Such a frustrating disappointment

Sadly Over-hyped

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Jeff Chandler and Jay Silverheels, who played Cochise and Geronimo, respectively, in "Broken Arrow" and "Battle at Apache Pass", return for this one. Silverheels is a chief of the rampaging Kiowa, although apparently subservient to the revengeful ex-confederate Captain Corwin! Chandler, as Major Brady, has a role somewhat like that of John Wayne in "Fort Apache", except that here it's the sitting fort commander(Meade), rather than the new guy from the East, who goes strictly by the book and doesn't know how to subdue the Indians. The legendary Indian fighter Ranald Mackenzie took 20 Seminoles with him in his illegal foray across the Rio Grande to bloody the noses of a mixed tribal group, which had been raiding into Texas. It happens that Mackenzie was headquartered at Fort Clark: the fort in the present story, during most of the 1870s, when the present story apparently takes place. Seminoles were moved to near this fort in 1872. In this film, the fictional Brady took this a step further, training the Seminoles to be the primary fighters against the raiding Kiowa, rather than just scouts. Fort commander Meade(John McIntire) sarcastically called them 'Brady's bunch', and wrongly predicted that they would prove no match for the Kiowa. Well, we can't really blame him for this reasonable prediction. However, he forgot that the Seminoles were given the powerful Henry repeater rifles, which their opponents lacked. Despite Hollywood films, such as this, Plaines Indians very seldom attacked well built forts, as they typically resulted in too many casualties. Here, the Kiowa were talked into attacking the fort by Corwin, who had an unsound desire to destroy this symbol of Union victory in the late war. What initially appeared to be a Kiowa victory, once they penetrated the fort door(much too easily without dynamite in the wagon!), later turned into a turkey shoot as they tried to escape. As Corwin tussled with Brady, he was shot dead, apparently by Chief Satanta(Silverheels), presumably miffed that Corwin had led his tribe into this disaster. Satanta was then quickly dispatched, symbolizing a probable end to Kiowa raids. There is a bizarre detail to the battle in the fort. Brady decided to shut the women and children in the fort powder magazine room. He then made a snake fuse of black powder leading to the door of this room, and lit the end. The idea was that, if the Kiowa won the battle, the women and children were better off blown to bits than to experience what the Kiowa had in store for them. Fortunately, Maureen's character sensed that the Kiowa would eventually lose, and broke out to destroy a part of the 'snake'.Young Suzan Ball takes on Maureen O'Hara's frequent role as a feisty independent-minded woman, whereas Maureen's character is rather bland, hobbled by uncertainty whether her estranged husband(Corwin) is still alive, and if so, whether she would want to receive him back into her life, given his known collusion with the Mexican government to promote Indian unrest in Texas. Nonetheless, she provisionally reciprocates Major Brady's obvious interest in her, hoping that he will eventually provide a ticket out of this desolate fort and landscape, ideally setting her up in some large Eastern city. Suzan Ball, as poor but ambitious Seminole maiden Avis, has similar goals. She has the advantage of having been to school in San Antonio, and in being the Seminole chief's daughter, which gives her temporary access to the soldiers in the fort, whom she can impress with her beauty. However, early on, we are assured by Brady that he has no intention of marrying her(too bossy and demanding?) and only has eyes for Elaine(Maureen's character). After she's given up trying to snare Brady, she completely changes her thinking; using her position in the fort to help in Brady's battles with the fort commander and deserting Seminoles. This change in attitude, culminating in her changed attitude toward the previously derided Pino, just doesn't ring true. Chandler and Ball were the male and female leads in "Yankee Buccaneer". However, Ball didn't end up romantically with Chandler's character in either that film or the present one. She would die of cancer at age 21, but not before playing Chief Crazy Horse's main wife. She was much more subdued in that role, perhaps because one leg had been amputated in an effort to halt the cancer spread.John McIntire is OK as the overly pessimistic fort commander, who too often resents the opinions and actions of the upstart Major Brady. My favorite of his film roles is the charismatic villainous Gannon, in "The Far Country". Noah Berry and Charles Drake are OK as Brady's two loyal, somewhat knuckleheaded, sidekicks, reminding me of the pair of sidekicks played by Alan Hale and 'Big Boy' Williams in "Santa Fe Trail"Dennis Weaver hardly looks convincing as a Seminole(Pino).He came across much better as the Navajo chief in "Column South".Look for this film on YouTube.

