In earlier generations, little boys played Cowboys and Indians, so the western was an enormously popular film genre up through the 1970s. The old stereotype of "cowboy-good, Indian-bad" has thankfully died out, and those types of movies aren't really made anymore. If you want a lesson in racist Americana, feel free to watch The Stalking Moon or any other "typical" western. If you're actually looking for a good movie, look elsewhere.Gregory Peck is about to retire from his job as a good cowboy who fights Indians for the army. His impending retirement is drummed into our heads quite often in the first ten minutes of the movie. During his last assignment, he and his side-kick, "The Breed", Robert Forester, rescue Eva Marie Saint from her terrible capture. Her young son, another "half-breed" is rescued as well, even though he clearly doesn't want to leave his people and the only world he's ever known. Nevertheless, despite his repeated escape attempts to go back home, Eva and Greg keep him close by. Eva, in a practically wordless performance, doesn't tell her rescuer that her son's father is a ruthless, evil murderer who will stop at nothing to get his son back. Then give him his son! The entire movie, I was shouting at the television, trying to convince Eva to return her son and save dozens of innocent lives.There's absolutely no reason why Greg continually puts himself in danger for this stranger and her son; he nor any other character in the film is given any character development to explain their actions. Greg is just "the good guy" and the vicious Indian is just "the bad guy". None of the Indians are given any spoken lines, but that's not very surprising in a film that actively perpetuates a bad relationship between the races. If that's not enough racism for you, here's one more tidbit: when Eva starts getting domesticated by Greg, her years-long tan starts to fade and her dusty blonde hair magically lightens. In other words, when she starts getting close with a white man, she starts looking "whiter" so the audience will be more likely to accept her.

Unusual Western deals with a veteran cavalry scout named Sam Varner( a magnificent Gregory Peck) ready to retire to a farm in New Mexico who takes pity and protects a white woman named Sarah Carver (Eva Marie Saint , the unforgettable starring of ¨On the waterfront¨) and her half-breed son (Clay) recently rescued and have been captives from Indians for ten years . He agrees to help them and learn that the woman 's Indian husband nicknamed ¨Savage¨ is hunting them down . The Savage is an avenger and killer Apache and sooner or later a final grisly confrontation is almost inevitable.This interesting Western contains action , thrills, intrigue , being ravishingly photographed and carefully made . Sensational performance by Gregory Peck plays a mature army scout attempting to save a women rescued and his Indian son from a marauding and feared father . Enjoyable appearance from Robert Foster as scout friend who teaches the little boy to count by means of the rules of poker . Ample support cast in brief acting as Charles Tyner , Joaquin Martinez , James Olson , Frank Silvera , Richard Bull and uncredited Richard Farnsworth , among others . In its initial exhibition the picture had average reviews , accused as racist and failed at the box office ; however , today is best considered with rave critical . It's an offbeat Western/drama/thriller from same tandem , Alan J Pakula-Alvin Sargent-Robert Mulligan who made ¨To kill a mockingbird¨ . Colorful cinematography showing spectacular outdoors by Charles Lang who long time ago won Oscar for his cinematography on ¨A farewell to arms(1933)¨. This motion picture with skeletal plot is well directed by Robert Mulligan , a filmmaker more specialist in human drama and with sure touch in the interior scenes . Mulligan has been out-stripped in reputation by his one time partner/producer Alan J Pacula . Mulligan directed good dramas as ¨A great impostor¨, ¨Love with the proper stranger¨, ¨Inside Daisy Clover¨ and ¨Summer of 42¨ that was extremely successful . His last works as ¨Blood Brothers¨ , ¨Same time next year¨ , ¨Kiss me goodbye¨ , ¨Clara's heart¨ failed to bring the required response from the cinema-goers public . Rating . Above average , worthwhile watching .

Robert Mulligan, the director, handled this tale of revenge adroitly. It's Indians on the warpath again but this time the motive is reversed. Gregory Peck is a scout for the U. S. Army that has defeated the Apache and liberated one of his white captive wives, Saint, and their son.Peck's last assignment is to see that Saint and the boy are sent back East. The cavalry rides off, leaving Peck to buy the freed captives a railroad ticket to safety but there are problems. One is that Saint has been a captive so long that she no longer has any family or friends to return to. Another is that Saint and her son have a tendency to sit as still and quietly as a couple of Polynesian tikis. What's a man to do? Peck is a tough, seasoned Westerner himself and not given to sympathy or palaver but he can't bring himself to pack his companions off to nowhere. So he invites them to join him at his cabin in New Mexico, now being tended only by a surly old man. Saint and the boy have learned to do what they're told. They're joined at the cabin by Robert Forster, a fellow ex scout.There's an amusing scene when Saint has cleaned up the filthy cabin and prepared the first evening meal. She and the boy sit against the wall, watching Peck try to eat, wordlessly and without moving. Uncomfortable in the silence, Peck tells them to sit at the table. They obey but continue to simply sit and watch him. Uneasy, but trying to maintain his dignity, Peck explains to them that it's perfectly alright to speak at the table. In fact, they can say anything they like. He tries to prompt them by giving them examples but all he can think of is, "Pass the peas," and "Gimme the salt." It's funnier than it sounds when I describe it and it's the kind of comedy Peck handles well, with wary understatement. He's no good at pratfalls and wisecracks.Another problem soon arises. The Apache leader, the father of Saint's son, is a real mean mother and is determined to recapture his son. They know he's coming because he's killing his way across two states.Mulligan does a fine job of ratcheting up the tension. The Apache, Salvaje, is like a weasel or ferret. The camera can't do more than catch an occasional glimpse of him. He's as much a part of the landscape as the pinion and juniper trees. And the director sometimes undercranks the camera so that Salvaje seems to be leaping about behind rocks like an antelope. He kills an entire neighboring Mexican family. He kills the old man who tended the cabin, and the dog as well. He kills the half-breed Forster, whom we've come to like. It all leads to a final bloody battle between Peck and Salvaje, at the end of which the Apache, perforated numerous times, collapses on top of the exhausted Peck. Salvaje's bear-skin poncho is about all we see of his body -- never his painted face -- so that he like a large brutish animal of the forest.Nice photography adds to the enjoyment. Fred Karlin's main theme is borrowed from Ennio Morricone, with its whimsical lilt and its whistle. But that's over and done with soon enough and the score that follows is like someone bowing a dissonant chord across brass wires.Peck wears a queer hat and carries an old Henry repeating rifle. It looks more ominous than it actually was. Happily, they didn't cast a cute, buck-toothed kid as the son of Saint and Salvaje. He has a pinched nose and looks sullen, as he should.Nicely done, for what it is.

Not even listed as one of Gregory Peck's better films, I consider this to be one of the most exciting Westerns I have ever seen. The Stalking Moon, Jeremiah Johnson, High Noon,.. all three are Western Classics.The movie begins slowly but the sense of foreboding builds throughout the film as Sam and his adopted family wait for the inevitable. Eva Marie Saint portrays an abused woman with spare dignity and understated grace, the little boy is great and Gregory Peck is a formidable presence, growing stronger in character and determination as his feelings for the woman and her son develop. Nathaniel Narsisco, as the Stalker is realistically and excruciatingly frightening as he silently tracks his prey. Although almost 40 years old the movie holds up well even when compared to films like Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.I have just read Roger Ebert's condemnation of this film and cannot believe that he and I differ so greatly as to its relative merits. How ever this is the man who loved "over the top" Donald Pleasance in "Will Penny" so one should not be surprised.