Pawnee (1957)

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

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

An old western, that isn't that old. In the late 1950's PAWNEE looked old and somewhat modern. A young white boy named Paul Fletcher(George Montgomery)is raised by a Pawnee Chief Wise Eagle(Ralph Moody). Blue eyed Pale Arrow reaches manhood, and still a favorite of the Chief, is ejected from the tribe. His future and loyalties will become tested when he takes a job as a scout for a wagon train. He will be taking wagons of white people into Indian Territory. Tensions rise when peace-loving Wise Eagle dies leaving a war-minded Crazy Fox(Charles Horvath)taking over leading the tribe. Crazy Fox just happens to be Paul/Pale Arrow's archenemy. Any peace on the prairie will be blemished.The cast also features: Bill Williams, Lola Albright, Robert Griffin, Kathleen Freeman, Dabs Greer, Bill Coontz and Francis McDonald.

After watching this film I thought back to 1957 when this film first came out and I wonder if anyone noticed that Pawnee was a remake of The Ten Commandments set in the old west. I guess that Paramount thought that Herbert J. Yates and Republic Pictures which was on its uppers at that time had nothing worth suing over.George Montgomery plays a man who was raised by the Pawnee after his white parents were killed. At least that explained those baby blue eyes that Burt Lancaster in Apache and Chuck Connors in Geronimo couldn't explain. He's the adopted son of Chief Ralph Moody, favored so much so that blood kin Charles Horvath is jealous. Montgomery is even moving in on Charlotte Austin the Indian maid set to marry the chief to be.It's Moody's wish that Montgomery go among his own race and see how they live and how the Pawnee can adapt in their world. Which he does by taking a job as wagon train scout for a wagon train headed by Bill Williams. And then Montgomery catches the eye of his girl Lola Albright.I think you can see the similarities and the final climax between the Pawnees, settlers, and cavalry is the parting of the Red Sea and it all ends romantically as it did for Moses.Pawnee is a below par western that has me wondering if Cecil B. DeMille was insulted or flattered.

While much of this movie progresses at an anemic pace and much of the ending is lifted out of at least one other cavalry versus Indians movie, the epic confrontation of Pale Arrow (George Montgomery) versus Crazy Fox (Charles Horvath) offered, for me, a stirring finish.All during the film, Crazy Fox has nourished a hatred against Pale Arrow, a man brought up by the tribe. Pale Arrow was favored by Crazy Fox's own father, stole his maiden, Dancing Fawn, and seems to have bested him throughout his life.Now, Pale Arrow, who Crazy Fox thought had been killed at a Pawnee torture stake, spies the chief and a few braves in the midst of a great battle. Pale Arrow rides toward the chief and the epic, final fight is about to commence.They ride toward each; their horses collide. Dismounted, they tussle, roll over each other, and fall into a nearby river. At first, Crazy Fox has the upper hand, beating Pale Arrow with a tomahawk as the swift current drags them away. But, then, they return to calmer water.We see Crazy Fox only from the back now, his hair unbraided, his weapon gone, his skin shimmering from the dunking in the water. Pale Arrow slugs him and Crazy Fox falls back into the water. The proud, valiant, determined, bold, and adventurous Pawnee war chief tries to regain the initiative but cannot. A second punch and he is knocked down to the bottom of the river, near the bank. Pale Arrow jumps on him, holds him down, and drowns him as Crazy Fox desperately tries to save his audacious but malevolent and ultimately doomed life. His existence, his leadership of the tribe, his quest for revenge are all about to come to termination. As the background music reaches its crescendo, Pale Arrow strangles Crazy Fox and the Pawnee's face cannot be seen. Only the breastplate covering his magnificent Pawnee chest is still visible. Crazy Fox is dead.The scene then switches to the final moments of movie.

Despite a veteran cast, this one just doesn't make the grade. The script is routine at best, and most of the location and action scenes are nothing more than stock footage, most of it gleaned from "Buffalo Bill" (1944). Ms. Albright can almost always lift a B picture to the status of "watchable" however, here she is reduced to nothing more than window dressing between old stock footage action scenes. Pass on this one.