Distant Drums
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Movie Reviews of Distant Drums
Movie Review: lost in the everglades
Summary: 2 Stars
Let me first say this is a very good film,my complaint is with the quality of the film/disc.The film can stand with any of the action/westerns out of the 50's .Gary Cooper as always is in great form and the supporting cast is good.The film though has a grainy look to it and the disc quality is fair to low.I guess for the price you can't be to picky. Some extras or behind the scenes look would be nice.A plus with the film is the locations that were used, a great look at the wilds of Florida.Movie Review: Not HIGH NOON!
Summary: 1 Stars
This 1951 Gary Cooper/Raoul Walsh (director) vehicle is not one of their best. In fact, the movie is so disappointing in every regard that I am surprised the film was considered for DVD production when so many other excellent 50yr. old movies have yet to see the light of day on DVD. Still, this selection may be the only film made that addresses the Seminole Indian War of the 1840s (as a point of fact, the Seminoles never did sign a peace treaty with the US, and the war ended quietly). The only two bona fide Hollywood stars are Gary Cooper, of course, and stalwart supporting actor, Arthur Hunnicutt. Several other actors will be more familiar to moviegoers as TV personalities, like Richard Webb (in the late 1950s program Captain Midnight) and Sheb Wooley, a real-life cowboy/stuntman, who was a regular in Rawhide with Clint Eastwood. I remember first seeing "Distant Drums" as a youngster and was hooked on Cooper as an "Indian Fighter", the action represented by the "Whites" trying to escape the pursuing Indians, and the climactic hand-to-hand, underwater knife fight between Cooper's character and Chief Ocala. Since then, I and movies have become a wee bit more sophisticated, and "Distant Drums" has failed to withstand the test of time. The color transfer to DVD is sharpe, and the underwater scenes are crisp; however, historical accuracy in the film is non-existant, and the romantic involvement between Cooper and the female lead, Mari Aldon (who is she?), is so contrived that it detracts from the strength of Cooper's character. What "deep sixed" the movie for me were: 1) the 1890s uniforms worn by the c.1840 US soldiers; 2) the Colt Peacemaker/6 shot revolver used by Cooper (had the film's producer done his homework, he would have known this gun was not in production until the 1870s ... even Gary Cooper should have known this fact!); and 3) the made-up, improvised, gobboli-gook Indian language used by Cooper and other characters. No, "Distant Drums" is not "High Noon," perhaps Cooper's best Western (both films were made the same year). Sadly, what we are able to recall as exciting or great as children is all too frequently disappointing as adults; "Distant Drums" is such an example for me.Movie Review: Hollywood Screws the Native Americans - Again
Summary: 1 Stars
This Movie (like all Hollywood Movies involving Native Americans) is a JOKE! How can one not see the terrible stereotyping of the Native Americans? Oh yeah I guess stupid and senseless people dont see the racist stereotyping. As a Seminole/Creek Native American (yes - born and raised on the Seminole Reservation) I can attest that the only thing the film got right was some of the Seminole Regalia (clothing). And even then it got the feathers, face paint, and weapons wrong.
And there was no such thing as the "Indian Princess" in our Tribe much less any other tribe. The only "Indian Princesses" are the ones today that are part of the White Man's Beauty Pagents - which have sadly taken hold in the Native American Culture.
The Seminoles did not ask the White Man to push him into Florida and did not ask the White Man to try and control him either. And as far as rescuing the Women or even the Slaves - what another joke. Documented History from so called "captives" have proven that Slaves avoided the White Man and any concept of rescue and stayed with the Seminoles and became part of the Tribe. History also documents that many White so called "captives" chose to stay with the Seminoles and refused "rescue." And this is not made up - check the stories of so called "captives" themselves as many have been told and even published.
But I did give it one star. At least it took place in Seminole Country and some of the Clothing for the Seminoles is correct. Everything else is a joke and bad history.