Dakota Incident (1956)

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

A cracking start to this 1956 western which unfortunately tends to slow up towards the end. I loved watching Dale Robertson as Jim Hardie in Well Fargo on TV with his quick draw left handed gun belt, when I was a kid. I notice one reviewer here says 'No Major Stars' which made me smile a bit, as I imagine the author is from a more recent generation of film and TV fans. Linda Darnell was certainly a major star in the 1940's in films like My Darling Clementine and both Dale Robertson and Ward Bond were major TV western stars in the 1950's/60's in Wells Fargo as mentioned and Wagon Train, in fact their stars grew after this film Dakota Incident was made in 1956. Sadly Linda Darnell died in a house fire in 1965 at the young age of 41. As I said earlier, the film opens with a terrific scene involving three outlaws who fall out which climaxes in a street gunfight, obviously with that famous left handed gun being the winner. All this in the first half hour, after which the story involves a coach being pulled into town with all the occupants dead due to an Indian attack. Several residents want a ride on the coach to Laramie and insist on going so our hero, Robertson takes on the task. There follows more Indian attacks and double crossing until just a handful of characters are left alive, and regrettably the picture ends with a rather predictable toned down ending which is rather disappointing for a film that started out so promising. If only the second half had lived up to the first I would have recommended it more highly.

Please don't confuse the B&W John Wayne western "Dakota" with this Trucolor film, starring Linda Darnell and Dale Robertson. Both were released by Republic studios and both included Ward Bond playing a major character. This one was mostly filmed in Red Rock Canyon, southern CA, which somewhat resembles the badlands of South Dakota.Aside from the western action sequences, the main thing of interest is the romantic give and take between Dale Robertson(as Johnny) and Linda Darnell(as Amy), which provides some chuckles here and there. In accordance with standard formula, at first, Linda is put off by Dale's egoism and chauvinism, but gradually warms up to him, as she is impressed with his backing up his claims. His final act that broke her icy attitude, comes near the end, when Dale says he will keep his promise to the dying John Hamilton to clear his name from hosting the bank robbery at the bank where he was a teller. This robbery was actually carried out by Dale and his 2 deceased partners. Assuming he will keep this promise along with returning the money, this impresses Linda as to his honesty.Several reviewers mention the opening segment, in which the team of 3 bank robbers are riding along, when one(Largo) suggests to another (Frank) that they kill Frank's brother(Dale), so that the money can be split 2 ways instead of 3. Amazingly, Frank agrees to this!(Frank definitely should not have been characterized as Dale's brother)!. They shoot at Dale several times, killing his horse, and apparently Dale, as well. But, the sloppy pair fail to check to make sure he's dead! After they leave, Dale gets up, apparently minimally hurt by a bullet or by the fall from his horse. He walks to town, carrying his saddle. Later, when he has a gun duel with Largo in town, he falls down, apparently dead. Largo staggers over to him and collapses. Dale then arises, apparently unhurt and says to his deceased opponent "I didn't think you would fall for that opossum trick twice". Dale also has a gun duel with brother Frank, winning again, but not killing Frank. He tells Frank to get out of town. Later, on a stage coach run, Frank is found dead, of a Cheyenne arrow.A stage comes into town with arrows sticking out everywhere and most of the people dead. A number of people, including Linda are anxious to get on to Laramie, but nobody wants to be the driver, until Dale volunteers. Linda later asks him why he volunteered to drive. His answer suggests because she was on the stage and he didn't want to lose her. Dale, as well as the 5 passengers later regret they decided to take this stage, as they have 2 traumatic experiences. Firstly, a wheel comes off the stage, perhaps from Dale's inexperience at driving a stage. This causes the stage to crash and land on it's side. Miraculously, no one inside is even hurt, let alone killed. Dale, who is dragged a considerable distance by the fleeing horses likewise has nary a scratch! As this is in the middle of Cheyenne country, they are in a very bad situation. They decide to hold up in a trench-like gully, not knowing what to do next, being very short on water. Soon, Cheyenne start throwing arrows and lead at them. Then, the Cheyenne place a canteen where they have to crawl out of their trench to get it. Two of the 4 male passengers die trying to get this canteen or a mirage of water. Senator Blakely(Ward Bond), who has been giving pro-Indian speeches all along, dies when he climbs out of the trench to plead with the Cheyenne to buzz off. The 4th male passenger, John Hamilton, is shot trying to steal some Cheyenne ponies. However, he makes it back to the trench, with Dale's help. However, he will soon die. He extracts a promise from Dale, that he will clear Hamilton's name, as the accused in the robbery that Dale and partners committed, and will return the money. After Hamilton dies, Linda asks Dale why he should keep that promise. Who will know if he doesn't. Dale claims he will keep the promise, because he will know if he doesn't. Regardless, looks like their chance of surviving their current situation is virtually nil, unless they can somehow turn the Cheyenne from enemies into friends. I won't tell you the conclusion. See the movie to find out. It's available on You Tube now.I enjoyed the movie. I liked Robertson's laconic self confidence and Oklahoma twang. I also liked Linda's more openly stated confidence and fancy colorful outfit. Ward Bond stood out periodically as the 'pretentious blowhard', to quote Linda, always talking up giving the Indians a chance to stick to a peace treaty, and dying in the effort. The screenplay was marred by the occasional implausible event. I've discussed the wrecked stage event. Also, the little stream of water that finally flows into the gulch where the stage people are hiding, after most have died. There was no hint of rain nearby. The ending may seem implausible, as well, but possible.

The screenplay is another variation of the "stagecoach " theme : a group of persons in jeopardy ,some of whom are enemies.At least in its second part:the first one,particularly the very first ,are confusing and the movie really takes off when ,in spite of an ominous warning,the travelers set off for territories where the Indians are a living threat.Sen Blakely is a politician we do not meet every day : his attempt at a truce with the Indians is the most moving moment in the movie -it recalls Uncle Matthews ' vain attempt to communicate (armed with a cross) with the Martians in " war of the worlds " (Byron Haskin, 1954)-;his sacrifice is not vain : John (Dale Robertson)does some soul-searching and makes a decision which is not so obvious:he will clear Hamilton/Carter's name whereas he could easily get away with it.Let's add that miss Darnell's sumptuous dress-in the middle of the desert!- helps .As for her French servant,Giselle,C'est Une Lâcheuse.

Dakota Incident is a minor western with a pretty decent cast. A stagecoach of very different people is attacked by Indians and have to band together to survive. The set up is pretty slow as it introduces the main characters but there are some decent scenes before the main event begins, certainly enough to keep you watching. If I'm being honest I found the lead Dale Robertson to be a bit annoying but the supporting cast especially John Lund and Ward Bond are pretty good. The real star though is the beautiful Linda Darnell who is great as the strong but alluring Amy Clarke. On the downside at times it's a bit too talky for it's own good which does slow the pace too much at times. There is no effort to portray the Indians as anything other than the generic bad guys apart from the character of Senator Blakely who sees them as more than that. This is a western that ticks most of the boxes tumbleweed, saloons, card games, gunfights, howling coyotes, Indians, stagecoaches, good looking young woman. The lot. So for all it's faults this is still an enjoyable western if by no means a classic.