Le défi des flèches

I enjoy Sterling Hayden and his gritty and realistic acting style. So, I thought I'd give this one a try even though both reviews for this on IMDb are really poor. I hoped they're wrong and it was worth my time.

Hayden plays a guy named Bart Laish. When the film begins, you learn that Bart is a deserter from the Cavalry and is hiding out west. However, as fate would have it, he comes upon a group of dying soldiers that were attacked by Indians. The dying leader just happens to be Bart's cousin and begs Bart to take his place and assume command of the rest of his outfit--which is a few miles away from this massacre! And, the deserter DOES!!! Later, after proving himself against wave after wave of faceless and stupid natives (who seem to just ride by hoping to get shot), all is forgiven with the US Cavalry and Bart is once again allowed to legally wear the uniform. Talk about impossible and ridiculous! In addition to a ridiculous plot and faceless Indians, it's also one of Hayden's relatively flat performances. I guess the other two were right after all....

By the way, in one scene it's supposed to be at night but it appears to be daylight! Huh?!

A devotee of westerns I have watched some classics and disasters. Arrow in the Dust wasn't offensively bad but it does lack in most areas.

A great western will have a great lead/s that you can root for or rally against. They hunt down the killer, complete the impossible drive or defend the town/farm/girl etc.

Hayden lacks the charisma (in this film) to make you care about the cause and the supporting cast don't really fill you with a need to want them to get to safety.

You feel indifference.

The film has some good action along with some poor scenarios, the outcome being a sense of ho-hum.

Watch it but be warned it won't stir your emotions :)

Sterling Hayden stars in this fast moving western about an army deserter who takes the place of his dying cousin and leads a wagon train out of danger from Indian attack. We never get the back story here, why Hayden deserted, we're told he's not a person of good character, but what we see of him he's pretty noble. Certainly he provides the leadership that does the job even if civilian scout Tom Tully knows who the real army major is and it's definitely not Hayden.

But there's more than one person on the wagon train who is not whom he seems to be. Rich merchant Tudor Owen is carrying both rifles and whiskey and the Indians want them real bad, they don't even want to wait to pay for them. Seems to me they should have just waited and paid Owen's price.

That however would have gotten in the way of the action and veteran western director Lesley Selander was known for action. The battle scenes are well staged.

It's a good B western could have been better with a little more attention to the story.

Regular Allied Artists Picture fwith usual elements, such as Indian assaults , valiant cavalry , frenetic action , thrills, crossfire , drama, a love story and some spectacular action scenes . A light and well-known plot , as a wagon train results to be chased and ambushed by the Indians , then the survivors trust on an expert officer who results to be a deserter . Bart Laish (Sterling Hayden) who has charismatic qualities of leadership by protecting a wagon train from an impending Indian attack , as he could be defined as a handsome hero , as he emerges from the dust to stop savage Indians . Bart Laish decides that the best way for him to get away is to join a wagon train headed for Oregon, while the settlers atttempt to travel through rugged Indian territory . They're about a week ahead of him and on the trail , then Bart comes across an old cousin , Major Andy Pepperis (Carleton Young) , who is dying from injures received in an Indian ambush . The latter warns Bart that the Indians will next attack the wagon train . He assumes Pepperis' identity and catches up to the wagon train taking command of the soldiers escorting it and to save their lives , then he'll have to risk his own . Meanwhile , Bart falls for a drippy colonist , Christella Burke (Coleen Gray) who is also in love for Lieutenant Steve King (Keith Larsen) . As they get closer to their destination, Bart is closer to being caught . Along the way hundreds of vengeful Apaches who join the Pawnees track them down , thirsting for blood . Nothing could stop the last wagon from coming through! . By the way they have to face off the ruthless Indian chief Rasacura (Iron Eyes Cody) who instigates a spectacular wild attack . The danger trail that only the daring traveled ! Ablaze with Raging Adventure! afire with Romantic Love! Aflame with the Fury of Hate-Crazy Savages! Ablaze with the gun-thundering terrors of the West's most violent days! His guns sent the redskin hordes reeling through Pawnee Pass . Ablaze with the flaming fury of a thousand savage arrows ¡

