Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer

1955's "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" was the second straight US production for Mexican director Ismael Rodriguez, filming south of the border like the preceding "The Beast of Hollow Mountain," unlike Burt Lancaster's "The Kentuckian," which was actually shot in Kentucky (working titles included "Adventures of Daniel Boone," "Attack on Boonesboro," and "Dan'l Boone"). Trucolor was a cheap outdoor process but it did add some gloss to the shopworn material, an aging Bruce Bennett almost too frail at age 49 to convincingly play the title role (rugged George O'Brien fit the bill in the 1936 "Daniel Boone"), while it's reassuring to find Boone's main nemesis Simon Girty again up to his fiendish old tricks, even if Kem Dibbs can't hold a candle to John Carradine's 1936 version. The slow pacing is further weakened by the nonacting presence of singer Faron Young, performing the same duties as in his feature debut for codirector Albert Gannaway, the still unreleased "Hidden Guns" pitting him against the ever ubiquitous Carradine, who could also be seen in "The Kentuckian!" This film's greatest asset is the solid presence of second billed Lon Chaney as Shawnee Chief Blackfish, blood brother to Daniel Boone, no stranger to sympathetic Native Americans since 1952's "Battles of Chief Pontiac," in which he played a dignified Ottawa chief (this may have had some bearing on his winning the part of Chingachgook in the Canadian-filmed TV series THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS). Blackfish spends much of the picture in thrall to Girty's deceptions, but a spectacular climax finds Boone finally proving himself in the eyes of his blood brother by using his murdered son's corpse. Claudio Brook would go on to a lengthy career in such cult items as "Samson in the Wax Museum," "The Bees," and the James Bond thriller "Licence to Kill."

After hoo-hooing American Indians scalp number one son, frontiersman Bruce Bennett (as Daniel Boone) seems, at first, like he wants to get even; but, he really wants to make friends with the natives. When sad-eyed Indian chief Lon Chaney Jr. (as Blackfish) also loses number one son, it gets more difficult to clear up misunderstandings. Apparently, this was Republic Pictures' attempt to do for their "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" what Disney Studio's had successfully done with "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" (1955).

The "Dan'l Boone" song, whistled and sung by a group of children in a wagon, did not follow Fess Parker's "Davy Crockett" up the Hit Parade. Singer Faron Young (as Faron Callaway) doesn't perform the title song (perhaps wisely); he does sing "Long Green Valley", and makes a good impression as a blond boyfriend for Boone's daughter. But, Spanish actor Freddy Fernandez is the film's most valuable player. In a cute scene, Mr. Fernandez reminds Mr. Young the name of the character ("Susannah") he is supposed to be in love with.

**** Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer (10/5/56) Ismael Rodríguez ~ Bruce Bennett, Lon Chaney Jr., Faron Young, Freddy Fernandez

This picture is an interesting saga of the struggle of pioneers led by Daniel Boone in the wilderness of Cumberland Gap while being threatened by hostile Indians. A treacherous Frenchman is the cause of all the trouble between the settlers and the red men while Boone tries to convince the Indians that the pioneers only want to build homes and live in peace. The film has a certain appeal because it is not a polished production but there are good action scenes, although somewhat violent for its time. The cast is comprised of B actors but they are all good, especially Lon Chaney as the Indian chief. Bruce Bennett is okay as Boone but is a bit too clean cut and soft spoken to be believable as a frontiersman. The dialogue is rather trite but the scenery lends itself to the realism of the Kentucky backwoods.

I live about 25 minutes from the James Boone massacre site. I seen this at a theater was it first came out in the 1950's.right on the heels of Davy Crockett. It was because these early frontier movies that I started reading what ever I could find. I loved the comic books of these movies, but I moved into nonfiction real fast. I wanted facts. There is a lot of history of Boone's life in this movie. It's true this was made by Hollywood, therefore they do change thins to make interesting. They really didn't need too. I've seen worst on the history channel. They started out good. We didn't get cable , so I missed several years when they were they were the History Channel. Then they when way out to counting cars and Pawn Stars. Watch this as history == you will enjoy it I'm sure.

It's hardly surprising that Republic Studios would bring out "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" when they did. After all, Disney brought out "Davy Crockett: KIng of the Wild Frontier" the year before and it caused a major sensation. Kids all over America went Davy Crockett crazy...demanding 1001 different products emblazoned with his name on them and endorsed by him. But what is surprising is how bad this Republic film was when compared with the Disney film. Instead of just doing a knock-off of the film, someone got the bright idea of making it more like a musical or singing cowboy movie...which was NOT what the public apparently wanted. Additionally, the film just looks cheap by comparison...not terrible...but obviously made on the cheap compared to the Disney film.

The basic plot is that the settlers in the west (really, the Ohio/Kentucky area of the eastern portion of the Midwest) were having trouble with the local Indian tribes. Those dastardly Indians apparently thought Boone and his friends were coming to take away their land and dispossess them...which, history has taught us was 100% true. While Boone himself might have wanted to co-exist (and who knows if this is true or not), the 'bad Indians' in the film were actually right. I know back in the 1950s people didn't think this way...but the tribes were right to suspect that the settlers wanted more than just a place to raise a family.

Throughout the film, Boone is shown trying to convince the local tribesmen that he meant them no harm. The leader (Lon Chaney Jr.) is torn...and many of his men favor war, though he personally seemed to like Boone and trust him. At the same time, some of the Indians were doing much to stir up war and a few of the settlers (one in particular) seemed more than happy to fight them. And, oddly, throughout this ordeal, folks kept taking time to sing! The singing was not good like that of Gene Autry or Roy Rogers...more just annoying and pointless.

If it sounds like I didn't like this movie, you are generally right. I thought historically speaking it was quite naive and the singing drove me batty. Additionally, the acting was only fair and it was obvious Republic was doing this on the cheap. Worth seeing if you adore B-westerns but otherwise, just watch the Davy Crockett films on Disney+ or see if you can find the old Fess Parker "Daniel Boone" television show.