Rod Steiger is giving it 150% as always, and it's never not entertaining to see him bring his Method training to a character with such a steadfast idea of himself and his place in society as this Confederate turned Sioux O'Meara. And there's an intelligent and heartfelt scene of dialog between his O'Meara and another older/wiser soldier (Brian Keith? I forget, but he's also very good) about the state of things post Civil War - "the surrender of Lee wasn't the death of the South, it was the birth of the United States" as one example of a line - that shows very clearly how Samuel Fuller was not only not afraid of stopping the plot and action of his film to have characters hash our ideas in a manner that didn't insult the audience (moreover talked to them like they were... smart and could handle complexity).
And the foot chase of the title is fantastic, no matter how many stunt feet were utilized (actually because of that). Where the film falters is in the bulk of the supporting performances (Bronson as "Blue Buffalo" with a figure that makes all us pleebs need to go to the gym asap innocent and badass), and how it felt like in the middle Fuller wanted to get through the days fast as possible without any extra takes or time. It is funny how this absolutely is like the abbreviated version of Dances with Wolves, as if Costner just took the bones of Run of the Arrow and filled it with epic grandeur (for better and... not), but that doesn't automatically make this the superior film for coming first and being made by a first class genre director.
This has its own share of issues and virtues separate from its descendant; on one hand, if you want a Western that uses the setting with bravura sweep (in this case in how the locations are vast and iconic but don't overwhelm the story), you have good shots of wagon trails and tribespeople living in peace as well as in battle, and the climactic attack is stellar. On the other hand, I know I should overlook it, but it is distracting how a number of the Native Americans are played by white actors (one dubbed by Angie Dickinson! And once I knew that I couldn't not hear the same bossy lady from Rio Bravo), so it kind of feels trapped in this mid 1950s B movie stock of amber, absorbing enough to look at and crafted with skill, but it doesn't quite pierce your consciousness like the best and ballsiest of Fuller in that decade.
It's fine. Even 2nd tier work by this director is worthy though. And last but certainly not least: I have to give this movie one thing if absolutely nothing else: it has maybe the most *insane* quicksand sinking scene I've ever seen - and no, I mean after the one guy gets the kid out, what happens to him. A man manages to sink faster than I breathed in and out just now typing this sentence. Holy mother of pearl, Sam.
And the foot chase of the title is fantastic, no matter how many stunt feet were utilized (actually because of that). Where the film falters is in the bulk of the supporting performances (Bronson as "Blue Buffalo" with a figure that makes all us pleebs need to go to the gym asap innocent and badass), and how it felt like in the middle Fuller wanted to get through the days fast as possible without any extra takes or time. It is funny how this absolutely is like the abbreviated version of Dances with Wolves, as if Costner just took the bones of Run of the Arrow and filled it with epic grandeur (for better and... not), but that doesn't automatically make this the superior film for coming first and being made by a first class genre director.
This has its own share of issues and virtues separate from its descendant; on one hand, if you want a Western that uses the setting with bravura sweep (in this case in how the locations are vast and iconic but don't overwhelm the story), you have good shots of wagon trails and tribespeople living in peace as well as in battle, and the climactic attack is stellar. On the other hand, I know I should overlook it, but it is distracting how a number of the Native Americans are played by white actors (one dubbed by Angie Dickinson! And once I knew that I couldn't not hear the same bossy lady from Rio Bravo), so it kind of feels trapped in this mid 1950s B movie stock of amber, absorbing enough to look at and crafted with skill, but it doesn't quite pierce your consciousness like the best and ballsiest of Fuller in that decade.
It's fine. Even 2nd tier work by this director is worthy though. And last but certainly not least: I have to give this movie one thing if absolutely nothing else: it has maybe the most *insane* quicksand sinking scene I've ever seen - and no, I mean after the one guy gets the kid out, what happens to him. A man manages to sink faster than I breathed in and out just now typing this sentence. Holy mother of pearl, Sam.