Soldier Blue (1970)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

Theodore V. Olsen (novel)
John Gay (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 October 1970 (Sweden)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

The most savage film in history!

Plot:

After a cavalry group is massacred by the Cheyenne, only two survivors remain: Honus, a naive private devoted to his duty...

Plot Keywords:

Village | Fort | Attack | Private | Love

Cast

Candice Bergen	...	Kathy Maribel Lee, 'Cresta'
Peter Strauss	...	Honus Gent
Donald Pleasence	...	Isaac Q. Cumber
John Anderson	...	Col. Iverson
Jorge Rivero	...	Spotted Wolf
Dana Elcar	...	Capt. Battles
Bob Carraway	...	Lt. McNair
Martin West	...	Lt. Spingarn
James Hampton	...	Pvt. Menzies
Mort Mills	...	Sgt. O'Hearn
Jorge Russek	...	Running Fox
Aurora Clavel	...	Indian woman (as Aurora Clavell)
Ralph Nelson	...	Agent Long (as Alf Elson)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence including a rape, and some nudity.

Runtime:

Argentina:115 min | UK:114 min (cut version) | USA:112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | USA:PG (edited for re-rating) (1974) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:18 | Australia:(Banned) (original rating) | Australia:M (censored) | Finland:K-18 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:16 | UK:X (cut) | USA:R (original rating) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

AVCO Embassy Pictures

Trivia:

In order to recreate the gory Sand Creek massacre of Cheyenne Indians, director Ralph Nelson sought the services of orphaned amputees. Various prosthetic limbs were affixed to missing body parts of these amputees, and then, in one of the most blood-and-guts sequences in film history, these "limbs" were mercilessly hacked off as the cameras rolled.

Quotes:

Col. Iverson: [to Lt McNair] 'McNair! Raze the village! Burn this... pestilence!'

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Empire of the Censors (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Soldier Blue

Graphics only

A variation on the theme of "Little Big Man," and released in the same year, this film features the conversion of the male protagonist to an Indian phile from a phobe, but this time we end with a terrible massacre of Indians by the U.S. Cavalry, based on the real-life 1864 Sand Creek Massacre of Black Kettle's Cheyenne tribe. The love interest of Honus (Peter Strauss), Cresta, is played by Candice Bergen, who represents the Indian viewpoint after the start of the film. I like the basic story, and there is contact between the Indians and the protagonists before the disturbing ending, but there is no historical background about the massacre or the persona of Chivington, only a shocking, graphic display. I am sure I saw the toned down version of the film, but it was memorable enough, and it sent its message. As a history buff, however, I wish it had devoted at least some time to the background, not just the blood, and further, there was no personal connection to the protagonists--they just watched it. I won't worry too much about the anachronistic reference to Custer's Last Stand (did not occur until 12 years later, but it always has to be worked into everything). Anyway, at least whites are not totally bad -- Chivington got into big trouble after his shameful (and Bible-backed, in his mind) actions.