Ambush at Tomahawk Gap

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

Four released convicts go back to the ghost town of Tomahawk Gap searching for the Army payroll they stole several years earlier. Not only did they have trouble finding the money, but they had to deal with a horde of mean, bloodthirsty indians and a couple of conniving white men intent on getting the money or themselves. Typical western with plenty of gunplay, horses, and action.

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

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.

When four inmates (John Hodiak, David Brian, John Derek, Ray Teal) are released from Yuma Prison they work their way back to what is now the ghost town of Tomahawk Gap to recover the money from the robbery they pulled off years before. Hodiak, who was an innocent bystander in the original heist but was convicted along with the others, decides to cut himself in for a piece of the action since he served the time for a crime he didn't commit. However the road to Tomahawk Gap is not an easy one and the four must cross Apache Territory swarming with renegades to recover the stolen loot.

Directed by low budget veteran Fred Sears, who cut his teeth on the Durango Kid series at Columbia, the film doesn't spend time on meandering plot lines. Tomahawk Gap has a grittier feel than typical for the time period with little in the way of moralizing or romance. Sears definitely knew how to work with a budget and the sole focus of the movie is spent on the foursome recovering the stolen money. Hodiak receives top billing in this adult themed western, but it really is more of an ensemble cast and a pretty good one at that. By this time Hodiak had been relegated to secondary leads, larger support roles and ensemble work such as this. If Hodiak wasn't happy with the trajectory of his career you wouldn't know it by viewing this film. He comes off pitch perfect as a wrongly convicted man whose only compass in life is being paid back for his years behind bars.

Worthwhile medium budget programmer with good production values and a clever ending. Recommended for those who like their Westerns thin on drama and heavy on action.