Seminola

"Seminole" is set at Fort King, in the Florida, territory of 1835, where West Pointer Lieutenant Hudson is charged with the murder of a sentry...

At the court-martial he recounts his story: the wary co-existence between the settlers and the Indians was threatened by the strict commander (Richard Carlson) of the Army fort... Hudson's childhood sweetheart, Barbara Hale, agreed to meet with Osceola (Anthony Quinn), a mutual friend from their youth who had given up his own Army career to become chief of the Seminole tribe...

Through her influence and Quinn's respect for Hudson, the redskin leader eventually comes to the stockade under a truce flag... But Indian-hating Carlson imprisons Quinn in a detention pit, the latter dies, and the situation deteriorates from bad to worse until the Indians rescue Hudson, who had been jailed by Carlson for killing a soldier while trying to restore peace...

All the cast of the film (photographed in Technicolor) gives energetic performances... Barbara Hale's major asset is her physical presence, providing a tone of sincerity... Anthony Quinn plays the noble 'savage' for the last time...

Better than average drama with a decidedly pro Indian slant was one of the many films Rock cranked out on his way up, this was one of seven pictures he made in 1953. He gives a good performance, one of his better early ones, as the resolute soldier who is on trial for his life.

The cast is full of familiar faces most of whom were also just starting out and would go on to greater fame like Lee Marvin, in good guy mode here, and Russell Johnson. Richard Carlson is the sore spot in the picture, he starts out okay but ends up chewing the scenery in an over the top performance.

Barbara Hale was never particularly well served by films having much more success on TV as Della Street on Perry Mason nor is she very well used here but she looks probably the best she ever did on screen beautifully shot in Technicolor and as Revere Muldoon has one of the greatest character names ever. Not really a western, not even set in the west but Florida this is an enjoyable picture especially for military history buffs.

I have been all over Florida, but have never seen anywhere so exotic looking as the swamp in the film where they paddled through. I have been throughout the Everglades and recognize similarities with much of the film's scenes. Though it is beautiful, I have never seen the unreal beauty shown in the film in the one scene where they are paddling. Where is it... exactly. Someone thought it may be someplace in Tarpon Springs. But, I have searched the internet for a place that might match it. Still nothing. There are plants in the scene that I don't even recognize. They look Floridian, but better than real. My suspicion is that it was what Florida looked like in a less touched era. It is so beautiful that I want to go there tomorrow. But where?

An extremely clean-cut Rock Hudson is a West Point graduate sent to help the Major at Fort King flush out some Seminole who live in the Floridian swamps. He has some history with the tribe, and it's leader - a rather unconvincing Anthony Quinn, so wants to try finding a peaceable solution to their relocation. Needless to say, they have no intention of being sent to a reservation and the battle lines are drawn. Add to the mix an intransigent by-the-book Major (Richard Carlson) whose only objective is to obey his orders - regardless of casualties; and Barbara Hale as the go-between for the parties and we get quite an enjoyable, if not particularly action-packed adventure story told by way of a retrospective at Hudson's court martial for murder and treason. The photography is lovely, and the script and direction are sufficient to pass the time.

Really enjoyable movie that ticks all the boxes.

The story weaves in and out of a love triangle, a sympathetic soldier and a becoming crazed Senior officer, all trying to find their solution to the Seminole 'problem'.

It never gets stuck too long with one perspective or another, just building the story fluidly as it moves along.

The film has a great look and sound and the performances fit well. More screen time with Marvin would have been a bonus but glad to see him in it.

Also nice to see Hale with a female character who is not a victim or out of her depth as many movies of that era portray, her character has a quiet strength and dignity which along with Hudson and Quinn help to offset the slightly over the top villain of Carlson.

Worth your time :)