"Drum Beat" is notable on two counts. First it was Warner Bros. first wide screen CinemaScope picture and second it marked the first film in which Charles Buchinsky became Charles Bronson.
Indian Fighter Johnny MacKay (Alan Ladd) is summoned to Washington by President U.S. Grant (Hayden Rourke) where he is appointed Peace Commissioner with a mission to make peace with renegade Modoc Captain Jack (Bronson). Accompanying him back to California is Nancy Meek (Audrey Dalton). The intended of stagecoach driver Bill Salterwhite is murdered by Modoc Jim (Frank DeKova) and Bill vows revenge.
Later, during a meeting between MacKay and Captain Jack, Bill kills Modoc Jim thus starting an Indian war with the soldiers headed by General Canby (Warner Anderson). Peaceful Modocs Toby (Marisa Pavan) and Monok (Anthony Carouso) try to help MacKay in his quest for peace. A meeting is set up between Gen. Canby and Captain Jack but then.......................................................
Alan Ladd made some pretty good westerns over the years but is woefully miscast in this one. It is hard to imagine the clean cut Johnny MacKay as a one time fierce Indian fighter. His buckskin jacket seems tailor made and he shows nary a whisker. Most Hollywood Indian fighters were grizzled unkempt mountain men. Not so here.
Delmer Daves makes good use of the wide screen. He gives us beautiful panoramic shots of the mountainous regions together with those of the vast countryside. Victor Young as always, provides an excellent musical score. A lot of action and well staged battle scenes abound. The less said about the love triangle between Ladd, Dalton and Pavan the better.
Other recognizable faces include Elisha Cook as a gun running Indian Agent, Rodolpho Acosta as Scarface Charlie, George J. Lewis as Captain Clark, Perry Lopez as Bogus Charlie and Denver Pyle, Richard Hale, Stother Martin and Peter Hansen in smaller roles.
There is also an amusing little scene at the beginning with James Griffith as a White House sentry who advises MacKay how to get in to see the President.
Indian Fighter Johnny MacKay (Alan Ladd) is summoned to Washington by President U.S. Grant (Hayden Rourke) where he is appointed Peace Commissioner with a mission to make peace with renegade Modoc Captain Jack (Bronson). Accompanying him back to California is Nancy Meek (Audrey Dalton). The intended of stagecoach driver Bill Salterwhite is murdered by Modoc Jim (Frank DeKova) and Bill vows revenge.
Later, during a meeting between MacKay and Captain Jack, Bill kills Modoc Jim thus starting an Indian war with the soldiers headed by General Canby (Warner Anderson). Peaceful Modocs Toby (Marisa Pavan) and Monok (Anthony Carouso) try to help MacKay in his quest for peace. A meeting is set up between Gen. Canby and Captain Jack but then.......................................................
Alan Ladd made some pretty good westerns over the years but is woefully miscast in this one. It is hard to imagine the clean cut Johnny MacKay as a one time fierce Indian fighter. His buckskin jacket seems tailor made and he shows nary a whisker. Most Hollywood Indian fighters were grizzled unkempt mountain men. Not so here.
Delmer Daves makes good use of the wide screen. He gives us beautiful panoramic shots of the mountainous regions together with those of the vast countryside. Victor Young as always, provides an excellent musical score. A lot of action and well staged battle scenes abound. The less said about the love triangle between Ladd, Dalton and Pavan the better.
Other recognizable faces include Elisha Cook as a gun running Indian Agent, Rodolpho Acosta as Scarface Charlie, George J. Lewis as Captain Clark, Perry Lopez as Bogus Charlie and Denver Pyle, Richard Hale, Stother Martin and Peter Hansen in smaller roles.
There is also an amusing little scene at the beginning with James Griffith as a White House sentry who advises MacKay how to get in to see the President.