Nice-looking but run-of-the-mill Allied Artists Western , including some novelties , but also with regular elements , such as frantic action, thrills , shootouts , cavalry charges , drama , romance and some breathtaking action scenes . This movie has a passable combination of decent performances, stirring drama and attractive outdoors .The agreeable script drives mercilessly forward with emotion , love triangles , cavalry charges , overwhelming attacks and turns . Director Lesley Selander aims for nosy action and go riding with a contemporary treatment about an innocent defector who gets redemption by becoming a brave leader of a wagon train . Along with a love triangle in which implicates Sterling Hayden and Keith Andes who is also in love with Coleen Gray . The plot is plain and simple , a wagon train turns out to be pursued , ambushed by the violent Indians. A blending of functional actors with support character players of whom Sterling Hayden holds the best role as a reckless officer . A warm and sometimes slow-moving storyline , makes a passable movie , a real time-passer in B-style . The hothouse plot drives mercilessly forward with rapid action , breathtaking shooting , thrills , impressive attacks , and turns . The yarn is wonderfully located against a spectacular background from Burro Flats, Simi Hills, California , Red Rock Crossing, Sedona , Oak Creek Canyon , Arizona, Courthouse Butte, Sedona, Bell Rock, Sedona, Arizona . Professional , but routine , unimaginative and some pedestrian western directed by Lesley Selander who made a lot of low-budget movies , though he followed to work for a big-budget cinema and was capable of making a few large-scale movies . Alrightly performed by Sterling Hayden as a soldier wrongfully accused of desertion and his his fight for innocence as well as freedom , while escorting a wagon train . Here director takes a fine penned script by Don Martin, based on the novel written by L.L. Foreman , creating a so-so tale that is far from ordinary , exploring the anguish and desperation of an innocent man who has to decide if and when he will leave them . The tale is strong and moving , being the yarn wonderfully located against a background of Arizona mountains . Pretty good main cast , standing out Sterling Hayden as a cavalry deserter risks his life to warn , proving to be a capable leader and quickly gaining everyone's respect . He delivers an enjoyable acting as an innocent deserter who is relentlessly chased . As female partenaire shows up the always gorgeous Coleen Gray . There are well accompanied by a good plethora of secondaries such as : Tom Tully , Tudor Owen , Lee Van Cleef, John Pickard , Carleton Young and Iron Eyes Cody who usually plays Indian roles , though being Italian origin .

This red-blooded Western was compellingly directed in fits and starts by Lesley Selander and superbly filmed on location , though it has some matte painting . Selander is generally considered to be the most prolific director of feature Westerns of all time, with at least 107 to his credit between 1935 and 1967. He realized his first feature in 1936, a western , genre in which he would not only excel but one where he would spent much of the rest of his career. Although Selander couldn't be deemed an "A"-list director, his movies had a professionalism and a verve that many of those made by his fellow B directors lacked . He made a lot of Westerns as The Yellow Tomahawk , Cavalry Scout , Rider from Tucson , Rio Grande Patrol , Storm Over Wyoming , Dakota Lil , Riders of the Range , The Mysterious Desperado , Masked Raiders , Stampede and his last one : The Texan with Audie Murphy . He also filmed detective thrillers, action/adventure motion pictures and even a horror film or two . He finished shooting 106 horse operas helmed between 1917 and 1949. Rating : 5,5 . Acceptable and passable

With the Indians about to attack a wagon train, deserter Bart Laish is torn between warning the cavalry or remaining on the run with many lives on his conscience - but then a daring though much more dangerous course occurs to him.

An efficiently made B-western finds Sterling Hayden looking broody and acting angsty and suitably conflicted over running for the hills or warning the wagon train of impending attack. It has a redemptive type of storyline and it's done well with plenty of skirmishes, well-staged action and exciting moments in the backdrop of great location. Of course, there's stock footage, a dummy thrown over the cliff and the formula is working like clockwork, however that's minor criticisms. Personally, I have always enjoyed this good b-western, which delivers that neat 80 min of action, but I also found the story quite thoughtful, and the acting - even Sterling Hayden who I'm not too keen on - quite satisfactory.