Les forbans du désert

When the story begins, a group of men have just been released from prison and the local sheriff chases them out of town. It seems they were involved in a robbery five years ago and now that they are out of prison, the men want to track down the hidden money. One of the men is not actually part of the gang (John Hodiak) but was convicted of the crime nonetheless...mostly because the gang members said nothing to help free him. Not surprisingly there are a few hard feelings and the guy feels he, too, is entitled to the money.

There are some problems getting the money. First, it's buried in a long abandoned ghost town. Second, and more importantly, it's on Apache land and the tribe is not especially friendly! Third, there is no one...no one to root for in the film.

This is a fair western. It has a few problems apart from having nothing but unlikable characters, such as how stupidly the Apache braves fight...they couldn't have been this dumb in real life! They seem to enjoy riding up on their horses just to be shot! Also, there's a character played by John Qualen that is just bizarre and his motivations and actions make little sense. Overall, a decent and watchable western but one that isn't particularly great or necessary to watch.

This film is a rugged Western with plenty of action. The premise is that four men are released from prison and set out to find the loot they were arrested for stealing. The fact is that one of the four (Hodiak) was actually just an innocent bystander and happened to get mistaken for the fourth gang member while on his horse on honest work. He has to fight his way through years of jail time with the other three, and joins them on their quest, figuring he has a right to the money now. Hodiak represents the heroic Everyman, dealing with the situation. The other characters are very well drawn, and Derek is perfect as the rebel without a cause kid, who struggles with the three different adults in his life-two who are helpful(Hodiak and Teal, representing the "Sgt Lyle" character more) and Brian (defintely the "Sgt Barnes" character). To watch it today, you would think "Platoon" had some roots in this movie. I won't give away the end, but self sacrifice is involved, and a great twist in the overall quest.

Ambush At Tomahawk Gap starts with four prisoners, John Derek, John Hodiak, Ray Teal, and David Brian all released from Yuma prison and out looking for the loot that was stashed by one of them before they were caught at the town of Tomahawk Gap. Only one of those prisoners is a ringer. John Hodiak was a total stranger and the other three made him a patsy so the real fourth guy could stash the loot. Only he got killed and Hodiak did his time in the joint.

You can understand why he wants in on the split. Only the Apaches are on the warpath and Tomahawk Gap is now a ghost town. If it's up to them no one's going to live long enough to spend any of it if they can find it.

This one is a crackerjack B western in which most of the cast is killed. The Apache attack is really staged well and ensemble cast gives some great performances.

As for the stolen money. There is an ironical twist in the end worthy of Alfred Hitchcock or Billy Wilder.

Ambush At Tomahawk Gap tells the story of four outlaws, McCord (John Hodiak), Egan (David Bryan), Doc (Ray Teal) & Kid (John Derek), who after being released from a five year sentence for robbery at Yuma Territorial Prison, implode from within as they yearn to find the hidden loot from their ill gotten gains. Not only that, but they are in the middle of Indian territory and Apache attacks are frequent and savage in their execution.

Bloody & brutal Western programmer out of Columbia Pictures that's produced by Wallace MacDonald and directed by Fred Sears. Written by David Lang, the principal location shoot is at Corriganville, Simi Valley, California. With Technicolor enhanced cinematography coming from Henry Freulich. Though featuring a pretty weak, and at times nutty story, the film has a high viewing factor on account of its adherence to Western action staples, it helps, too, that Sears directs with an absolutely no nonsense approach.

Running at just shy of 80 minutes, it just doesn't have time to dwell on intricacies, instead choosing more to embrace that this isn't really about redemptive qualities - which since there's barely any on show is a rather good thing! Sears movie is grim and potent enough to warrant a recommendation to the serious Western fan, and it's also very easy on the eye. Bonus plot wise comes with two lovely kickers during the pulsating finale. The cast man up and give it gusto and brawn, with Hodiak particularly standing out, while even the inevitable lady character plot strand (Maria Elena Marques) doesn't cloy or hinder the pace and mood of the piece.

You will not want to ponder too much about it afterwards, but hopefully you will go away thinking that you have been royally entertained by the guns, arrows and fists that have flown and been thrown throughout the movie. 7/10

Decent Western in 80 minutes only, with good cast and nice action scenes .It deals with 4 ex-convicts who spent five years at the State Penitentiary , the tough John Hodiak, the good-looking John Derek nicknamed the innocent kid , the veteran Ray Teal, the cool-blood killer played by David Brian, and all of them recently released from Yuma Territorial Prison. They arrive in Twin Folks town where at the saloon problems already emerge. Then, they go back to Tomahawk Gap to take the cash they robbed in a heist and that was buried at its graveyard . As three exprisoners fresh out from jail to get a share their stolen money. Along the way they meet strange charactes as a beautiful Indian woman : Maria Elena Marques and a grumpy undertaker : John Qualen, caring his cemetery. As three killers stalking down while the Apaches stalked them all. They come back for vengeance! One man against the West!. Stalking three killers down while the savage Indians stalked them all!

Simple and plain Western paced in fits and starts about four ex-inmates who attempt to retrieve the loot they stole and that was hidden by a colleague somewhere at Tomahawk town, a ghost city, being an extremely abandoned and ruined location. The picture contains noisy action, violent Indian hunting, spectacular attacks on the town and at the end a life and death battle ensues. The picture benefits itself of a good main and support cast such as : John Hodiak, David Brian, Ray Teal, the Mexican Maria Elena Marques, John Qualen, Trevor Bardette, John War Eagle, John Doucette, among others . And the famous John Derek who married the beauties Ursula Andress, Linda Evans and Bo Derek. He played a lot of Westerns and adventure movies, his most known role was Joshua as a secondary actor in Ten Commandments.

This Ambush at Tomahawk Gap is a run-of-the-mill but acceptable and passable Western that displays a colorful cinematography by Henry Freulich . Being shot on location in Corriganville, Ray Corrigan ranch, Simi Valley, California. And thrilling, atmospheric musical score by Ross DiMaggio. The motion picture with interesting script by David Lang, produced by Columbia Pictures /Wallace MacDonald and being professionally directed by Fred F. Sears. He was a prolific actor and director who worked hardly until his early death at 44 years. He spent in Columbia long time , making quickies for the low-budgeted producer Sam Katzman and favorite producer Wallace McDonald . Fred made all kinds of genres outstanding in Western, thriller, Noir, Sci-Fi, Juvenile delinquent crime film and WWII, such as : El Alamein, The 49th man, Chicago Syndicate, Bonanza town, Blackhawk, The Nebraskan, Massacre Canyon, Cell 3455 death row, Cha cha Boom, Rock around the clock, Inside Detroit, Don't knock the rock, Ghost of the China sea, Fury at Gunlight Pass, Rumble on the docks, Escape from San Quentin, Sky Commando, Mission over Korea, Badman's country, The night the world exploded. His best movie is considered to be Earth vs Flying saucers with FX by Ray Harryhausen and his worst one : The giant Claw, both of them Science Fiction movies. Rating :6 /10. The movie will appeal to Western lovers