"The Day the Earth Stood Still" director Robert Wise helmed only two westerns during his long career in Hollywood. The first was a Robert Mitchum oater, and the second was the Civil War western Two Flags West. Movies about the American Civil War out west usually dealt with the Confederates trying to commandeer gold for the Lost Cause. Two Flags West qualifies as one of the best simply because it doesn't rely on a contrived plot. Instead, there is a lot of historical accuracy. The premise in Casey Robinson's screenplay based on a story by Curtis Kenyon and Frank Nugent concerns Southern prisoners-of-war who are released from prison camps on the condition that they don Union blue and fight hostile Native Americans. Despite its having been made before the advent of Cinemascope, "Two Flags West" is a pictorially elegant, black & white masterpiece of composition. A panning shot early on of the desert with Union cavalry riding through the austere terrain pulls back to reveal Indians atop mountains observing the troops. Indeed, this panoramic image is straight out of a John Ford western. In 1863 we are told that Abraham Lincoln offered Confederate soldier the chance to take an oath to the Union and be allowed to put on Yankee uniforms. Union officer Captain Mark Bradford (Cornel Wilde) puts the offer to Southern Colonel Clay Tucker (Joseph Cotton of "The Hellbenders") and he lets his imprisoned men made their decision. Naturally, they don't like the deal, but they abhor prison, so Tucker takes a demotion to Second Lieutenant and his men join him. Once they arrive at the fort, fort commandant Major Henry Kenniston (Jeff Chandler of "Broken Arrow") doesn't trust Tucker and his rebels. Moreover, he expects them to defect.
Kenniston is a grim character. He is lame and jealous of his brother whose wife, Elena Kenniston (Linda Darnell of "My Darling Clementine") sulks because she wants to go to California and rejoin her family, but Kenniston refuses to let her out of his sight. Eventually, when Kenniston assigns Tucker and his troops to provide an escort for a wagon train, Elena persuades a minister and his wife to let her hide in their wagon. During the journey, Tucker learns about her presence. At the same time, a Confederate spy masquerading as a Union agent confides in Tucker that he can serve the South best by refusing to desert and staying with Kenniston. Kenniston is convinced that Tucker and his men will desert, but Tucker surprises him by not only returning but also bringing back Elena. Meantime, while Tucker is out on patrol trying to locate mysterious wagon trains, Kennison goes berserk and murders the son of an Indian chief and the tribe surrounds the fort. Tucker learns about Kennison's misfortune and decides not to desert but ride to Kennison's aid.
"Two Flags West" boasts a strong cast. Joseph Cotton is at his virile zenith with Jeff Chandler delivering a commanding performance as the paranoid Kennison. Cornel Wilde, Dale Robertson, Arthur Hunnicutt, and Noah Beery Jr., round out the cast. If you enjoy Civil War westerns, "Two Flags West" should be on your not-to-be-missed list.
Kenniston is a grim character. He is lame and jealous of his brother whose wife, Elena Kenniston (Linda Darnell of "My Darling Clementine") sulks because she wants to go to California and rejoin her family, but Kenniston refuses to let her out of his sight. Eventually, when Kenniston assigns Tucker and his troops to provide an escort for a wagon train, Elena persuades a minister and his wife to let her hide in their wagon. During the journey, Tucker learns about her presence. At the same time, a Confederate spy masquerading as a Union agent confides in Tucker that he can serve the South best by refusing to desert and staying with Kenniston. Kenniston is convinced that Tucker and his men will desert, but Tucker surprises him by not only returning but also bringing back Elena. Meantime, while Tucker is out on patrol trying to locate mysterious wagon trains, Kennison goes berserk and murders the son of an Indian chief and the tribe surrounds the fort. Tucker learns about Kennison's misfortune and decides not to desert but ride to Kennison's aid.
"Two Flags West" boasts a strong cast. Joseph Cotton is at his virile zenith with Jeff Chandler delivering a commanding performance as the paranoid Kennison. Cornel Wilde, Dale Robertson, Arthur Hunnicutt, and Noah Beery Jr., round out the cast. If you enjoy Civil War westerns, "Two Flags West" should be on your not-to-be-missed list.