The most noticeable thing about this fairly routine Western is its sympathetic portrayal of the native American something of a rarity for a Hollywood film of the 40s. The white man is the villain here or, more specifically, the white man from the East who is unfamiliar with both the culture of the Indians and their needs. Coming from New York in their droves, they decimate the buffalo population as part of a fashion fad and uncaringly leave the starving Indian nation with no option but to go to war. Despite this sympathetic portrayal, stereotypes still abound. Anthony Quinn plays the legendary Yellow Hand, one-time friend of Cody, who has been educated by the White Man but still talks in that curious pigeon-English so beloved of Hollywood film-makers. And for all the Indian's nobility, whiteness is still something to which Indian squaw Linda Darnell still aspires. It's difficult to understand why she is included in the plot because she has little to do other than gaze longingly at an oblivious Cody. Even the writers don't seem to know what to do with her and end up having her bizarrely taking part in a pitched battle between Indians and cavalry.
Joel McCrea plays Buffalo Bill and he is as reliable and unspectacular as you would expect McCrea to be. Cody himself is something of a paradox. Initially friendly with the Indian he sacrifices his position in order to save the father of the Eastern lass he has his eye on (a radiant Maureen O'Hara) and then helps organise guided hunting trips to give witless city types the opportunity to take part in the orchestrated massacre of the buffalo (perhaps, then, a better title for him would have been Buffalo-killer Bill?). Having helped drive his old friend Yellow Hand's tribe to the edge of extinction he then deliberately baits the Indian chief into a battle to the death to buy himself some time when out-numbered by the combined forces of the Sioux and Cheyenne. Despite later railing against the 'civilisation' that has claimed the life of his son, Cody then embraces that culture and finds a niche within it as an entertainer, recreating his exploits in a travelling sideshow before the titled heads of the world. When you think about it, this isn't exactly the most admirable of people we're learning about here, and you're left feeling that the writers really hadn't given much thought to the overall impression they were trying to give of the man.
Although the film overall is something of a dull affair it's lifted by some good action sequences and early use of technicolor.
Joel McCrea plays Buffalo Bill and he is as reliable and unspectacular as you would expect McCrea to be. Cody himself is something of a paradox. Initially friendly with the Indian he sacrifices his position in order to save the father of the Eastern lass he has his eye on (a radiant Maureen O'Hara) and then helps organise guided hunting trips to give witless city types the opportunity to take part in the orchestrated massacre of the buffalo (perhaps, then, a better title for him would have been Buffalo-killer Bill?). Having helped drive his old friend Yellow Hand's tribe to the edge of extinction he then deliberately baits the Indian chief into a battle to the death to buy himself some time when out-numbered by the combined forces of the Sioux and Cheyenne. Despite later railing against the 'civilisation' that has claimed the life of his son, Cody then embraces that culture and finds a niche within it as an entertainer, recreating his exploits in a travelling sideshow before the titled heads of the world. When you think about it, this isn't exactly the most admirable of people we're learning about here, and you're left feeling that the writers really hadn't given much thought to the overall impression they were trying to give of the man.
Although the film overall is something of a dull affair it's lifted by some good action sequences and early use of technicolor.