Near as I can tell the only point to this movie is enjoying the Technicolor photography of what I assume is Sedona. Otherwise, it's just a B Western draped over some Civil War mumbo jumbo.
For all the jabbering about North v South, where's the action? Even the Indian attack on the wagon train in the First Act involves 5 stationery wagons being set upon by what looks to be, at most, a half-dozen extras in face paint.
So maybe it's really supposed to be a love story. Here's the problem. One guy is played to the lecherous, smarmy max by Barry Sullivan. The other guy is Joel McCrea. Unless Arlene Dahl had been kicked in the head by a horse, the choice is obvious.
Ultimately, what we learn is that no matter how much the North and South hate each other, we can all agree that white Americans must prevail against the evil Indian hordes. That's satire, by the way. It would be another several decades before Kevin Costner gave Native Americans some screen dignity in Dances With Wolves.
For all the jabbering about North v South, where's the action? Even the Indian attack on the wagon train in the First Act involves 5 stationery wagons being set upon by what looks to be, at most, a half-dozen extras in face paint.
So maybe it's really supposed to be a love story. Here's the problem. One guy is played to the lecherous, smarmy max by Barry Sullivan. The other guy is Joel McCrea. Unless Arlene Dahl had been kicked in the head by a horse, the choice is obvious.
Ultimately, what we learn is that no matter how much the North and South hate each other, we can all agree that white Americans must prevail against the evil Indian hordes. That's satire, by the way. It would be another several decades before Kevin Costner gave Native Americans some screen dignity in Dances With Wolves.