This is a Republic Pictures production, filmed in Trucolor, mainly in various parts of AZ and UT, with mostly dry rocky backgrounds, supposedly on the Santa Fe trail, which crossed the plains of Kansas, to NM. It concerns a wagon train scout(John Payne as Kirby) and his partner Sam(Slim Pickens), who are responsible for protecting two wagon trains, which are in grave danger of being attacked by Kiowa, lead by Chief Satank(Sitting Bear)(George Keymas). Incidentally, Satank was a famous historical Kiowa chief, famed as a fierce warrior in battles with various surrounding tribes early in his career, later switching mostly to fighting white settlers, wagon trains, and even army posts. before being arrested for murder.Aside from interactions between the wagon trains and Kiowa , the plot emphasizes a developing love triangle between Kirby, a woman called Aurelie(Faith Domergue) and the organizer of the wagon train(Rod Cameron, as Jess Griswold). Initially, Aurelie was opposed to choosing the duo as their scouts, because the last wagon they scouted for was ambushed and annihilated by Kiowa, while Kirby was negotiating with Santank elsewhere. However, when Kirby saved her from sever burns when her skirt caught fire, by smothering it, she changed her attitude toward him, and they began a romantic relationship. However, Griswold, who also had a romantic interest in her, threw cold water on their relationship by telling Kirby that she was a Kiowa half breed. Kirby had previously said that he hated all Indians, and especially half breeds. Thus, Kirby was cool toward Aurelie for a while. But, especially after her mother saved his life in a knife fight with Satank, he warmed up again. He came to understand that not all Kiowa were murdering madmen. Meanwhile, Griswold had asked Aurelie to be his wife. She gave him a non-committal answer each time. Not apparent why. Kirby and Griswold have a physical fight over Aurelie, rolling down a steep slope, until Griswold drops off a short ledge, breaking his leg. This would prove fatal, as the Kiowa warriors swarmed over him after Kirby and Aurelia rode off, as he requested. Aside from the climactic battle between the Kiowa and wagoneers, perhaps the most exciting episode is the stampeding horses the Kiowa drove toward the wagon train, in a draw. Kirby directs the wagons and pack animals to get out of the way of the probable path of the horses, so that only minor damaged resulted.Available in color at YouTube.

Perhaps most interesting about this memorable B+ western is that it's the only Republic color western that doesn't look like a Republic color western - meaning that their usual color film stock, which makes everything appear to be a bizarre blend of soft blues and hot pinks, is not what we see. Rather, this looks (and feels) like one of oaters that Columbia Studios churned out at that time, particularly in terms of the color stock that was employed, and the only dead give away that this is indeed from Republic is the presence of Rod Cameron, one of their stock company members, as the second male lead who veers back and forth between being an okay fellow and a total villain, adding a patina of interest to the characterization. The plot itself is quite fascinating: John Payne plays a frontier scout who, along with his gruff sidekick (Slim Pickens), was disgraced when he tried to trick some Indians into letting his wagon train through hostile territory and inadvertently got the pioneers massacred. No one will hire him until he gets a job with a 'questionable' train run by Cameron and a gorgeous woman (Faith Domergue). Cameron wants to marry her, and doesn't care one whit that she's a halfbreed. But Payne, who has developed a fierce and vicious prejudice against all Indians owing to the despoiling of his reputation, fumes at her racial background - even as he too falls in love with her, creating an intriguing romantic triangle. Ultra PC types might mistake this for a racist western, though in truth its anti-western, as the hero arcs away from his own absurd prejudices and comes to accept her as a person. Slim Pickens is, as always, a joy to watch, particularly when high atop his bucking mule that would also be used in Walt Disney's THE SAGA OF ANDY BURNETT two years later. Terrific skirmishes with the Indian warriors, all of them well staged by William Witney, an old hand at above average B westerns.

A strikingly photographed but also strikingly ordinary western. Payne leads a cattle drive through 'Injun' territory. Do you reckon they're going to let him through peacefully? It's admittedly never short on action, but such trifle now seems more than a bit outré considering the contemporarily modish spate of 'be nice to Indians' Westerns. Fair to say though, that even though 'Broken Arrow' had set such a trend 5 year back, traditional Western audiences regarded the concept with less-than macromolecular significance. With Faith Domergue being typically insipid (This Island Earth was still one year off), but looking as if she thinks she deserves to be paid like Barbara Stanwyck.

Managing to be both standard and unusual at the same time, this western should entertain most viewers for its 91 minute running time. Payne plays a trail scout who, with his sidekick Pickens, helps wagon trains cross hostile Indian territory. After one of his jobs goes horribly wrong, he has trouble finding work until Cameron hires him to assist his team of packhorses (and three wagons) on a drive to Santa Fe. Also on the trip is tough, skeptical Gordon as the trail boss and Domergue, who plays Cameron's girlfriend and owner of the cargo being transported. Domergue has an Indian companion (Tedrow!) who combs her hair and gets her gussied up each night at camp in one pretty gown after another. Before long, a love triangle develops between Payne, Domergue and Cameron, with Domergue harboring a shameful secret. Meanwhile, the Indians (led by chief Keymas) try everything they can think of to destroy and loot the wagon train. Some of the usual "Pioneers versus the Indians" clichés are touched on here, but the film does have more than a few unique and interesting touches. (It must have the most authentically muddy city streets of any film from this period.) It's also quite picturesque and relatively full of action and interest. Payne does a decent job and shows off a still fit and trim physique (in a memorably uncomfortable scene involving being caught in his drawers by Domergue.) Domergue, outfitted with some distracting and anachronistic earrings, is also strong in her role, though her storyline borders on the preposterous. Cameron, who at 6'5" towers over everyone (making even 6 foot tall Payne seem diminutive!), is solid and tough throughout. He has a memorable scene involving the handling of a traitor. Pickens is authentic and mildly entertaining in his sidekick role. What really sends this flick into Bizarro-Land is the presence of Tedrow as an old Indian squaw. Stone-faced, smeared with tan Ben Nye make-up, borrowing Groucho Marx's eyebrows and speaking in a tone 3 octaves lower than usual, she is hysterically funny. Best of all is when she comes alive near the end of the film and turns into a knife-wielding Super Squaw, running at the speed of light, fiercely riding a horse and taking part in skirmishes with her enemies! No viewer of Tedrow as Miss Lucy Elkins on "Dennis the Menace" could ever have envisioned that she once played this role in a movie! The viewpoint towards Native Americans in the film is mostly the standard unsympathetic one of this time with some exceptions. Keymas is wounded at one point and sports some hilariously unconvincing injury makeup. One memorable sequence involves a very dusty pony stampede and the attempts to divert it. There's also a big "twist" ending that is completely discernible within the first 15 minutes of the film. It's a familiar type of tale, but one told with a diverse cast, lots of activity and some edge in the story and direction.