''7th Cavalry'' is a 1956 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

Joseph H. Lewis Joseph H. Lewis (April 6, 1907 – August 30, 2000) was an American B-movie film director whose stylish flourishes came to be appreciated by auteur theory-espousing film critics in the years following his retirement in 1966. In a 30-year direc ...

based on a story, "A Horse for Mrs. Custer," by Glendon Swarthout set after the

Battle of the Little Big Horn The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, and also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Nor ...

. Filmed in Mexico, the picture stars Randolph Scott and

Barbara Hale Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 – January 26, 2017) was an American actress who portrayed legal secretary Della Street in the dramatic television series '' Perry Mason'' (1957–1966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting A ...

Plot

Captain Tom Benson has been granted a furlough to bring his bride–to–be Martha back to Fort Abraham Lincoln and his Regiment, the 7th Cavalry. Benson is mystified when he sees the fort apparently deserted with the colors not flying. Exploring the vacant post he is met by the hysterical Charlotte Reynolds, whose husband replaced Benson as commander of his "C" Company and was killed at the

. Only a small group of misfits and

guardhouse A guardhouse (also known as a watch house, guard building, guard booth, guard shack, security booth, security building, or sentry building) is a building used to house personnel and security equipment. Guardhouses have historically been dormit ...

prisoners led by an old sergeant remain, and have held a wake by drinking themselves into oblivion. Once the commands of Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen have returned, they and the widows hold Benson in contempt, not only for not being at the battle in command of his men, but for what they perceived as

George Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, ...

's liking for him, Benson's non–

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

background, and his career as a gambler until commissioned into the Regiment. Martha's father Colonel Kellogg comes to the post to conduct a Board of Inquiry into Custer's actions that Benson sees as a smear against a man he admires who cannot defend himself. When the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

orders the recovery of the slain officers and the burial of the cavalrymen who fell in the battle, Benson takes his misfits and military prisoners into Indian territory to perform the task. The Indians have made the land sacred ground and do not want to see the enemies they respected taken away from their burial site. A standoff develops as the cavalry insist on leaving the battleground with the dead officers' bodies. As the situation becomes tense a cavalryman is shot dead with an arrow whilst trying to escape. Then Custer's second horse (Dandy) appears – having been ridden out by a messenger who is unhorsed by an Indian scout away from the action – and is mistaken for Custer's dead horse (Vic) by the Indians. The bugler blows the call to charge and the horse gallops towards the cavalry's position. The Indians believe that Custer's spirit has returned and allow the cavalry to leave the field. Back at the camp, Captain Benson is reconciled with his father–in–law, and salutes as a 35–star American flag is lowered.

Cast

* Randolph Scott as Capt. Tom Benson *

as Martha Kellogg * Jay C. Flippen as Sgt. Bates *

Frank Faylen Frank Faylen (born Charles Francis Ruf, December 8, 1905 – August 2, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Largely a bit player and character actor, he occasionally played more fleshed-out supporting roles during his forty-two ...

as Sgt. Kruger *

Jeanette Nolan Jeanette Nolan (December 30, 1911 – June 5, 1998) was an American actress. Nominated for four Emmy Awards, she had roles in the television series '' The Virginian'' (1962–1971) and ''Dirty Sally'' (1974), and in films such as ''Macbeth'' ...

as Charlotte Reynolds * Leo Gordon as Vogel * Denver Pyle as Dixon * Harry Carey Jr. as Cpl. Morrison * Michael Pate as Capt. Benteen *

Donald Curtis Donald Curtis (born Curtis D. Rudolf; February 27, 1915 – May 22, 1997) was an American actor who had roles in dozens of films and television series. Biography Curtis was born in Spokane, Washington, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl W. Rudol ...

as Lt. Bob Fitch *

Frank Wilcox Frank Reppy Wilcox (March 13, 1907 – March 3, 1974) was an American actor. He appeared in numerous films and television series, as well as Broadway plays. Background Wilcox was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger V. Wilcox. He was born in De Soto ...

as Maj. Reno *

Pat Hogan Pat Hogan (born Thurman Lee Haas; February 3, 1920 – November 21, 1966) was an American actor. He mostly played Native Americans over the course of his career. He was best known for his portrayal of Chief Red Stick in the film '' Davy Crocke ...

as Young Hawk * Russell Hicks as Col. Kellogg * Peter Ortiz as Pollock

References

Bibliography

* Evans, Alun. ''Brassey's Guide to War Films''. Brassey's, 2000. p. 180.

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:7th Cavalry (Film) 1956 films 1956 Western (genre) films 1950s historical films 1950s English-language films American historical films American Western (genre) films Films set in North Dakota Films set in Montana Columbia Pictures films Films directed by Joseph H. Lewis Films set in 1876 Western (genre) cavalry films 1950s American films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

Bibliography

External links