Distant Drums
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Movie Reviews of Distant Drums
Movie Review: Good. VERY Good.
Summary: 5 Stars
Like many of the other reviewers, I saw this at the theater as a kid...actually a toddler...and it has stuck with me ever since. Oh, there are some faults with the script, and it isn't HIGH NOON, but then it wasn't meant to be. Nor was it produced as an historical documentary. What the movie DID do for me as a kid was spur an interest in reading about the Seminole Indians and Florida history. It's a good, VERY good action flick.Movie Review: A GREAT ACTION MOVIE FOR A LOST GENERATION!
Summary: 5 Stars
What a great movie! For 1951, Gary Cooper at his best. Battles with Spanish, and Seminole Indians running in Florida in the 1840s. They filmed some of the movie in Saint Augustine, at Castillo de San Marcos, a 300 year old castle still standing today. Very entertaining movie, worth the investment! And good soundtrack also.Movie Review: Good Ol' Coop and his Swamp Fox
Summary: 4 Stars
For Gary Cooper fans, this is an above average flick. It's not in the same class as The Westerner or Sgt York, but it has plenty of suspense and action. It also has one of the hottest leading ladies I've ever seen! Apparently some hotshot must have married her (Mari Aldon) and cut short her career because this seems to be her only lead role. As for Coop, he's in fine shape-ok, a little past his prime, but still handsome and tough. His entrance scene is a great shot showing what a Golden Age movie star ought to look like. After attacking and destroying the Seminole Indians arms cache (Florida circa 1840) most of the movie concerns the small band of soldiers led by Cooper being chased through the Everglades by some seriously fearsome Seminoles. In a way, it's a chase movie, and the retreating group is in a situation of convincing danger. Therein lies the heroic nature of a Gary Cooper character in his adventure films: he is a formidable opponent, but he can be killed. He is not the superhuman as Clint Eastwood often is, or even John Wayne. You get the feeling that he may not make it to the end of the movie. However, he is the kind of man you would put your faith in and follow just about anywhere. Coop seems to be enjoying himself in the film and looks like he's doing many of his own stunts. The climactic and imaginative underwater knife duel is well done and caps the tension of the story. I have to admit, the movie started a bit slow for me, but I continued watching and was pleasantly rewarded. For a younger Gary Cooper, and more violent film, I would recommend The Real Glory, but this is a harder to find movie than Distant Drum. One bit of criticism is, as usual, with the quality of the print. It's not terrible, but it is faded somewhat. I give it four stars because of the action and suspense, Cooper's lively performance, and Miss Aldon is HOT!
Movie Review: Vigorous historical adventure yarn
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a loose remake of Objective Burma-also directed by Raoul Walsh -with Florida and the Seminole Indians standing in for Burma and the Japanese respectively.Gary Cooper plays Captain Wyatt who at the behest of General Zachary Taylor leads a punitive expedition against the Seminoles .En route they encounter gun runners plying their trade with the Indians and after destroying their fortress liberate their captives,including an attractive young woman played by former ballerina Mari Aldon.They seek to make it back to base under constant attack and ambush from the tribe .
The heart of the movie is its superbly staged action scenes including an underwater knife fight and numerous exchages of rifle fire .The relationship between Cooper and Aldon is sensitively written and played but for the most part action is the thing and it is staged with customary Walsh-ian vigour .Good performances -including a scene stealing cameo from the ever dependable Arthur Hunnicutt-are a plus point as is a rousing Max Steiner score
This is better than its patchy reputation suggests and is a satisfying slice of period adventure that should have quite a wide appeal
Movie Review: Distant Drums DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a fine adventure movie directed by Raoul Walsh. I loved the fact it was filmed on location in and near the Everglades. For the most part, I thought it was a fair representation of an historical event. It was happily devoid of politically correct philosophy prevalent in so many movies today. Gary Cooper was great as the action hero.
The DVD itself was of a surprisingly good quality. It is a shame that there were not any special features, or a commentary.
It is a good DVD to add to one's collection.