Movie Reviews for Cheyenne Autumn

Cheyenne Autumn

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Movie Reviews of Cheyenne Autumn

Movie Review: The chronicle of a desperate journey
Summary: 4 Stars

Based upon Mari Sandoz's book Cheyenne Autumn (Second Edition), which was actually an early example of what Truman Capote called a "nonfiction novel," this final Western by director John Ford (he made only two more films before retiring and died nine years later) fictionalizes and broadens the original while still sticking closely to the basic events. It's 1878, and the Northern Cheyennes have languished for a year in the arid Indian Territory, dying of measles and malaria and insufficient food. When a Congressional committee that was supposed to come and hear their grievances fails to appear, the three chiefs--Tall Tree (Victor Jory), Dull Knife (Gilbert Roland), and Little Wolf (Ricardo Montalban)--resolve to lead their people back to their northern-plains homeland, and an epic flight begins. Pursuing the fugitives is Capt. Thomas Archer (Richard Widmark), the chief security officer at the Reservation, who has fought them and respects them as warriors, and, like many long-time frontier officers, is disgusted by the Government's cavalier way of ignoring or breaking its promises to the Indians; travelling with them, in hopes of helping the many orphan children, is Deborah Wright (Carroll Baker), the Quaker schoolteacher. As the Indians' flight stretches through weeks and months, even young Lt. Scott (Patrick Wayne), who begins with a fire-breathing urge to avenge his father (killed in the Fetterman Massacre of 12 years earlier) on Indian--any Indians--comes to feel respect and compassion for them, and when they surrender to by-the-book Prussian-born Capt. Wessells (Karl Malden) of Fort Robinson and are faced with the prospect of a murderous winter march back to the Territory, Archer takes a wild gamble and heads for Washington to seek help from Interior Secretary Carl Schurz (Edward G. Robinson in a pivotal role).

Some viewers may take issue with the casting of non-Indians in the major Indian roles--Jory, Roland, Montalban, Sal Mineo as Dull Knife's impulsive young warrior-son Red Shirt, Dolores Del Rio as his mother (though she at least is established early on as not an Indian by blood, but a Mexican captive named Spanish Woman who has become Cheyenne herself over her many years with the tribe)--but it's worth keeping in mind that in the 1960's there really weren't very many Indian actors in Hollywood to choose from, and at least Ford does use the Navajos of Monument Valley, who knew him well, as extras. (It's sad that Ford stalwarts Ben Johnson, as Pvt. Plumtree, and Harry Carey, Jr., as Pvt. Smith, aren't credited; several of Plumtree's lines are reminiscent of Johnson's turn as Sgt. Tyree in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.) The presence of Widmark and Baker as sympathetic POV characters helps to emphasize the raw deal the Indians got, and though the Monument Valley scenery isn't quite right for the facts of the journey, it's magnificent as always. There are also several good battle scenes and two really excellent quieter ones--the night departure of the Indians from the reservation, and their creative circumvention of a railroad line in their path. Though perhaps not a perfect example of the Fordian oeuvre (the whole Dodge City sequence could probably have been dispensed with), it's a good closing piece for the famed director and an affecting story.

Movie Review: Ford's Most Beautiful film since The Seachers
Summary: 4 Stars

I remember seeing this film in the movies as a kid and I did not think much of it. I saw it on DVD last night for the first time in many years and really enjoyed it. Filmed mostly in Monument Vally in 70mm, this is Ford's most beautiful film since "The Searchers." Almost every scene is a pleasure to look at. The film has been remastered for DVD and looks great.
The film is a sympathetic portrayal of the Cheyenne Indian 1500 mile trek from their reservation in Arizona to their original location. It stars Richard Widmark as a sympathetic Army Captain assigned to bring them back. We sometimes forget what a fine leading-man Widmark was and he is terrific here. (Ford used so many great Hollywood leading men in his films: The great Duke Wayne, of course, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, etc. Widmark and Stewart previously co-starred in Ford's "Two Rode Together.") Widmark's love-interest is played by Carroll Baker, one of my favorite actresses of the 1960s. The indians are portrayed by all non-indians: three hispanic actors: Ricardo Montalban, Gilbert Roland and Dolores Del Rio, an Italian-American: Sal Mineo, and a fine character-actor: Victor Jory. Edweard G. Robinson is very good as the Secretary of the Interior, Carl Schurz. The one major-misfire is a long-winded comedy sequence with James Stewart seriously miscast as an idiotic Wyatt Earp and Arthur Kennedy even more-miscast as a quiet-spoken Doc Holliday. It also feature Ken Curtis, (Ford's son-in-law,) a/k/a Festus Haggen on "Gunsmoke" as a sadistic indian-killer. This entire scene is very out of place and hurts the film.
The music is by Alex North, one of the greatest film composers. (He did one of my all-time favorite scores for "Spartacus.") The DVD features the overture and intermission music.
If you want to spend a relaxing evening watching an extremely well-made epic western featuring a fine cast of actors who, for the most part are no longer with us, you could do far worse than this film

Movie Review: john fords lament
Summary: 4 Stars

veteran western director john ford has killed hundreds of indians in his stories over the golden days of hollywood westerns, so maybe it was fitting that he should be the one lamenting at the passing of one of the proudest tribes in western history. CHEYENNE AUTUMN (Warner Bros) is the actual story of the long, hard trek of the Cheyenne people to what they were told was a better life. The story stars the ever dependable Richard Widmark as the sympathetic cavalry officer who is assigned to oversee the journey. He is assisted on this quest by Carroll Baker as a teacher who has taught the young indians, and has become trusted among them. This film, although maybe a little overlong, is a sprawling addition to the epic western genre. Beautifully photographed by the great William Clothier, it also stars Ricardo Montalban and Gilbert Roland as the two main chiefs, who seek peaceful harmony with the whites but are constantly wronged by their warring relation Sal Mineo.(not a very convincing indian). The film also has an interval with James Stewart as Wyatt Earp and Arthur Kennedy as Doc Holliday in a comedy sketch, which should really have been left on the cutting room floor. CHEYENNE AUTUMN rates 4 out of 5 with me because it is a little too long but when it sticks to the story it is good entertainment.

Movie Review: Breakthrough Treatment of Native Americans
Summary: 4 Stars

This is a grand sentimental epic that no doubt tries the patience of know-it-alls who want their liberal heart strings pulled with historically accurate depictions of suffering. John Ford, a myth-maker, was not the man for the job, but this fictionalized account accomplishes what many if not most documentaries would have failed at, namely, initiating the revision of white America's image of itself as a good people. Here we see what by now is part of every school teacher's curriculum, but 30 years ago, this was a radical retelling of how the West was won. Now we are depicted as the Cossacks, now we are seen as the bad guys, now we are shown to be the ruthless,heartless killers that the 'Indians' had always been accused of. Here we see the American cowboy brutally shoot an Indian in the back and then scalp him for fun. It is a daring, brave film made by a great movie director who loved the land and the people in it.