La vengeance de l'indien

I watched this film by accident, really, but it was actually very entertaining. The actor who played Guy Madison's grandfather was particularly good. I especially liked how the Native Americans were portrayed as human beings and not ruthless killers. This film was released in 1956, which shows a great effort for the producers to make such a film. The message is about unity and the human spirit. For that time period, I found the movie unique. It kept me watching. Plus, Madison has an interesting appeal as an actor because he never really made it big here in the United States. We know not all actors are great actors, and Madison wasn't phenomenal. However, he wasn't bad, either. So why wasn't he more of a major star? And even though I don't watch too many Westerns, I'd rather watch Madison than most of the other Western stars of that time. Like I said, interesting...

Reprisal! Is directed by George Sherman and written by David P. Harmon, Raphael Hayes and David Dortort. It stars Guy Madison, Felicia Farr, Kathryn Grant, Michael Pate, Edward Platt, Otto Hulett, Wayne Mallory and Frank De Kova. Music is by Mischa Bakaleinikof and Technicolor cinematography by Henry Freulich.

Frank Madden (Madison) is half white, half Indian, in order to be allowed to own his own land in the County of Kendall, Texas, he keeps his half-breed status a secret. Acquiring a ranch and land, Madden quickly falls foul of the Shipley brothers, a trio of thugs known to be Indian killers and intent on making Madden tow their party line.

Nice, in fact something of a treat for Western fans. On plot terms it doesn't sound like much, the sort of run-of-the-mill Oater so prevalent in the 1950s, but there's a lot going on psychologically here to run along side the shoot em' ups, fisticuffs and simmering passions. It starts off very strongly with a court case as the Shipley brothers are on trial for lynching two Indians, clearly guilty, they of course get off because most of the town are Indian haters. This instantly sets it up for half-breed Madden to be constantly at war with himself, he wants to just settle down and earn a crust, but can he keep turning the other cheek as his half kin are abused and used by the very townsfolk he rubs shoulders with?

He keeps winding up in situations where someone needs his help, and it frustrates him greatly, and when his Indian grandfather appears on the scene to offer some sage advice, his emotional confliction goes up still further. The back drop is a town bursting at the seams with racial tensions, then throw in revenge, mob justice, inter-racial lust and murders, you got yourself a film packing in as much as it can in its relatively short running time. It looks nice with photography out of Tuscon, the acting is up to the standard of the production, Grant and Farr are twin delights for the eyes, and Sherman once again proves to be a good old pro who knew his way around a Western.

One of the better "B" Westerns of 1956, well worth catching by duster fans if the chance arises. 7.5/10

It was interesting to learn that the origin of the film Reprisal! was a novel set in the post World War II south and it had to do with racial prejudice against black people. One can easily see why Columbia Pictures did not want to do an adaption in that vein. That southern market even in the beginning of the civil rights era was still a potent force. Ergo the setting was changed to the old west and the object of prejudice were Indians.

Saying that Reprisal! is still a very powerful film and one hopes that in theaters in the south some people did get a more subtle message from the film. In a role similar to the one that Robert Taylor played in Devil's Doorway, Guy Madison plays a mixed racial individual who is passing for white because that's the only way he can own his own spread. He's bought a ranch that has been used by a trio of some loathsome brothers named Shipley played by Edward Platt, Michael Pate, and Wayne Mallory who have a bad hatred for the red man.

When Madison is accused of killing Mallory the remaining two Shipley brothers stir the town into a lynching fever. After that the truth comes out all around.

In fact Pate like many a redneck only carries his prejudice so far. He has the hots for Kathryn Grant and the future Mrs. Bing Crosby is quite the fetching woman here. I can see how this portion of the story translates into the pre-civil rights era culture in the deep south. But Grant likes Madison as does Felicia Farr daughter of the town newspaper editor Robert Burton.

Even changing the location Columbia Pictures still made a fine drama about the evils of racial prejudice. It holds up well today.

And this film review is dedicated to the people of Lancaster, New York who just changed their high school football team name from Redskins. A little viewing of this film and Devil's Doorway might give some of those who are still angry at the name change some understanding as to how offensive that name is.

A delightful surprise...this small, rich wonder of a film surely offers up Guy Madison's best performance...as the compromised cowboy....trying to deal with the racism of his villainous neighbours and their hangers-on. So refreshing to find a 1950s western which goes full-bore at the question of US xenophobia re their dealings with their first nations people. Not a political diatribe.....good simple narrative with well-played, not overplayed, characters, good dramatic ducking and diving.

New ranch owner Frank Madden, half Indian but posing as white, arrives just as an all white jury finds the three white Shipley brothers who lynched three Indians innocent. There is soon trouble between Frank and the Shipleys who are using Frank's land to graze their cattle. When the brother of one of the Indian victims kills a Shipley, Frank is accused and put in jail. The Shipleys then organize a lynch mob and head for the jail.

Guy Madison delivers a great performance as a mixed race man caught in the middle, trying to act white though the only people showing him much kindness are from the race he wants to abandon. Pate and Platt are very good as two of the Indian-hating Shipley brothers. Pate's character is nearly as conflicted as Madison's, because he can't stay away from a pretty Indian girl (Kathryn Grant). Felicia Farr is excellent as a person who sympathetic to natives and falls in love with Madison.

This is tautly plotted, effective western that highlights prejudice. Don't expect wall to wall gunfights but a solidly told story that collates all the elements in a 70 minute running time. Good characterisation, cinematography and superb camera work is in display here.