Eco de tambores

I saw "Distant Drums" for the first time when I was 10 or 11 years old and I recall it was a great film for me. Then I saw it as an adult and though it was not the great film I remembered it was still very good as an action and adventure sort of western. Since I'm not from the USA I didn't notice some historical mistakes -mainly the use of guns and rifles not yet invented by the time of the action- I learned about after reading some reviews here; I think those are major flaws in a movie.

However, I think my little knowledge about the Seminole wars in Florida give me the possibility of judging the film just at what it is: an adventure film. That established, "Distant Drums" appears to me as a highly entertaining and well done movie as well as a very original film mainly because of where the action is located. Is has great color, beautiful photography and incredible open wide sceneries in the Everglades. The plot -although kind of standard (a bunch of soldiers chased by savage Indians through the swamps- is however very well handled by director Roul Walsh and he keeps action going all along without major bumps. The sequence at the Seminole village is most impressive and tense as it is the final underwater knife duel between Captain Wyatt and chief Okala.

Gary Cooper (Wyatt) is very good as the leader of the escaping troop and shows the presence and self confidence a leader should. The rest of the cast brings a good support too, mainly Arthur Hunnicutt (Coooper's sidekick) and Ray Teal (one of the troopers), and Mari Aldon does a credible work as Cooper's romantic interest. Seminole chief Okala looks mean enough and a proper match for Cooper. Perhaps the less impressive performance is that of Richard Webb kind of dull as a navy officer involved in the mission.

In all this a decent action/adventure film, most entertaining and worth seeing for those who enjoy the genre.

This picture was made when directors sacrificed authenticity for rapid gunfire. The trapdoor rifles and the Colt Single Action revolver were not even invented until 30+ years after the Seminole Wars. The under water knife fight reminded me of the face-to-face shootouts of "classic westerns". It never happened. The practical lawman of the old west (if he wanted to see the sunrise next day) captured his quarry while asleep or shot him from ambush. No sane person would willingly stand face-to-face against another armed man and yell "DRAW"!! Would YOU? There are no recorded shootouts of this type in Western history.

Distant Drums is directed by Raoul Walsh and stars Gary Cooper, Richard Webb, Mari Aldon & Arthur Hunnicutt. Known as a "Florida Western," the film is set during the Seminole Wars in the 1840s. It's written by Niven Busch and Martin Rackin, photographed predominantly on location in the Florida Everglades (in Technicolor) by Sidney Hickox and Max Steiner scores the music. Plot sees Cooper playing an Army captain who after destroying a fort held by the Seminole Indians retreats with his party into the Everglades where many of natures dangers lurk as the Seminole pursue them.

Not one for fans of Cooper, Walsh or Busch to get excited about. The story is as conventional as it gets, complete with a romantic angle, and the dialogue is boorish and lacking imagination. Were it not for the excellently constructed action sequences (check out the under water scenes) and the lush location photography, then this one would be consigned to the "please steer away from" pile. Busch is the main culprit since his writing is confused as to what it wants to achieve. The Seminole Indians are painted as savages, thus giving a one sided feel to a War not often seen in movies, yet other Native Americans are handled more sympathetically via the portrayal from Cooper. All in all we learn nothing about the War and the people involved as the film winds up as a jungle like adventure built around a number of set pieces.

Cooper is rugged and watchable as an Alligator Dundee type and Hunnicutt as always leaves a favourable impression as the scout. Mari Aldon is pretty but pretty one dimensional, while Richard Webb just seems out of place in the perilous locale and therefore unconvincing. But as previously mentioned, nobody here is helped by the tepid script. It's believed that this movie features the earliest known use of the Wilhelm Scream sound effect, a technique used to vocalise a character being torn to shreds by an alligator. A standard film it is then, one that really should have been a fine entry into a sadly untapped in to topic. It's like getting a beautifully wrapped birthday present that when opened reveals nothing but strips of mouldy old newspaper. 5/10

This Technicolor hokum set in 1840 follows a similar narrative arc to 'Northwest Passage' but instead of Alaska is located in the Florida Everglades and is far more tongue in cheek; with a noisy and anachronistic score by Max Steiner, plenty of gunplay, explosions and reptiles, and a worldly leading lady in Marie Aldon.

I love Gary Cooper, especially during the 1950's. He actually aged better and better. This western is somewhat different than what he usually chose to play. He is a distinct personality that his men and others under his care recognize as "leader". I bought it totally. He is distant, sexy and loving to a small son. He is brave and a heroic personality. Just the kind of movie I love with Gary Cooper. The Florida vistas are wild and beautiful. The whole thing just entertained me and I came back for more. I don't remember this one from T.V. reruns so it was brand new to me. I highly recommend to people who love westerns (especially with Gary Cooper).