Seminole

"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...

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?

Rock Hudson fans, rent Seminole. He's so ridiculously handsome, it makes you want to make an optometrist appointment for Barbara Hale. In the movie, he's a lieutenant from West Point who comes back to his hometown after many years. His sweetheart Barbara isn't exactly glad to see him. Why? Because she's got another sweetheart on the side. Magnetic and passionate Anthony Quinn is Rock's rival, but since he plays an American Indian, it's a taboo romance. At that time, it was pretty racy of Hollywood to take an interracial romance seriously, let alone to show smooches!

The love triangle alone makes Seminole an interesting movie, but the side plot is also compelling. Rock is under the command of the stern, unfeeling Richard Carlson, and they constantly struggle with how to deal with the American Indians. Richard wants to obliterate them and take the territory, but Rock knows them-and is even friends with one of them, namely Anthony Quinn. And yes, that makes things even more complicated!

If you're don't really like Cavalry vs. Indians movies, you won't like this one. I wasn't really happy with the way things ended up, so this isn't a movie I'll watch over and over, but it was entertaining for the first hour.

Seminole is a tale of those Indian Wars the United States fought with the native tribe of Florida and of their charismatic chief and martyr Osceola. Although Rock Hudson and Barbara Hale starred, the real star of the film and one who would have made a great Osceola had the real story been told was Anthony Quinn.

One thing that is true was that Osceola was of mixed heritage. Hudson plays a newly minted US Army lieutenant who is from Florida and assigned back there to do scouting for Major Richard Carlson commander of Fort King. The Seminoles are hostile now as they've not been before, with good reason considering President Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy. They're not about to let happen to them what happened to the Choctaws, Cherokees, and Creeks to the north.

Quinn and Hudson knew each other as kids and both are rivals for Barbara Hale who serves as an intermediary. If a peaceful settlement of things were ever possible, it won't be because Richard Carlson, a spit and polish martinet is looking for military glory. Carlson really chews the scenery here, he should have dialed it down a bit.

In one respect the film is daring, showing an interacial romance between Hale and Quinn. Hudson is distinctly second fiddle to Quinn in his pursuit of Hale.

The story is told in flashback by Hudson at an army court martial presided over by Zachary Taylor played by Fay Roope. Although Osceola died in army custody, the facts here are totally wrong. He was tricked into captivity and was transported to Fort Moultrie in South Carolina where he died. I won't tell the story of the film, but do know that this ain't the way it happened. They've got the year wrong, Osceola died in 1838 and the film at the beginning identifies the time as 1835. Also the army is firing revolvers, not yet invented by Samuel Colt, though director Budd Boetticher spotted that one and he carefully edited the movie so as not to show anyone firing more than once. The cap and ball was still in use then.

Budd Boetticher took some time away from working with Randolph Scott and he would have been a good director to have told the real story of Osceola. He and Quinn would have made a great team.

Most people, especially in the future, will see the credits, and miss a lot of the plot simply looking for the Professor. Russell Johnson barely appears.

This is a fairly decent adventure. It's tempting to call it a Western, but technically that would be hard to do. It's West of Europe, but the location of Florida is more of a "Southern".

Still, this is a basic Western adventure. We have the hero struggling against a thick headed officer in handling the local natives.

The truth be known, most Westerns of the golden era were like this, depicting the native Americans as basically honorable and victims of corrupt white men. Here, we get the super honorable natives, and a few honorable white men, trying to "do the right thing" with a few malcontents messing things up.

What sets this above the average "western" or "southern version of a Western", is the famous battle scene. This was one of the most dramatic skirmish scenes ever filmed. It involves about twenty five soldiers against hidden natives, who do appear from hiding to attack. It is well blocked, and very exciting. It ranks as one of the most memorable battle scenes ever.

The journey through the swamp is also well done, and dramatic.

Aside from that, the story is a little routine. Sme major stars, and a beautiful woman add to the attraction.

This is a fairly well done film, that should rank moderately over a "5" in a realistic rating. Not as slow paced as most modern movies, but not as fast paced as most golden age Westerns.