I remember this movie being shot on location on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Central Oregon about 100 miles southeast of Portland,OR.. I was 13 at the time. It was during the summer when school was out. Some footage was shot just west of the BIA Agency compound behind the Boarding school and other locations as well. Some of the residents were used as extras and of course all the girls went crazy meeting him.He made us all feel very special while he was there. As I remember, other scenes were shot around Bend Oregon. Thanks Sal for being so gracious.

This rare title from 1958 features the amazing and charismatic Sal Mineo as a young Indian brave, who captures and trains a horse that will become his friend, and later his ally in one of the bloodiest battles in American history. Tough subject for a Disney production, but the famed "Battle of Little Big Horn" led by General Armstrong Custer, against a surprisingly well-armed and well-prepared Indian tribe, is handled very effectively, and impressively, without downplaying the violence. The first segment of this gem of a film focuses entirely on the bond that develops between White Bull (Sal Mineo) and his wild horse, as the Indian brave trains Tonka to trust him. The way in which White Bull is always trying to win the respect of his mother, and of his tribe, and to prove his manhood, is done in a most believable way. And when Tonka falls into the hands of the White troops, the story switches gears and becomes a bit more of an adult Western. The final battle is swift and bloody, but there is a happy resolution for the Indian boy and his horse. It is a nice change of pace to see the Indians portrayed, not as savages, but as people with hearts and pride in their land, and love for their kin. And whoever thought of General Armstrong Custer as some kind of "hero" will be surprised to see that he is portrayed as anything but a hero. Seen as a blue-eyed racist, a rabid hater of the Indians, a people who were having their land and their heritage savagely ripped apart by the new arrivals. After 30 years, Disney has finally issued a legitimate DVD for the title "Tonka." The picture quality is pristine, taken from a master that is in fine shape. Colors are bold and images are sharp. Wonderful, especially considering the age and rarity of the title. Almost none of Sal Mineo's films have had legit video releases, so this makes this one even more important. "Tonka" is a superb example of a certain era and style of film-making that is gone, but not forgotten. A true classic, available again to a new generation.

I saw this movie as a kid and loved it. I now own horses and watched it with my equestrian daughter recently. It still holds up pretty well, but the thing that blew my mind was that Tonka's natural blaze is apparently painted over and the color does not match. Look at the picture on the cover of the Disney release - It's amazing that they thought they would pull that off.I agree with the other person's comment about the subject matter for a Disney kid's film. Of course, the Custer last stand part is only the big final scene. Most of the movie deals with the young Indian brave and Tonka as they sort their way through the harsh realities of those times. It seems a bit of a stretch (but perfect ending for Disney) that in the end Sal becomes a scout for the army with Tonka as his horse.

This was one of my absolute favourite movies as a kid. It seems strange to me now that they could make a family movie about a battle where one side was entirely wiped out (except the horse of course). Not that there was any blood and gore in the film. It just seems a strange topic for a kids movie.