This isn't a "terrible movie", but it's a very mundane Western. The hugest problem is the contrivance of characters. Clint Walker is the essential hero, but not just that, he's pretty much Superman. Of course his physique does give this impression to begin with, but it loses the male audience with the "demi god" nature. Brian Keith plays a bit better role as a more convincing bad guy. He's got a few more dimensions than the hero, but not much. He's still more a "one dimension and a half bad guy", though not as corny as modern movie bad guys. There just isn't much going for this movie. It's simply mundane. We don't hate the characters, but we really don't care one way or the other. Kind of a waste.

This movie is a waste of time. I wanted to like it, but couldn't. The only positive things I could say about it is (1) the mountain/dessert scenery, which unfortunately was in black and white, and (2) Brian Keith's performance, which is the only thing that brought the movie to life. Clint Walker's performance was pleasant, not a great recommendation.Along with other reviewer's, I also noticed the well-directed scene where Virginia Mayo had been fished out of the river by Clint Walker, and is seen (obviously naked) under her blanket. The good direction is how she awakes and slowly realizes the situation (undressed by Walker). The point I want to make is that it was a good scene, but an obvious, easy one, and that so many would take the time to draw attention to it reveals how listless the rest of the production is.***spoilers galore***** What prompted me to write this review is to draw attention to some remarkably implausible scenes, maddeningly implausible even for a B-Western: (1) early on, Walker comes upon the lone woman and son in an isolated ranch house during an Indian uprising. A dozen Indians with rifles attack the ranch house with only Clint and the boy shooting their rifles through windows. That the Indians couldn't finish them off, attack from all sides, climb up on the roof, set the place on fire, etc., drove me to distraction. Then later in the darkness, Clint strangles an Indian and the three ride away. Yeesh! (2) later on, white townsfolk in wagons outrace Indians on horseback to a fort. Yeesh! (3) finally, later on, Clint leaves the fort, alone, to go for help and just happens to come across Brian Keith with a few dozen repeating rifles. OK! But he then saves the day by riding alone with some pack horses (packing the rifles) through the Indians surrounding the fort, to save the day. Yeesh, again! (I also disdained the stock action footage.)

I do not enjoy rating anything with a number.It somehow,cheapens what one has to say about something so close to the heart as a film that moves a grown man to actually stop and write about his feelings.Fort Dobbs is "an experience."The film must be seen in quiet surroundings,meaning no distractions.You can read a summation anywhere,but like anything of quality, this movie,owned by TBS,is impossible to find.Clint Walker Is the story and Brian Keith/Virginia Mayo are along for the ride.Moab,Utah provides the backdrop and only THE TALL T comes close.I do not know why Clint Walker was not a megastar,but perhaps politics was the reason.Ken Curtis,a fine Western Actor married John Ford's daughter,I believe?

A fairly standard western tale is uplifted by the calm, towering presence of Walker. He plays a man on the run from a posse who throws them off his trail and winds up at the ranch of a woman and her son who are waiting for her husband to return. They hardly have time to exchange hellos when a Comanche war party shows up outside. It is now Walker's duty to get the woman (Mayo) and her boy to the title fort despite the fact that she blames him for her husband's failure to return and he risks arrest once he gets there. There are a couple of minor twists and turns in the story to hold interest (along with a lot of now-cliched dialogue....occasionally one can put words in the characters' mouths and like clockwork, out if comes!) Keith shows up in a stock role of friend/foe, but adds a spark of creativity to it through some effective character work. Mayo doesn't get a lot to do besides scowl and get into trouble, but does have one amusing moment when she realizes that Walker has seen her naked. Walker is his usual gorgeous self. His soothing, dulcet voice and his monumental frame add much to the film. He plays a sort of mysterious "yep/nope" character along the lines of something Gary Cooper would have done. He's believed to be a killer, but the audience knows that there's more to the story. His willingness to allow himself to be hunted and disdained is in order to protect the honor, even if undeserved, of others. Walker, a true western star, appears to have done most (if not all) of his own riding and stunts. Also, after one particularly wet scene, he is seen shirtless polishing his rifle....quite a visual treat. Anyone should have felt safe in his care. Indians in the film are nothing but savage, faceless plot devices with no discernible reason given for their behavior. This is pretty typical for the time this film was made. The film is nothing amazing, but is pleasantly brief, has some nice scenery, a Max Steiner score and has its share of action and drama to make it watchable.