Only the Valiant (1951)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Gordon Douglas

Writers:

Edmund H. North (screenplay) and
Harry Brown (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 April 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Western

Tagline:

THEY WERE SIX AND THEY FOUGHT LIKE SIX HUNDRED! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Capt. Richard Lance (Gregory Peck) is unjustly held responsible, by his men & girlfriend, for an Indian massacre death of beloved Lt...

Plot Keywords:

Military | Massacre | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Capt. Richard Lance
Barbara Payton	...	Cathy Eversham
Ward Bond	...	Cpl. Timothy Gilchrist
Gig Young	...	Lt. William Holloway
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Trooper Kebussyan (as Lon Chaney)
Neville Brand	...	Sgt. Ben Murdock
Jeff Corey	...	Joe Harmony
Warner Anderson	...	Trooper Rutledge
Steve Brodie	...	Trooper Onstot
Dan Riss	...	Lt. Jerry Winters
Terry Kilburn	...	Trooper Saxton
Herbert Heyes	...	Col. Drumm
Art Baker	...	Capt. Jennings
Hugh Sanders	...	Capt. Eversham
Michael Ansara	...	Tucsos

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #14746) | UK:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Gallup, New Mexico, USA

Company:

William Cagney Productions

Trivia:

Gregory Peck said this was his least favorite of all his movies.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A time line was never developed. Since there was ongoing trouble between the Sgt. and one of the troopers who was formerly a rebel soldier, this had to take place during the Civil war or just after. They do mention that the Gatling gun was just developed, which would make it during the Civil war. All the troopers are carrying Winchester rifles and Colt single action army revolvers, not manufactured until the 1870's.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in L'important c'est d'aimer (1975)

Entertaining Western

"Only the Valiant" is not a great western; in fact it is obvious that the director, cast and producers knew perfectly it was not going to be one. However the product is entertaining and has an interesting plot.

In order to gain some time, Cpt. Lance (Gregory Peck) is sent to defend a small abandoned fort located right in the opening of a small passage between the mountains through which the Apaches will have to ride in their way to attack the army's main position. He has been accused by his girl of sending his friend Lt. Holloway (Gig Young) in a sure-death mission just to get rid of romantic competition; Peck is innocent of course, but he doesn't feel he has to explain (sort of a character like the one he played some years later in "The Big Country").

Lance chooses his men for the mission among the worst in the regiment and those he knows have personal feelings against him. He occupies the fort and waits for the Apaches to come while watching his back at he same time.

The picture, totally unpretentious, was shot in black and white by director Gordon Douglas and you could say this was a correct decision for it adds to the grey and dark atmosphere that reigns in the fort. It is also interesting when Lance forms the men and tells each one clearly why he has chosen them for the deadly task.

The cast is adequate. Peck is good as the righteous Captain as also is Gig Young in his small part. Among the troopers you'll find such classical tough guys of the 40's and 50' as Lon Chaney, Ward Bond and Neville Brand. Michael Ansara is the Indian chief.

But what really demerits the film are some indoor settings representing the rocky passage and the fort itself that look clearly fake and cheap. Michael Ansara's outfit looks more like one for a costume party than that of the chief of an Indian war party. The point is that producers didn't want to spend much money on this film and it shows.

However it turns out to be a rather enjoyable army against Indians western and its worth one look at least.