Fox's WHITE FEATHER (1955) is a pallid reworking of their seminal 1950 James Stewart western "Broken Arrow". Pallid indeed, thanks in no small measure to the leaden performance of Robert Wagner in the leading role and the wearisome screenplay by the ubiquitous and usually more talented Delmer Daves who, by the way, had directed "Broken Arrow".
"Broken Arrow" expertly dealt with the plight of the Apache Indian and one man's efforts to make peace with them. The premise with "White Feather" is exactly the same except instead of the Apache this time it concerns the Cheyenne. Wagner's narration at the picture's opening informs us reassuringly, just like Jimmie Stewart did in the earlier film, that this is a true story and when the Indian speaks he will speak in our language etc. etc. Also Fox starlet Debra Paget, who played an Apache squaw in "Broken Arrow" (and was killed in that picture remember) turns up here as a Cheyenne squaw. She virtually plays the same role and, would you believe, is dressed in the same outfit. I guess she must have had a vision of a future studio call sheet and saved the costume! HUH? The only discernible difference in her role here is her name is not Sonseerahray but Appearing Day. Perhaps she should have been called Appearing EVERY Day!
Limply directed by the bland Robert Webb there is not one actor in this sorry affair (except maybe likable John Lund who isn't in it very much anyway) capable of lifting the thing above the banality bar. Webb has no idea of pacing and not once is the movie intruded upon with anything that resembles style. The Fox bland brigade - Robert Wagner, Jeffery Hunter, Debra Paget, Hugh O'Brian and Virginia Leith parade through this trite vehicle bemused and with a look of wonderment on their faces. Probably wondering when the day's shoot will be finished so they can go home. We, on the other hand, are home and also have a bemused look on our faces as we wonder what the hell we're doing watching this rubbish.
After all that however - I'll have to give this vacuous effort at least a two star rating for the gorgeous Cinemascope/Colour cinematography by Lucian Ballard and the excellent score by the great Hugo Friedhofer who incidentally also composed the music for "Broken Arrow" and here makes exceptional use of his love theme from the earlier picture as his Main Theme. But ultimately, I'm afraid, "White Feather" is a production straight from the bottom drawer and gets my vote as one of the most pedestrian westerns ever produced.
I really cannot understand Fox Home Entertainment putting out poor movies like "White feather", "The True Story Of Jesse James", "The Proud Ones", "Fort Courageous" etc. while left languishing in their vaults are fine westerns such as "Rio Conchos", "From Hell To Texas" and "Two Flags West". Go Figure!
"Broken Arrow" expertly dealt with the plight of the Apache Indian and one man's efforts to make peace with them. The premise with "White Feather" is exactly the same except instead of the Apache this time it concerns the Cheyenne. Wagner's narration at the picture's opening informs us reassuringly, just like Jimmie Stewart did in the earlier film, that this is a true story and when the Indian speaks he will speak in our language etc. etc. Also Fox starlet Debra Paget, who played an Apache squaw in "Broken Arrow" (and was killed in that picture remember) turns up here as a Cheyenne squaw. She virtually plays the same role and, would you believe, is dressed in the same outfit. I guess she must have had a vision of a future studio call sheet and saved the costume! HUH? The only discernible difference in her role here is her name is not Sonseerahray but Appearing Day. Perhaps she should have been called Appearing EVERY Day!
Limply directed by the bland Robert Webb there is not one actor in this sorry affair (except maybe likable John Lund who isn't in it very much anyway) capable of lifting the thing above the banality bar. Webb has no idea of pacing and not once is the movie intruded upon with anything that resembles style. The Fox bland brigade - Robert Wagner, Jeffery Hunter, Debra Paget, Hugh O'Brian and Virginia Leith parade through this trite vehicle bemused and with a look of wonderment on their faces. Probably wondering when the day's shoot will be finished so they can go home. We, on the other hand, are home and also have a bemused look on our faces as we wonder what the hell we're doing watching this rubbish.
After all that however - I'll have to give this vacuous effort at least a two star rating for the gorgeous Cinemascope/Colour cinematography by Lucian Ballard and the excellent score by the great Hugo Friedhofer who incidentally also composed the music for "Broken Arrow" and here makes exceptional use of his love theme from the earlier picture as his Main Theme. But ultimately, I'm afraid, "White Feather" is a production straight from the bottom drawer and gets my vote as one of the most pedestrian westerns ever produced.
I really cannot understand Fox Home Entertainment putting out poor movies like "White feather", "The True Story Of Jesse James", "The Proud Ones", "Fort Courageous" etc. while left languishing in their vaults are fine westerns such as "Rio Conchos", "From Hell To Texas" and "Two Flags West". Go Figure!