Review: The Indian Fighter


Kirk Douglas stars as Johnny Hawks, an apparent ‘Indian Fighter’ who leads a wagon train through Indian territory. The film mostly charts his attempts to keep the peace between both hostile parties. Making things difficult are greedy whiskey traders Walter Matthau and Lon Chaney Jr. (who kill an Indian), as well as Hawks’ interest in a pretty young Injun chick (Elsa Martinelli). Diana Douglas (Kirk’s first ex-wife and Michael’s old lady) plays a widow with a kid, who takes a liking to Hawks, who sadly isn’t the marrying kind. Eduard Franz plays Indian chief Red Cloud, Hank Worden is amusingly cast as a liquored up Indian named Crazy Bear, Elisha Cook Jr. plays a photographer, and Alan Hale Jr. (Skipper!) is a simple farmer with romantic intentions towards Diana Douglas.



Ignore that impressive cast, folks, because this 1955 western is a seriously dull, uninspired affair. One-eyed director Andre De Toth (“House of Wax”, “Crime Wave”) gives the film absolutely no energy, excitement, or reason to stick it out, whilst a taciturn Kirk Douglas plays Cowboys and Indians for 88 tedious minutes. Walter Matthau, Lon Chaney Jr., Elisha Cook Jr. (as a photographer very proud of his work), and Alan Hale Jr. contribute fine supporting performances in a film that could care less about them. Gee, do you think Kirk being producer had something to do with the amount of screen time everyone else got? Matthau (whose W.C. Fields accent always strikes me as odd in westerns), in particular seems to be waiting to have his villainous part written into the picture. He gets a great final scene, though. Unfortunately, there’s really no main villain in the film. Hale, meanwhile plays a supposedly boring farmer whose romantic interests Diana Douglas rebuts in favour of the far less reliable Kirk Douglas. I never understood that. Is it the dimpled chin, ladies? Sure, his character was a peace-keeper and that’s all admirable...except it would appear his motives were mostly those that served pleasures of the flesh, when you think about it. Kirk is normally good value and usually at least energetic, but he’s not much fun here. Elsa Martinelli (in her first important role) makes for a surprisingly passable Injun, not so sure about Hank Bloody Worden, though as an Indian named Crazy Bear. What the hell was going on there? He also has a cameo as a jailer, a more recognisable appearance.



Cowboys and Injuns westerns just aren’t my type of western (they’re all the same, really), and this isn’t even one of the good ones. With a screenplay by Ben Hecht (“Wuthering Heights”, “Spellbound”, “Notorious”, “Rope”) and Frank Davis (“Ten Tall Men”, “The Train”), this is a C-picture with an A-cast. There’s not much to see here, at the end of the day.



Rating: C

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