The Last Wagon (1956)

Wagon train survivors of an Apache attack entrust the sheriff's prisoner, scout Comanche Todd, with their lives despite his wanted-for-murder status.

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

James Edward Grant (screenplay), Delmer Daves (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Widmark, Felicia Farr, Susan Kohner

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Widmark	...	Comanche Todd
Felicia Farr	...	Jenny
Susan Kohner	...	Jolie Normand
Tommy Rettig	...	Billy
Stephanie Griffin	...	Valinda Normand
Ray Stricklyn	...	Clint
Nick Adams	...	Ridge
Carl Benton Reid	...	Gen. Howard
Douglas Kennedy	...	Col. Normand
George Mathews	...	Sheriff Bull Harper
James Drury	...	Lt. Kelly
Ken Clark	...	Sergeant

Storyline

Accused of murdering three of Sheriff Bull Harper's brothers, the Comanche-reared white man, "Comanche" Todd, is captured and dragged to trial. Cautiously, as the two men ride across hostile Apache territory, they will join Colonel Normand's wagon train of women and children, only to be ambushed and massacred by the Indians whose families were slaughtered by the whites. Now, the few survivors have no other choice but to trust their dubious protector, Todd, as hundreds of vengeful Apaches track them down, thirsting for blood. Can they make it out alive?

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Plot Keywords:

apache territory | apache | arizona | arizona territory | murder | 

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Taglines:

Nothing could stop the last wagon from coming through!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der letzte Wagen

Filming Locations:

Bell Rock, Sedona, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,670,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (Westrex Recording System) (5.0) (L-R)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Average Shot Length = ~6.7 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~6.1 seconds. Both values are fast for a reasonably early CinemaScope film.

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Goofs

During the first reel, the Sheriff shoots Comanche Todd (Richard Widmark) in the left shoulder. Todd clutches at his shoulder and, grimacing with pain, collapses on the ground and the Sheriff captures him. Directly afterwards, the wound disappears and the top of Todd's buckskin jacket sleeve remains unmarked throughout the rest of the film, as though the wounding had never happened.

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Quotes

[after capturing Todd, Sheriff Harper offers to join Colonel Normand's wagon train]
Col. Normand: He's safe in your custody, I suppose. It's just that we got women and children with us.
Sheriff Bull Harper: He'll be safe. The first time he don't look safe, he'll get dead.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: 1873 Arizona Territory

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2 (1999)

User Reviews

Save the children

The Last Wagon is a film with some good intentions and some very good moments, but it could have been a whole lot better.

A really brutal sheriff played by George Matthews brings a prisoner in to a small wagon train. By his manner he puts off a whole lot of the wagon train member. They start having some sympathy with prisoner Richard Widmark.

When some of the young people of the train go off and frolic in a midnight swim, they return and find the Apaches have massacred the train except for one survivor. Widmark survived by a fluke I won't reveal.

Widmark's a white man who lived with the Comanches and he's the only one who might insure the survival of the rest. Reluctantly they trust him and the adventure begins.

Widmark's is the only really developed character in The Last Wagon, the rest have some strange motivations and attitudes that are not fully explained. Still their are some exciting sequences in the film and it can be enjoyed on that level.