White Feather (1955)

White Feather/Classic 50's Western

This is a classic 50's Western that only recently came out on DVD and could only be seen for years on AMC. Stars a very young Robert Wagner, Debra Paget, and Jeff Hunter, Debra and Jeff playing Native Americans. Good story, somewhat hokey acting, but overall still very entertaining. August 7, 2008

"It Was A Good Game" ~ Friendship, Love And Honor Amongst The Cheyenne

As one would expect from a Hollywood feature film from the fifties ('55 to be exact) `White Feather' suffers from the usual maladies: stiff and somewhat unrealistic dialogue, a lot of dramatic posturing for effect purposes and the always disconcerting visual of white actors playing the role of Native Americans. However that is an unchangeable sign of that generation and if you're a fan of early films you've learned to accept the stylist difference and enjoy the many other aspects of a good film.

`White Feather' doesn't contain the numerous sequences that usually accompany a film categorized within the Western genre. The film is by in large a tale (according to the narration in the prologue and epilogue a factual story) of romance between two people from different cultures, one white (Robert Wagner as Josh Tanner) and one Native American (Debra Paget as Appearing Day). The backdrop of this love story concerns the impending signing of a peace treaty between the Cheyenne and the white usurpers that would displace the Native Americans from their rightful homeland and requires them to move south to less than greener pastures.

What this film lacks in fast paced action is more than made up for in overall strong performances by the entire cast and a surprisingly sensitive and poignant depiction of the plight of the Native American and the code of honor that the warrior lives by.

With all that said let me also admit that I've had a crush on Debra Paget as long as I can remember so any film she appears in will more likely than not get a higher rating then it would have otherwise. However in this case I think I would have recommended this one even in her absence. July 5, 2008

1877 HOLLYWOOD STYLE

This movie is excellent entertainment for its time and also for today, however, it is not excellent history. But what the movie attemps to show deserves some sympathetic historical consideration.

Robert Wagner mentions the date 1877 at movie's beginning, only a few months after the Custer fight of June, 1876, at the Little Big Horn. After that fight, the Lakota as well as Northern Cheyenne were later tracked and attacked by General Ranald Mackenzie's troops either to die in battle or suffer much in way of starvation and death during the winter of 1876. Were driven after the battle to accept charity from Crazy Horse's Oglala people to live through the winter of '76. The old, normal life of the Northern Cheyenne had ceased to exit.

We are to assume the spring of 1877, for that is when the Northern Cheyenne were compelled to sign a treaty which would take them south away from their traditional home to Oklahoma then known as Indian Territory. The Northern Cheyenne walked every mile, close to 1500 miles, from the Powder River country to their new home near Fort Reno at the Darlington Agency. The journey on foot had taken several months from spring to fall, 1877. From that fall, 1877, until following spring, 1878, they remained in Oklahoma, but found conditions there so impossible they were forced into a choice of facing death at Darlington or death on the trail back to Montana. They chose to return to the Powder River country. That subject too Hollywood also put on film in 1964 as CHEYENNE AUTUMN.

Many may not enjoy this film, taking exception to major or minor elements, but for the attempt made to offer some pictorial history of this 1877 turbulent time, the movie does deserve several stars. The acting is very good, the filming is also good, but the story it attempts to tell is even better. Whether Hollywood or viewers were aware, it was a brave venture, none-the-less even today. The Northern Cheyenne did finally receive some tribute for both their bravery and suffering.

Though I see glaring historical errors in this film, it is still one of the more intelligent films on the Northern plains tribes of the 1950s. Many may not feel that way, but then many do not read the real history of those long ago times. And though the movie has its inaccuracies, in the main it is a story well told. The shadows of both Little Wolf (Little Coyote) and Dull Knife (Morning Star) under examination continue to stand tall, though both died pretty much forgotten even to their own people.

Semper Fi. June 18, 2008

Wagner out West

Most of the young stars here perform very well in a high production western that is'nt quite as good as the sum of it's parts. Wagner is'nt bad, Debra Paget is good as always but Jeff Hunter is slightly miscast, though he works quite hard. I liked the feel of time and place this film has and it still retains a sweep and grandour which must have looked great on its original cinema outing.What else can I say. I thoroughly enjoyed it even with its shortcommings and can recommend it even on repeated viewings though widescreen works best for the full-bodied western vistas. July 30, 2007

Featherweight Western

Fox's "White Feather" (1955) is a pallid reworking of their seminal 1950 James Stewart western "Broken Arrow". Pallid indeed, thanks in no small measure to the leaden performance of Robert Wagner in the leading role and the wearisome screenplay by the ubiquitous and usually more astute Delmar Daves, who by the way, also directed "Broken Arrow".

"Broken Arrow" expertly dealt with the plight of the Apache Indian and one white man's efforts to make peace with them. The difference with "White Feather" is instead of it being the Apache it is the Cheyenne. Even Wagner's narration at the picture's opening informs us, just like Jimmy Stewart did in the earlier film, that "this is a true story and when the Indian speaks he will speak in our language etc. etc."
Also Fox starlet Debra Paget who played an Apache Squaw in "Broken Arrow" turns up here as a Cheyenne Squaw. She virtually plays the same part and, would you believe, is dressed in the same outfit. She must have had a vision of a future studio call sheet were she learned she was going to be a Cheyenne Squaw, so she saved the costume. Huh? The only difference in her role here is her name is not Sonseerahray it is Appearing Day. Perhaps she should have been called Appearing Every Day!

Limply directed by Robert Webb there is not one actor in this sorry affair capable of lifting it up above the banality bar. Webb has no idea of pacing or direction and not once is the movie intruded upon with anything that resembles style. The Fox bland brigade - Robert Wagner, Jeffery Hunter, Debra Paget, Hugh O'Brian, Virginia Leith et al parade through this trite vehicle bemused and with a look of wonderment on their faces. Probably wondering when the day's shoot will finish so they can go home. We, on the other hand, are home and also have a look of wonderment on our faces as we wonder what the hell we're doing watching this rubbish?

However, after all that I'll have to give this vacuous effort a one star rating for the beautiful Cinemascope / Colour Cinematography by Lucian Ballard and the excellent score by the great Hugo Friedhofer who incidentlly also composed the music for "Broken Arrow" and here makes exceptional use of his love theme from the previous picture as his main theme. But ultimately, I'm afraid, "White Feather" is bottom drawer material that never hits the mark and gets my vote as one of the most pedestrain western ever made.

I really don't understand Fox Home Entertainment putting out poor movies like "White Feather", "True Story Of Jesse James" "The Proud Ones","Fort Courageous" etc. while left languishing in their vault are fine westerns like "Rio Conchos", "Rawhide", "From Hell To Texas" and "Two Flags West".
Go figure!!

June 5, 2007

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