Dragoon Wells Massacre

1957 film by Harold D. Schuster

April 28, 1957 (1957-04-28) (United States)

Running time

88 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

Dragoon Wells Massacre is a 1957 American CinemaScope DeLuxe Color Western film directed by Harold D. Schuster starring Barry Sullivan, Dennis O'Keefe, Mona Freeman and Katy Jurado.^[1] The supporting cast features Sebastian Cabot, Jack Elam and Hank Worden.

Plot

Wagons converge in the middle of nowhere. One is carrying Army captain Matt Riordan, the only survivor of an ambush by Chief Yellow Claw and his Apache braves. Another is a prison wagon carrying accused killer Link Ferris and a second man, known as Tioga, to town for trial, escorted by Marshal Bill Haney.

A stagecoach turns up next, owned by Jonah McAdam and carrying Matt's former sweetheart Ann Bradley with her new beau, wealthy Philip Scott, as well as Mara Fay, an entertainer. The passengers are warned that Yellow Claw is in the area. Link and Tioga have their shackles removed so they can assist the others when the Apaches attack.

Jonah kills Jud and attempts to escape with the wagon, which has a false bottom containing guns he planned to sell to the Indians. Link manages to stop him and they place him in the Marshall’s custody.

They make a stand against the Apaches. Tom is killed and Matt tells Yellow Claw he will get no more guns if Jonah dies. Yellow Claw withdraws.

They head for the relay station with the Apaches following. Hopi is killed by an arrow.

At the relay station, a young girl is the only one left after the Apaches have burned it to the ground. They leave the relay station. The Apaches attack, causing one of the horses carrying the ammunition to go over the cliff.

Ann wakes realizing Susan is gone, kidnapped by an Apache. Tioga sacrifices his life to save the child and kill the Apache escaping with Susan. They continue to Dragoon Wells fort. They arrive but most of the soldiers are dead and the water is salted. They decide to send one person on the one horse they have. The men cut cards to decide who’ll go. Link “wins”.

Matt falls in love with Mara. Ann tells Philip she doesn’t know what she wants. She and Mara brawl. Link and the Marshall pull them apart.

Link leaves on the last horse. The Apaches approach the fort with Link, who was captured. They want Jonah. He leaves with the Apaches.

Ann tends to Link who was injured.

Matt joins forces with Link to defeat the raiders. Link sneaks up on Jonah, shoots him and steals a horse from the Apaches to lead them away from the fort. The others escape and set up an ambush as Link leads the Apaches back to the fort. The Apaches retreat. The group takes the horses.

For his help, Link is granted his freedom by Haney. As he rides away, Link is followed by Ann.

Cast

Barry Sullivan as Link Ferris
Dennis O'Keefe as Capt. Matt Riordan
Mona Freeman as Ann Bradley
Katy Jurado as Mara Fay
Sebastian Cabot as Jonah
Casey Adams as Phillip Scott
Jack Elam as Tioga
Trevor Bardette as Marshal Bill Haney
Jon Shepodd as Tom
Hank Worden as Hopi Charlie
Warren Douglas as Jud
Judy Strangis as Susan
Alma Beltran as Station agent's wife
John War Eagle as Yellow Claw

Production

Parts of the film were shot in Kanab Canyon, Johnson Canyon, the Gap, and the Kanab movie fort in Utah.^[2]

Reception

Time Out called it "a highly enjoyable film, magnificently shot by William Clothier and with a surprisingly tight, inventive script by Warren Douglas ".^[3]

Comic book adaptation

Dell Four Color #815 (July 1957)^[4]^[5]

References

^ Dragoon Wells Massacre at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
^ D'Arc, James V. (2010). When Hollywood Came to Town: A History of Moviemaking in Utah (1st ed.). Layton: Gibbs Smith. p. 289. ISBN 978-1-4236-0587-4. Wikidata Q123575108.
^ "Dragoon Wells Massacre". Time Out. September 10, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
^ "Dell Four Color #815". Grand Comics Database.
^ Dell Four Color #815 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)