White Feather (film)
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''White Feather'' is a 1955 American
CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic format, anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its cr ...
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
Robert D. Webb Robert D. Webb (January 8, 1903April 18, 1990) was an American film director. He directed 16 films between 1945 and 1968. He won the Academy Award for Best Assistant Director for ''In Old Chicago'', the last time that category was offered. Biog ...
and starring
Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor. He is known for starring in the television shows ''It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series), It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch (American TV series), Switch'' (1975–1978), ...
. The movie was filmed in Durango, Mexico. The story is based on fact; however, the particulars of the plot and the characters of the story are fictional.


Plot

The story of the peace mission from the US cavalry to the
Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...
Indians in Wyoming during the 1870s. The Cheyenne agree to leave their hunting grounds so that white settlers can move in to search for gold. Colonel Lindsay and land surveyor Josh Tanner are in charge of the resettlement, but the mission is threatened when Appearing Day, the sister of Little Dog and fiancée of Cheyenne tribesman American Horse, falls for Tanner. When Appearing Day runs away to join Tanner at the fort, American Horse follows, seeking to kill him. He is captured, but later freed by Little Dog and the two ride off to the hills. Tanner, Col. Lindsay and a troop of soldiers go to the Cheyenne camp where Chief Broken Hand has agreed to sign a peace treaty. After the signing, a warrior rides up and throws down a knife with a white feather attached, a declaration of war by American Horse and Little Dog against all the soldiers. Tanner convinces the Chief to allow the matter to be resolved between themselves. Col. Lindsay calls out the full complement of cavalry. Appearing Day and Ann leave the fort to try and prevent more deaths. Col. Lindsay and the cavalry look for Little Dog and American Horse, preparing to fight with them. The Cheyenne gather on their side of the river. Lt. Ferguson takes troops to bring in Little Dog and American Horse but is told to not fire any shots. Col. Lindsay has the recall sounded and the troops return. Tanner goes out to speak with them. He asks Little Dog not to die and dishonour his father by breaking the treaty. Tanner offers to fight both of them but it will be one against two. Tanner tries to goad them into firing the first shot. Chief Broken Hand fires the first shot and kills American Horse, as he has shamed them. Appearing Day arrives and asks her brother to trust Tanner. Little Dog charges and is killed by the cavalry. Tanner goes to his body and shows his respect for him by placing the reigns of his horse in his hand. Tanner tells the colonel that Appearing Day will be his wife. The Cheyenne return to their village.


Cast

*
Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor. He is known for starring in the television shows ''It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series), It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch (American TV series), Switch'' (1975–1978), ...
as Josh Tanner *
Debra Paget Debra Paget (born Debralee Griffin; August 19, 1933) is a retired American actress and entertainer. She is perhaps best known for her performances in Cecil B. DeMille's epic '' The Ten Commandments'' (1956) and in Elvis Presley's film debut, '' ...
as Appearing Day * John Lund as Col. Lindsay *
Jeffrey Hunter Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr.; November 25, 1926 – May 27, 1969) was an American film and television actor and producer known for his roles in films such as ''The Searchers'' and ''King of Kings (1961 film), King of Ki ...
as Little Dog *
Eduard Franz Eduard Franz Schmidt (October 31, 1902 – February 10, 1983) was an American actor of theatre, film and television. Franz portrayed King Ahab in the 1953 biblical low-budget film '' Sins of Jezebel'', Jethro in Cecil B. DeMille's '' The Ten ...
as Chief Broken Hand * Noah Beery Jr. as Lt. Ferguson *
Virginia Leith Virginia Leith (October 15, 1925 – November 4, 2019) was an American film and television actress. Career Leith starred in a few films, with her most productive period coming in the 1950s. Her debut was also the first film directed by St ...
as Ann Magruder *
Emile Meyer Emile Meyer (August 18, 1910 – March 19, 1987) was an American actor, usually known for tough, aggressive, authoritative characters in Hollywood films from the 1950s era, mostly in Westerns or thrillers. Career Meyer had an uncredited ...
as Magruder *
Hugh O'Brian Hugh O'Brian (born Hugh Charles Krampe; April 19, 1925 – September 5, 2016) was an American actor and humanitarian, best known for his starring roles in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC Western (genre), Western television series ' ...
as American Horse *
Milburn Stone Hugh Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 – June 12, 1980) was an American actor, best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the Western (genre), Western series ''Gunsmoke''. Early life Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas, to Herbert Stone an ...
as Commissioner Trenton *
Iron Eyes Cody Iron Eyes Cody (born Espera Oscar de Corti, April 3, 1904 – January 4, 1999) was an American actor of Italian descent who portrayed Native Americans in Hollywood films, including the role of Chief Iron Eyes in Bob Hope's '' The Paleface'' ...
as Indian Chief


Production

The film was based on the magazine story ''My Great Aunt Appearing Day'' by John Prebble which concerns a Native American woman who marries a British major. Film rights were purchased by Panoramic Productions, a company under
Leonard Goldstein Leonard Goldstein (May 28, 1903 – July 23, 1954) was an American film producer who produced mainly low-budget films, making multiple films at a time. Arthur Lubin called him "a doll to work with. I don't think he knew too much about production ...
, who had a ten picture deal with
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
.
Delmer Daves Delmer Lawrence Daves (July 24, 1904 – August 17, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and film producer. He worked in many Film genre, genres, including film noir and war film, warfare, but he is best known for his Western (genre ...
did the original script. It was the last of Panoramic's ten picture deal (replacing another intended project, ''Hawk of the Desert'') before they left to set up at
United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...
, and their first in CinemaScope. Robert Webb was assigned to direct and Robert Jacks (vice president at Panoramic) to produce. The lead cast originally announced in June 1954 were all Fox contractees – Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Terry Moore,
Dale Robertson Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923 – February 27, 2013) was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the television series ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' and railroad own ...
and
Rita Moreno Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. With a career spanning eight decades she is known for her roles on stage and screen, and is one of the last remaining stars from t ...
. Moreno was replaced by
Debra Paget Debra Paget (born Debralee Griffin; August 19, 1933) is a retired American actress and entertainer. She is perhaps best known for her performances in Cecil B. DeMille's epic '' The Ten Commandments'' (1956) and in Elvis Presley's film debut, '' ...
. Moore and Robertson would not appear in the final film. Filming began in July 1954 in
Durango Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...
, Mexico. It was the first Hollywood movie shot in Durango, which would become a regular location for Hollywood films, especially Westerns. Early into the shoot, Goldstein died unexpectedly.


Reception

The film was a moderate box-office success earning North American rentals of $1,650,000.


See also

*
List of American films of 1955 A list of American films released in 1955. The United Artists film '' Marty'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture for 1955. A–B C–D E–H I–L M–N O–R S–T U–Z Documentaries Serials See also * 1955 in the U ...


Footnotes


References


External links

* * * {{Robert D. Webb 1955 films 20th Century Fox films 1955 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films about Native Americans Films directed by Robert D. Webb Films scored by Hugo Friedhofer Films set in Wyoming Films set in the 1870s CinemaScope films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language Western (genre) films Cheyenne in popular culture