Le Défilé de la mort

Dashed off with some aplomb by Fred F. Sears. It has the production values of a forties quickie or a couple of tv episodes but a much bleaker ambiance; the exteriors shot by Lester White in bleached sunlight but frequently noirishly angled.

A blonde Audrey Totter and Jeff Donnell are wasted as tarts with hearts; the most interesting female character being an actress calling herself 'Charita', playing the sort of scheming, double-crossing squaw in pigtails Myrna Loy would have played a quarter of a century earlier.

An undercover cavalry detachment must deliver a shipment of rifles across Apache land. It doesn't help that the lieutenant is closer to a whiskey bottle than to his men.

Some good ideas in the screenplay—the quarreling two male leads (Carey & Kennedy), the "wounded" Indian infiltrator, the treacherous parson (Dumke). Trouble is the cheap budget restricts filming to cramped LA area, when a much larger landscape is needed. Then too, I agree with reviewer aimless-46: the shootout at the end is the most clumsily staged I've seen. And I've seen a ton. But then they're in Bronson Canyon (familiar from dozens of sci- fi's), which doesn't provide much room to maneuver. Note also how the Parson (Dumke) provides wives, and not hookers, even though the latter makes more sense for the footloose men. That distinction, however, makes the service acceptable to the Production Code of the time. Too bad the fine noir actress Audrey Totter is wasted in an apparently tacked-on role, likely for marquee value. Anyway, the screenplay is not without imaginative ideas, along with a commanding performance from the always reliable Douglas Kennedy. Nevertheless, the lowly budget, plus uneven acting (Carey and Donnell) undercuts too much of that potential, resulting in a highly erratic oater.

A group of soldiers undertake the treacherous mission of escorting a wagon train carrying rifles through dangerous Apache territory.

Not a bad western programmer, actually it gets better as the minutes rolls on, and enough conflict, drama and action is fitted in 70mins. Of course, it would have benefitted more from a longer running time and less than pedestrian direction, however, it's quite watchable and has a quite noirish feel in its lensing and has interesting characters. It's also well-acted by all, especially by Phil Carey, who had a potential to be a bigger matinee star; he had a presence about him. Quite an exciting finale involving rampaging Apaches, dynamite and a tunnel, though its little too contrived with the heroes getting Scot-free, but it's a movie after all, and the heroes win.

"Indians" were not afraid to charge the enemy - even if out numbered. Something to be admired believing in a higher Spirit and being willing to die for your land. The opposite of the Soy Boy Binary Alpha Male hiding behind his sofa from a virus.

In the Lesley Selander style, short western without being a grade Z one, Fred Sears gives us here a good stuff, but don't be too much demanding. You will not get bored with the lousy but action packed flick. It is dumb, yes, predictable, yes, but at least keep in mind it is not produced by Sam Katzman, but by Wallace Mac Donald, which is far better in terms of quality. Plus, Phil Carey is also a guarantee of good male presence. It changes from George Montgomery. Not the best of Fred Sears, for sure, but acceptable for me. So, be indulgent with this movie, please. It is so short and so rare too.