"They Rode West" is an almost forgotten little western that isn't all that bad. It stars the tragic Robert Francis who was killed in 1955 just as his career was getting started.
Major Vandergrif (Myron Healy is wounded in the leg by an Indian rebel. He is brought to the fort where drunken Dr. Gibson (Ralph Dumke) botches the removal of the arrow from the Major's leg and he bleeds to death. A new Doctor is sent for.
Arriving on the stage coach is tenderfoot Dr. Allen Seward (Francis), Laurie MacKaye (Donna Reed) and Mrs. Martha Walters (Peggy Converse), wife of the post commander Colonel Ethan Walters (Onslow Stevens). They are greeted by Captain Peter Blake (Phil Carey) and two shave tail lieutenants, Raymond (Jack Kelly) and Finlay (James Best). Also along is crusty Irish sergeant Creever (Roy Roberts.
Back at the fort, Dr. Seward is not made to feel welcome due to the experiences of the previous doctors who were a bunch of misfits. On patrol with Cpt. Blake and his troopers, they go to the Kilowa village where Seward discovers that there is malaria in the camp. He wants to treat a young boy who is the son of Manyi-ten (May Wynn), who appears to be white, but Blake refuses and orders him back to the fort.
Seward suggest to Col. Walters that the Indian village should be allowed to move to the high country where the water is cleaner and the suseptabilty to malaria is less. Walters refuses. Seward sneaks back to the village and treats Medicine Man Isatai (Frank DeKova) for malaria. Manyi-ten's husband Red Leaf (Eugene Iglasias) dies from the disease. Sward thinks that he can convince her to return to her people, but she refuses.
The Kiowa village pulls up stakes and moves to the high country. The Cheyenne who had stolen ten rifles from Blake while on patrol, join forces with the Kiowa. They plan a mass attack on the fort. Seward is considered to be a traitor for leaving the fort without permission and counselling the Kiowa to move.
Capt. Blake attempts to shoot Seward while he is at the Indian village but wounds the son of Chief Satani (Stuart Randall) instead. As the Indians prepare to attack, Seward convinces Chief Satani to bring his wounded son to the fort for an operation, which if successful will prevent the Indian attack. Seard operates and.................................................
This was one of only four movies that Robert Francis made before his untimely death. Columbia Pictures were building him up to be a star at the time. Donna Reed who was supposed to be Francis' love interest in the film, was actually about ten years older than him. May Wyn had played Francis' wife in "The Caine Mutiny" the same year and it was though that they were being developed as a team.
Look for western veterans Harry Lauter as an orderly and Edmund Cobb as the company Sergeant.
Major Vandergrif (Myron Healy is wounded in the leg by an Indian rebel. He is brought to the fort where drunken Dr. Gibson (Ralph Dumke) botches the removal of the arrow from the Major's leg and he bleeds to death. A new Doctor is sent for.
Arriving on the stage coach is tenderfoot Dr. Allen Seward (Francis), Laurie MacKaye (Donna Reed) and Mrs. Martha Walters (Peggy Converse), wife of the post commander Colonel Ethan Walters (Onslow Stevens). They are greeted by Captain Peter Blake (Phil Carey) and two shave tail lieutenants, Raymond (Jack Kelly) and Finlay (James Best). Also along is crusty Irish sergeant Creever (Roy Roberts.
Back at the fort, Dr. Seward is not made to feel welcome due to the experiences of the previous doctors who were a bunch of misfits. On patrol with Cpt. Blake and his troopers, they go to the Kilowa village where Seward discovers that there is malaria in the camp. He wants to treat a young boy who is the son of Manyi-ten (May Wynn), who appears to be white, but Blake refuses and orders him back to the fort.
Seward suggest to Col. Walters that the Indian village should be allowed to move to the high country where the water is cleaner and the suseptabilty to malaria is less. Walters refuses. Seward sneaks back to the village and treats Medicine Man Isatai (Frank DeKova) for malaria. Manyi-ten's husband Red Leaf (Eugene Iglasias) dies from the disease. Sward thinks that he can convince her to return to her people, but she refuses.
The Kiowa village pulls up stakes and moves to the high country. The Cheyenne who had stolen ten rifles from Blake while on patrol, join forces with the Kiowa. They plan a mass attack on the fort. Seward is considered to be a traitor for leaving the fort without permission and counselling the Kiowa to move.
Capt. Blake attempts to shoot Seward while he is at the Indian village but wounds the son of Chief Satani (Stuart Randall) instead. As the Indians prepare to attack, Seward convinces Chief Satani to bring his wounded son to the fort for an operation, which if successful will prevent the Indian attack. Seard operates and.................................................
This was one of only four movies that Robert Francis made before his untimely death. Columbia Pictures were building him up to be a star at the time. Donna Reed who was supposed to be Francis' love interest in the film, was actually about ten years older than him. May Wyn had played Francis' wife in "The Caine Mutiny" the same year and it was though that they were being developed as a team.
Look for western veterans Harry Lauter as an orderly and Edmund Cobb as the company Sergeant.