I just happened to catch this rare gem on TV. I was very plesantly surprised.The action scenes are plentiful and brilliant including several ear blasting shootouts and an epic scale battle sequence which makes excellent use of sharps buffalo rifles, springfield rifles and cannons.The plot is nice and simple as it mainly involves a cavalry officer training a group of discraced semihole indians to fight against some other western indians.I really enjoyed this movie and it is one of the best B westerns out there. Its only available on region 1 but if its ever on TV again i highly recommend you watch it.

War Arrow is directed by George Sherman and written by John Michael Hayes. It stars Jeff Chandler, Maureen O'Hara, Suzan Ball, Noah Beery, Charles Drake, John McIntire and Henry Brandon. A Technicolor production with exterior location work at Agoura, California, it features cinematography by William Daniels and music by Joseph Gershenson. Story is based on real events and sees Chandler as Cavalry officer Major Howell Brady, who is dispatched by Washington to end the Kiowa Indian uprising in Texas. But his mission is made doubly difficult by the obstinate commander of the post Colonel Meade (McIntire), and his feelings towards Elaine Corwin (O'Hara), whose officer husband disappeared after a scouting mission.Brady's BunchA pleasant surprise, although mired in the formula than ran through many a B Western that featured Cavalry and Indians, War Arrow packs an intelligent punch and features acting to match. The strength in the narrative comes from Brady's coercing of the peaceful Seminole Indians to fight alongside the white man against the rampaging Kiowa. Having had to flee their Florida homes, the Seminole are willing to be trained by Brady and his crew on the promise of land and supplies from the government. With Brady meeting resistance from stuffy Colonel Meade, these promises are on shaky ground, but the training sequences are most interesting for their tactical value and the Seminole are nicely drawn as a race of people. The latter of which, unsurprisingly, is not afforded the Kiowa who are rank and file blood thirsty marauders, but the balance is right, and with the Henry Repeating Rifle the weapon of choice, the action and stunt work, particularly for the siege on the fort finale, is high on excitement.They say that a wild plant doesn't live too long indoorsInto the mix is a romantic triangle, which isn't overplayed and creates a number of jealousies from both male and female characters. Either side of Brady is Elaine and Avis (Ball), with curmudgeon Meade pacing the edges of the triangle. Also enjoyable is the light relief that comes from the Sergeants played by Beery (Red River/Decision at Sundown) and Drake (Winchester '73/No Name on the Bullet), who are both excellent. Chandler offers up a big presence, while turning in one of his more committed Western performances, and O'Hara brings the class while Ball brings the smoulder. McIntire is suitably mean yet still giving Meade an elegant officious quality, and Brandon turns in a good one too. In named back up support are Dennis Weaver and Jay Silverheels. Daniels' (The Far Country/Night Passage) Agoura exteriors are pleasing, though the print of the film isn't doing it justice, and the prolific Gershenson (the go-to guy for Cavalry Vs Indians flavouring) scores it in standard, but easy listening, thematic beats.With Sherman's (Chief Crazy Horse/Big Jake) direction unfussy, War Arrow, in spite of mixed reviews on the internet, is a B Western I personally recommend to like minded Western fans. 7.5/10

Jeff Chandler plays an army major who heads west in order to help an obstinate colonel quell a local Kiowa uprising. He has the idea to train some uprooted Seminoles to help the army defeat the Kiowa using some of the same hit-and-run tactics the Kiowa use to attack white settlers. The Kiowa are also helped by an army deserter who also happens to be Maureen O'Hara's ex. That complicates the love interest between Chandler and O'Hara.It's pretty standard stuff. The battle at the end in the fort didn't look too exciting although I've seen worse. Dennis Weaver as a Seminole indian looks unconvincing and John McIntire as the stubborn colonel can be a little too hard to believe at times. It's only when the Kiowa attack the fort and he gets shot that he comes around and believes Chandler's tactics were right, all along.The full-screen Universal DVD is pretty clean with little, if any film damage but the only extra is a trailer. No digital artifacts that I could see. In full Technicolor.They're are so many better westerns than this that Universal could have released on DVD. All those Audie Murphy oaters for example, so I hope they get around to doing it.At least at 78 minutes, this one had the benefit of not going on too long.Average.5 out of 10