Seminole

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.

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?

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.

Setting the action in Florida land , 1835, and taken from the pages of history , a Cavalry lieutenant Lance (Rock Hudson) recounts his efforts to make peace with the Seminole Indian tribe led by chief Osceola (Anthony Quinn) , under the nasty Major Harlan Degan (Richard Carlson) . Army Lieutenant is assigned a dangerous mission by the evil Major , as they have to face the dangerous Everglades , quicksands and hostile Indians in order to reach safety and battle against risks . As Seminoles purportedly blocking the progress of White civilization . As the motley group throughout jungle swamplands during an Indian uprising . Lance must accompany the Major along with a regiment of soldiers into the Everglades to rout the Seminole Indians who are threatening the early settlers in Florida . After attacking a Seminole fort , they are betrayed then the command is forced to get away , but an injured Lance is rescued by Osceola and submitted to captivity .

This exciting Western packs thrills , noisy action , spectacular struggles and lots of gutsy adventure . Brawling , sprawling , almost primitive action, teeming across the screen . This is a distinctive frontier saga with a special look at uniforms evidently from an earlier age than ordinary cavalry fares . Budd Boetticher demonstrates a special talent for making the densest action sequences seem uncomplicated and uncluttered and his characters , like the scenes distinguished , often have an unfettered , raw power . As well as exploring the anguish of soldiers , the hard relationship between a disturbing Major and his troops and including jarring bursts of violence . This is a moving story about a surrounded garrison and director takes a fine penned script creating a cavalry-Indians tale that is far from ordinary , exploring the anguish and desperation of soldiers and a nutty Major . The characters are fairly basic , but a wonderful use is made of the Florida Everglades , though much of them shot in Universal studios . Thrilling nocturnal army attack on Seminole encampment which results to be a marvellously vivid piece sequence-building , thanks in no small part to slick camerawork by Boetticher . Budd makes the most of the visual contrast between the stiff-upper-lip collars and the swampy environments . Main cast is pretty well . Anthony Quinn gives the best acting as the Indian leader and Hudson's boyhood friend . Support cast is frankly good such as : Lee Marvin , Hugh O'Brian , Russell Johnson , Ralph Moody , James Best and special mention for Richard Carlson as unbalance-mind Major .It displays a glimmer and brilliant cinematography by Russell Metty, Universal Pictures regular . And a moving as well as charming musical score by Henry Mancini and Milton Rosen , though uncredited . The motion picture was well directed by Budd Boetticher who was a Western expert . His first Western was in 1949 called The Wolf Hunters, following Cimarron Kid , Bronco buster , Horizons West , Seminole, and Wings of the hawk . In 1956 with 7 Men From Now starts his collaboration with Randolph Scott, along with producer Harry Joe Brown and writer Burt Kennedy , including prestigious titles as Tall T, Decision at sundown, Buchanan rides alone , Ride lonesome, Comanche station , among others. His last Western was in 1969 titled A time for dying with Audie Murphy. Rating 6. 5/10 . The movie will appeal to Western aficionados and Rock Hudson fans .

The film is partially based on facts about Osceola (1804 - January 30, 1838, Asi-yahola in Creek) : Osceola became an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida. Of mixed parentage, including Creek, Scottish, African American, and English, he was considered born to his mother's people in the Creek matrilineal kinship system. He was reared by her in the Creek tradition. When he was a child, they migrated to Florida with other Red Stick refugees after their group's defeat in 1814 in the Creek Wars. There they became part of what was known as the Seminole people. In 1836, Osceola led a small group of warriors in the Seminole resistance during the Second Seminole War, when the United States tried to remove the tribe from their lands in Florida to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. He became an adviser to Micanopy, the principal chief of the Seminole from 1825 to 1849.Osceola led the Seminole resistance to removal until he was captured on October 21, 1837, by deception, under a flag of truce,when he went to a site near Fort Peyton for peace talks. The United States first imprisoned him at Fort Marion in St. Augustine, then transported him to Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina. He died there a few months later of causes reported as an internal infection or malaria. Because of his renown, Osceola attracted visitors in prison, including renowned artist George Catlin, who painted perhaps the most well-known portrait of the Seminole leader.

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.