Character actor Joaquin Martinez plays the title role in this pursuit-Western, a story of a fierce Apache war chief who flees a reservation with his comrades, determined to institute a reign of terror. A wet-behind-the-ears Cavalry officer, Lt. DeBuin (Bruce Davison), is put in charge of the pursuit, and while he will have the final say in military matters, he will also need to defer to the judgment of McIntosh (Burt Lancaster), the veteran Indian scout who will be used for tracking. Also along for the ride is an Indian named Ke-Ni-Tay (Jorge Luke), and DeBuin will have his doubts as to where Ke-Ni-Tays' loyalty lies.
Filmed against some beautiful countryside, this is an overlooked item on the resume of accomplished filmmaker Robert Aldrich, better known for such films as "Kiss Me Deadly", "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?", and "The Dirty Dozen". Some viewers may take exception to the portrayal of Indians in this narrative, as most of them are true savages, but director Robert Aldrich and screenwriter Alan Sharp ("Night Moves") make sure to drive home the point that there will be atrocities committed by both sides. The two parties are not really that different. Lending his expert advise and wisdom is McIntosh, who always has something interesting to say to the impassioned but somewhat naive DeBuin. Aldrich and Sharp pull no punches in terms of violence, which would cause them to lose some more audience members. And yet everything plays out with a refreshing lack of sentimentality. The Cavalry endures in their mission, despite the fact that these particular opponents always seem to be more than one step ahead of them.
The performances are first-rate, with Lancaster scoring in one of his most matter-of-fact, low key portrayals. Davison is just right in his part. Luke has some scene-stealing moments, especially when he says, "His wife, ugly. My wife, not so ugly." As played by Martinez, Ulzana remains something of an enigma; the character has few major scenes and not much dialogue to utter. Richard Jaeckel, Lloyd Bochner, Karl Swenson, John Pearce, and Richard Bull comprise an excellent supporting cast; among the Cavalrymen are Ted Markland, Nick Cravat, and Richard Farnsworth.
Designed as a Vietnam war allegory, the picture does have a clearly stated message warning against demonizing ones' opponents, and plays out in a reasonably realistic fashion. Recommended.
Seven out of 10.
