teal
    • Morgan
    Frank Cady
    Frank Cady
    • Trader Joe
    Michael Winkelman
    Michael Winkelman
    • Tommy Rogers
    William Phipps
    William Phipps
    • Lt. Blake
    Harry Landers
    Harry Landers
    • Grey Wolf…
    Hank Worden
    Hank Worden
    • Crazy Bear…
    Lane Chandler
    Lane Chandler
    • Head Settler
    • (uncredited)
    Robert 'Buzz' Henry
    Robert 'Buzz' Henry
    • Lt. Shaeffer
    • (uncredited)
      • André De Toth
      • Robert L. Richards(story)
      • Frank Davis(screenplay)
      • Ben Hecht(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kirk Douglas did most of his own horse riding and, at one point, broke his nose attempting a stunt that called for him to make his horse fall. Instead of leaning back in the saddle when yanking the horse's head around to the side, Douglas leaned forward and took the full force of the horse's heavy head right in the face.
    • Goofs
      Right before the Indians tie Todd to the tree with the intention of burning him, he's having a conversation with Johnny. During this conversation, Johnny's left arm repeatedly changes positions, from being stretched out against the tree, to holding his hat in front of him and back to stretched out against the tree.
    • Quotes

      Grey Wolf: There can be no friendship between Red Man and White. The fight is to the end. Ride back to your people. There is no room for you here.

      Johnny Hawks: You've grown a big mouth since I saw you last, Grey Wolf, but I didn't come here to talk to a big mouth. I've come to talk to a big man.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958)

    User reviews29

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    While far from perfect, it handled the Indians in a way far more credibly than most films of the day
    With a title like THE Indian FIGHTER, you'd think that this was the standard "let's kill all the Indians" type movie so typical in the 1940s and 50s. However, like some of the better cowboy and Indian films of the era (such as the great FORT APACHE and the not so great CHEYENNE), the reason for the Indians hating the Whites is explained--they are not just unreasoning savages or idiots, but people justifiably angry at their mistreatment by the invading Whites. Because of this, I appreciated the film and was also happy that it also wasn't like some of the newer breed of films that paint the Indians and completely noble and the Whites as the epitome of evil! It did seem well balanced AND featured mostly Indians in Indian parts (though, oddly, they chose an Italian lady to play the female leading Indian!).

    The rest of the film, while entertaining and having the usual great performance by Kirk Douglas, also is very simplistic and poorly thought out at times. For example, the motivation for why Douglas saved Walter Mathau's sorry butt at the beginning of the film is unclear. It defied common sense not to just let the Indians kill Mathau. Plus, at the end of the film, Douglas' confrontation with Douglas and Lon Chaney, Jr. was a long time coming but was resolved awfully quickly--making it seem very anti-climactic. Still, overall it does stand out from the HUGE number of look alike Westerns and it is worth your time.
    helpful•24
    3
    • planktonrules
    • Sep 1, 2007

    Details

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    • Release date
      • February 27, 1956 (United Kingdom)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bend, Oregon, USA
    • Production company
      • Bryna Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 28 minutes

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