Le fort de la vengeance

Fort Defiance is an independent western from United Artists, more interesting than good. It was an attempt at some adult themes in a western that would become more commonplace in the future. Sad to say though its characters are not developed fully.

Ben Johnson arrives at the ranch of George Cleveland and his two nephews, Peter Graves and Dane Clark. He's looking for Clark who has not made it home from the Civil War yet. Supposedly Clark ran out on his troops while on a mission to deliver a message and nearly everyone died in the command he served with. Johnson was one of the few survivors, his brother wasn't and he's out to get Clark.

As his big rancher Craig Wood who had running feud with Cleveland, Clark, and Graves before the Civil War, heightened by the loss of two brothers. He wants the whole family dead, including Graves who is blind.

Johnson, feeling sorry for Graves and Cleveland throws in with them before Clark arrives. They face an attack on the ranch, a stagecoach massacre from some Navajos before the inevitable showdown.

Possibly in the hands of a major studio with a better script Fort Defiance could have been a better film. As it is some of the character motivations just don't make sense fitted into the overall framework of the story.

Still this cast of good professionals feels at home in westerns with the exception of Dane Clark who was way too urban a character for a western.

Interesting film, but not as good as it could have been.

Nice guy, Ned Tallon, now blind, is waiting for older brother, Johnny, to come home from the war and help get the ranch back on its feet. A newly arrived stranger, Ben Shelby, reports that Johnny deserted his outfit, costing many men their lives, then became a bank robber and was killed. When the desertion story gets out, relatives of several men who died want brother Ned buried, too. Ben steps in to save Ned by helping him skedaddle to Navajo territory -- but the Navajo have just been told that its Reservation Time, and they're none to pleased. ...now guess who shows up!

Pretty good yarn. Fair amount of action. Rugged Arizona scenery. A good Ben Johnson role. Interesting to see Peter Graves in one of his earliest films.

Fort Defiance is directed by John Rawlins and written by Louis Lantz. It stars Dane Clark, Ben Johnson, Peter Graves and Tracey Roberts. Music is by Paul Sawtell and cinematography by Stanley Cortez.

Plot has Clark as sharp shooting Johnny Tallon, a feared man he may be, but after a dreadful incident in the Civil War he is a wanted man. Upon returning to the family ranch where his blind brother Ned (Graves) resides, he finds one of his pursuers, Ben Shelby (Johnson), has befriended Ned and become more of a brother to Ned than Johnny ever was. With the Indians on the warpath and saloon impresario Dave Parker (Craig Woods) out to kill of the Tallon family, something's got to give...

There's a degree of complexity on show with the writing here, where the family strife and fall out from the Civil War makes for an always interesting viewing. Also refreshing to find that Graves' blind character is not a heart string tugging token, it's a meaty portrayal by Graves, the character not trying to garner sympathy. There's a richness to the key characterisations in general, ensuring that at least when the story treads familiar Westerns pathways (Indian attacks shoehorned in - Roberts' token saloon gal love interest) all outcomes are anticipated with interest.

The location landscapes are gorgeous, which renders the use of Cinecolor as being annoying. The pronounced reds and blues detracting from the natural beauty of the surroundings, though thankfully the print shown on TCM-HD is of a decent quality. The action sequences are only competently staged, but there's enough gun shots and stunt working bodily thunder to perk up the pic, while acting across the board is on the good side of good.

Strong plotting and super scenery help to keep this one above average and thus worth seeking out by Westerns lovers. 6.5/10

It's just after the Civil War and Ben Shelby arrives looking for Johnny Tallon whom he plans to kill. Shelby was the only survivor of a battle due to the cowardice of Tallon. Thinking Tallon dead, another man who lost a brother at the same battle arrives to kill Tallon's blind brother. Tallon arrives to find Shelby and his brother fleeing. Then they are attacked by Indians and Shelby and Tallon must now fight together postponing the inevitable showdown.

Fort Defiance is an enjoyable western, due to the good performances, direction, cinematography and a tense, yet quiet atmosphere, and exciting blazing action as Shelby and the Tallons square off against vengeful white men and their Native American neighbors. Loved Dane Clark's witty comeback and his fast guns. Ben Johnson is excellent as always, but I reckon Peter Graves steals the scene as a blind man. The first half is slightly plodding, but picks up when the villainous Ned Parker and his gunnies turn up. It's then uphill all the way.

It is several months after the end of the civil war, and Ben Shelby (Ben Johnson) shows up at the Tallon Ranch to kill John Tallon (Dane Clark). Tallon had given himself up to the confederates just before the war ended and this led to a company of the Arizona volunteers being wiped out, Ben's brother among them. He meets John's young, blind brother Ned (Peter Graves) and Uncle Charlie. John is not around and Ben ,saying he knows John from the war, decides to wait for him. A problem comes up when he gets very close and Ned and Uncle Charlie. John has become a bank robber and a killer which Uncle Charlie has kept from Ned and asks Ben to also keep the secret because Ned worships his brother who supposedly was a war hero. Word finally reaches them that John is dead and Uncle Charlie and Ben have to tell Ned.

There are additional problems. The Indians find out they are going to be moved to Oklahoma, don't like the idea and go on the warpath. Local land baron Dave Parker, who also lost brothers in the Arizona volunteers, finds out about John Tallon's act of cowardice and wants all Tallon's dead. This is just an excuse to get their ranch.

AS you might guess. John Tallon finally shows up, but he is not the coward and killer you might expect, and Ben, besides fighting Dave Parker and the Indians, must face the possibility of killing a close friend's brother This is not exactly a B western. It was shot in New Mexico, has a cast of superb actors, more plot than there is in two current films( actually a plot worth of a major film) and complex, conflicted characters. I saw this film when I was very young and found out recently that it has not aged. It is well worth tracking down and watching. A very good sleeper

There is a problem with the color. The film was shot in Cinecolor, and it is just not as good as Technncolor of even Eastman color.The colors fade and blues and greens are lost. This film deserves a restoration.