Distant Drums (1951)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Niven Busch (screenplay) and
Martin Rackin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 December 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Romance | Western

Plot:

After destroying a Seminole fort, American soldiers and their rescued companions must face the dangerous Everglades and hostile Indians in order to reach safety

Plot Keywords:

Seminole | Scout | Florida | Fort | Filmed On Location

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Capt. Quincy Wyatt
Mari Aldon	...	Judy Beckett
Richard Webb	...	Lt. Richard Tufts
Ray Teal	...	Pvt. Mohair
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Monk
Robert Barrat	...	Gen. Zachary Taylor

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #5280) | UK:U | West Germany:12 (nf) | Norway:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument - One S. Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, Florida, USA

Company:

United States Pictures

Trivia:

WILHELM SCREAM: This film contains the first known instance of "The Wilhelm Scream" (a sound effect of a man screaming, since used in over 149 other movies). During a scene in which the soldiers are wading through a swamp in the everglades, one of them is bitten and dragged underwater by an alligator. The scream for that character was recorded later. Six short pained screams were recorded in a single take, which was slated "man getting bit by an alligator, and he screams." The fifth scream was used for the soldier - but the 4th, 5th, and 6th screams recorded in the session were also used earlier in the film when three Indians are shot, one after another, during a raid on a fort. Although the "signature" or "classic" screams, takes 4 through 6 on the original recording, are the most recognizable, all of the screams are referred to as "Wilhelm" by those in the sound community. Ben Burtt, sound effects designer on Star Wars (1977), named it "Wilhelm" after the character that let out the scream in The Charge at Feather River (1953). He discovered a file at Warner Bros. for this movie, which contained paperwork that was left over from the picture editor when the film was completed. One of the papers was a short list of names of actors who were scheduled to come in to perform various lines of dialogue for miscellaneous roles in the movie. After reviewing the names and even listening to their voices, one person seemed to be the most likely suspect: Sheb Wooley. Sheb played the uncredited role of Private Jessup in "Distant Drums", and was one of the few actors assembled for the recording of additional vocal elements for the film. It is very likely he was asked on the spot to perform other things for the film, including the screams for a man being bitten by an alligator.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the famous "Wilhelm scream" is used for the part that a man is attacked by an alligator and drawn under water the scream can still be heard while already being under water.

Quotes:

Monk: [tiring of the diet] Fish and turtles! Nothing but fish and turtles! I'm about to grow gills!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tacones lejanos (1991)

Mighty adventure booms

Great looking locations and color photography with daredevil action reigns over this boy's own adventure, the style Warner Brothers has always been very good at. The characters are mostly left undeveloped, except Cooper's group leader Zachary. His past is well documented by his friend, played by Arthur Hunnicut in his usual relaxed manner, and it's mostly his destiny we are to care about. It's notable how larger than life Cooper appears to be even on television screen. His characterization, which is a combination of a western hero and Tarzan, doesn't offer very much range in acting but makes it interesting enough for this kind of adventure flick. Mari Aldon gets dragged through all the dangerous and beautiful scenery without having her make-up smeared and sometimes completely steals my attention from what is going on around her. Her role doesn't have much else to offer either. But I guess, by what I just said, her role work serves its purpose the way it was intended.

Almost everything you expect from a jungle adventure set in Florida is here including alligators, snakes and wild cardboard Indians. A great plus are the beautifully shot underwater scenes, short but crystal clear, crowned by a final duel under surface. This isn't one of the best movies from the director Raoul Walsh, but as a classic adventure and action for a more empty-headed moment it works truly well.