Um Clarim ao Longe

A majestically simple Cavalry Western concerning the savage and stirring story of the last of the Great Indian Wars . Dealing with West Point graduate Lt. Hazard : Troy Donahue taking on lax discipline , a loving triangle : Suzanne Pleshette , Diane McBain , and eventually fighting brave Indians in impressive battles . Pulitzer Prize Winner Paul Hogan's epic novel of Indians and Indian-fighters !

Raoul Walsh's last movie saddled with a regular storyline but with vivid pacing and action enough . Decent Western emerging as a sweeeping and spectacular cavalry story with noisy action , thrills , emotion and breathtaking battles . It displays astounding massacres before introducing the ordinary liberal message of the Sixties . An enjoyable cavalry and Indians film in which Raoul Walsh letting them to speak their own language , by using subtitles on screen . A little reminiscent of John Ford trilogy : "Fort Apache , She wore yellow ribbon, Río Grande" , in mood and manner. Although , the film relies heavily on the romantic complicaciones among three protagonists . Main and support cast are acceptable. Troy Donahue gives a colourless acting as the stiff-uper-lip officer , while Suzanne Pleshette and Diane McLean play well as his beautiful lovers . Along with the familiar secondaries as William Reynolds , Claude Akins , Kent Smith , Larry Ward , Russell Johnson and especial mention for James Gregory as the proud Maj. General Alexander Quaint .

It is brilliantly and colorfull photographed by William Clothier . Rousing and moving musical score by the classic Max Steiner , including attractive leitmotif . The motion picture was competently directed by Raoul Walsh. The laconic mastery here denies the aacusations of decline levelled at Walsh , even if many of his later movies were disappointing . Raoul Walsh was a prolific filmmaker who made a lot of films in all kinds of genres with penchant for adventures, Noir Film and Western , outstanding the following ones : " The Thief of Bagdag , Big Trail , The Roaring Twenties , They Drive By Night, Dark Command , They Died With boots On , Strawberry Blonde , High Sierra , Gentleman Jim, Desperate Journey, Northern Pursuit, , Background to Dager , Uncertain Glory , Objetivo Burma, Pursued, Silver River , The Enforcer, Distant Drums , White Heat , Along the Great Divide , The World in his Arms , The Lawless Bread , Blackbeard , Sea Devils , A Lion in the Streets , Gun Fury, Band of Angels The Tall Men The Naked and the Dead , Esther and the King" and many others .

This last Raoul Walsh film has to be assigned the status of a hot mess but since it is a Walshian mess there are, of course, some nuggets to be found within the detritus. Chief among these is one of the finest cavalry/Indian battle scenes you are likely to see, a nearly fifteen minute affair complete with well orchestrated charges, strategic retreats, feints and ambuscades. Nice to see this finest of action directors go out with at least one great action sequence under his belt. Also notable are good performances from Suzanne Pleshette and James Gregory. Plus, the Arizona location shooting is awesome (thinking especially of those extensive, terraced rapids next to War Eagle's camp). And Max Steiner's half stirring, half mocking musical score, one of HIS very last, rises to the occasion, as well.

Because I am a huge Walsh fan I will deal with the two main flaws as quickly as I can and assign them to others. One is a florid, clunky screenplay with a too hasty and historically inaccurate denouement and stiff, melodramatic dialogue from messers John Twist (known mostly for gal weepies and it shows), Richard Fielder and Albert Beicht. The other is Troy Donahue's performance in the lead. Put simply, it sucks. When he's with good thesps like Pleshette and Gregory you don't notice as much but when he's paired with a similarly crappy actor like Diane McBain it's like watching rejected scenes from "Surfside 6".

Bottom line: If you're a Walsh fan you'll like it, if you're a Pleshette fan you'll put up with it and if you're a Donahue fan, may I suggest therapy? Give it a C plus.

Is that a western from Lesley Selander, Sidney Salkow, or what? I can't believe that this however good western is from the fabulous Raoul Walsh, his last stand by the way. His last film. Let's be fair, it's a good western, but it's for Walsh the metaphor of THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON, Custer 's last stand. But Errol Flynn is dead now, and Raoul Walsh's career faded out. So sad. The last film of a director is always touching for me. But imagine Troy Donahue as the lead in a Raoul Walsh's film...I did not weep but I feel some grief inside of me. But if you have not seen it yet, don't miss it. Imagine you are watching a Lesley Selander, Gordon Douglas or Sidney Salkow's western; the latest gave us SITTING BULL and GREAT SIOUX MASSACRE during the same period.

Raoul Walsh's last movie and a western at that! He produced unforgettable classics of the genre such as " Colorado's territory" and "pursued ".

The movie suffers from a desultory script which mixes the Indian's plight with bland love affairs.The lead,Troy Donahue ,lacks charisma and is not very credible as a tough lieutenant .Diane McBain is as expressive as a Barbie Doll ,and only Suzanne Pleshette rises to the occasion.

There's a good use of the wide screen,a superb score by Max Steiner (with trumpets),a general who loves Latin quotations Julius Ceasar style (Veni Vidi Vici) That said,there's never a dull moment with Raoul Walsh .This is not his best or among his best ,but it's always good value.

Although no one would ever confuse Troy Donahue with John Wayne, Donahue does acquit himself well in A Distant Trumpet which turned out to be Raoul Walsh's final feature film.

Donahue who made his bones in Hollywood playing mostly decent All American type young men. Here he's a fresh West Point graduate assigned to an Arizona frontier post where the army is busy subduing the last of the great Indian tribes, the Chiracauhua Apache. He's under the command of General James Gregory who was a mentor to him at West Point.

In addition to fighting Indians Donahue has a romantic dilemma. He's engaged to Diane McBain who is Gregory's niece. But on the post now is an old flame Suzanne Pleshette who is married to fellow officer William Reynolds.

Donahue has a similar dilemma faced by John Wayne in Fort Apache. As with the Duke, Troy behaves in an honorable fashion. In fact in his private affairs he's honorable if very tempted.

Take note of a good performance by Judson Pratt as a superior and sympathetic officer to Donahue's plight and a really rollicking and unforgettable one by Claude Akins who is quite the flesh peddler to both the red and white race.

A Distant Trumpet is not as sentimental as John Ford's cavalry westerns. But Raoul Walsh ended his career with a good one.