SMOKE SIGNAL
(director/writer: Jerry Hopper; screenwriter: screenplay & story by George F. Slavin & George W. George; cinematographer: Clifford Stine; editor: Milton Carruth; music: Irving Gertz, William Lava, Henry Mancini; cast: Dana Andrews (Brett Halliday), Piper Laurie (Laura Evans), William Talman (Capt. Harper), Rex Reason (Lt. Wayne Ford), Milburn Stone (Sgt. Miles), Douglas Spencer (Garode, trapper), William Schallert (Pvt. Livingston), Gordon Jones (Cpl. Rogers), Robert Wilkie (1st Sgt. Daly); Runtime: 88; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Howard Christie; Universal; 1955)
“An okay pro-Indian film.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
An okay pro-Indian film. It doesn’t show them in a positive way, but is satisfactorily directed by Jerry Hopper (“Pony Express”/”Naked Alibi”) from a screenplay & story by George F. Slavin & George W. George.
It’s set in 1870, by the Grand Canyon and the raging rapids of the Colorado River. A small Cavalry patrol, led by the by-the-book Captain Harper (William Talman) are bringing to their fort for a court-martial an Indian-loving former captain who deserted, Brett Halliday (Dana Andrews). But they must get past a war party of Utes, who are trailing them.
On the patrol is Laura Evans (Piper Laurie), the daughter of the late Indian hating commander who brought the charges. She’s dating the oily Lt. Ford (Rex Reason), an Indian-hater who despises Halliday.
Halliday time and again chooses not to escape but help the patrol, as the captain constantly puts the men in harm’s way.
Halliday wishes to come out of the canyon and hook up with the Apache chief so they can meet with the Utes leader War Cloud and make peace with the troops.
During the journey Laura learns how her father is a bigot and pushed the Indians into war, which Halliday tried to avert even if he deserted and lived with the Utes. Laura drops Ford and falls for Halliday.
It’s well-acted, mildly diverting and visually pleasing.
REVIEWED ON 12/6/2024 GRADE: B-