Review of Walk the Proud Land

I would say this is the best western/biopic starring Audie Murphy that I have seen. It's based on the story of John Clum, during his appointment as Indian Agent at Arizona's Apache San Carlos Reservation, some distance north of Tucson. We might think of Clum as a messiah of sorts, having a vision of a reservation in which the native inhabitants govern themselves, supplying their own police force, and electing their officials, instead of being governed by the US Army, and officials of the Department of Interior, who were often corrupt, stealing from the largess due the Indians. Of course, this was a revolutionary idea, especially when applied to the frequently belligerent Apache.......I can understand why some viewers don't like Murphy as a leading man. Especially when he is arguing a point, as he often does in this film, his facial expression often comes across as condescending.......Clum has to try to achieve a delicate balance between reservation Apache, renegade Apache, and Army personnel, along with other local whites. He also becomes involved in a very delicate love triangle involving a beautiful Apache widow( Anne Bancroft as Tianay) whom the chief has given to Clum as a present, and his fiancé from back east: Mary(Pat Crowley). Tianay tells Clum that she would be satisfied being a cowife, if that's what he wants. She points out that that would make the women's jobs easier. Besides, her small son, Tono, thinks of Clum as his father, to teach him the way of the Apache in the future. Of course, The beautiful and stylish Mary, when she arrives, is horrified at this prospect, and wants Tianay removed from the house at once, as she realizes that she is in love with Clum. Eventually, Mary comes to the realization that her husband, in part, belongs to the Apache, and they to him. Tianay likens the relationship as like that of a father to his children. Clum prefers to liken it to the relationship between a minister and his 'flock'. Thus, Mary finally accepts that she should be less possessive of Clum, and more considerate of his relations with the Apache.......Charles Drake plays Tom Sweeny: an ex-soldier and sometimes drunk. who is appointed the reservation blacksmith, and Clum also charges him with training the Apache police force of the future. He and Tianay become his closest allies in the reservation......Morris Ankrum plays General Wade: military leader of the reservation, who is often at odds with Clum over policy. Jay Silverheels plays Geronimo, who leads a renegade band, but finally is captured and taken to the reservation guard house. .....Dancer Tommy Rall plays the Apache Taglite, who is often Clum's ally in disputes among the Apache. He even kills his brother, who was about to kill Clum. If the above sounds interesting, you can see the film at YouTube