1969 was pretty late in the game to have a Western with a title that didn't have much to do with the story. It was done quite routinely from the Thirties through the Fifties, and back then it was more the norm than the exception. If there are any land raiders here, it would be the villainous Vicente Carden (Telly Savalas), and he operated pretty much solo, so even 'Land Raider' would have made more sense. Maybe I'm just being picky.
Give Telly Savalas some credit here, he imbues his character with so much hate that you just can't wait for the finale to see that he gets his. Personally, I would have preferred it if brother Paul (George Maharis) had done the honors, but it was still pretty satisfying. I will say though, Savalas went out honorably considering what an absolute maniac he was for the entire story. No cowering in the corner or trying to make a run for it. Defiant till the end, his character virtually taunts the Apaches to turn him into a pin cushion.
One thing the picture does well are those transition scenes when a character does something in one scene, and the result of his action moves the story to a different time and place. This was done more than once, and was the principal device used to tell the story of a rift between two brothers that has remained something of a mystery to the citizens of Forge River. Through gradual exposition, the viewer is brought full circle to an understanding that Vince Carden is a rat in more ways than one.
In terms of revisionism, this tale is a pretty one sided affair. The whites, led by Savalas, are all bad guys pretty much, including Major Tanner (Guy Rolfe), sent by the Army to rebuild Fort Harmony in preparation for a truce with the Apaches. The massacre at the Apache camp with only women and children present was reminiscent of the raid at Washita Creek in Dustin Hoffman's "Little Big Man" that came out the following year. It's difficult to comprehend that kind of inhumanity, and not a comfortable subject to view in any genre.
The single element that was definitely unique for this picture was that tease of a rape scene between Paul Cardenas and his brother's wife Martha (Arlene Dahl). It really went nowhere when you come right down to it, but with a bit of work, could have been the impetus for a final confrontation between the brothers. Either way, you know that the Savalas character would eventually get what was coming to him.
Give Telly Savalas some credit here, he imbues his character with so much hate that you just can't wait for the finale to see that he gets his. Personally, I would have preferred it if brother Paul (George Maharis) had done the honors, but it was still pretty satisfying. I will say though, Savalas went out honorably considering what an absolute maniac he was for the entire story. No cowering in the corner or trying to make a run for it. Defiant till the end, his character virtually taunts the Apaches to turn him into a pin cushion.
One thing the picture does well are those transition scenes when a character does something in one scene, and the result of his action moves the story to a different time and place. This was done more than once, and was the principal device used to tell the story of a rift between two brothers that has remained something of a mystery to the citizens of Forge River. Through gradual exposition, the viewer is brought full circle to an understanding that Vince Carden is a rat in more ways than one.
In terms of revisionism, this tale is a pretty one sided affair. The whites, led by Savalas, are all bad guys pretty much, including Major Tanner (Guy Rolfe), sent by the Army to rebuild Fort Harmony in preparation for a truce with the Apaches. The massacre at the Apache camp with only women and children present was reminiscent of the raid at Washita Creek in Dustin Hoffman's "Little Big Man" that came out the following year. It's difficult to comprehend that kind of inhumanity, and not a comfortable subject to view in any genre.
The single element that was definitely unique for this picture was that tease of a rape scene between Paul Cardenas and his brother's wife Martha (Arlene Dahl). It really went nowhere when you come right down to it, but with a bit of work, could have been the impetus for a final confrontation between the brothers. Either way, you know that the Savalas character would eventually get what was coming to him.