Rating: 
Summary: The noble mative American environmentalists lose again
Review:
Director: Ralph Nelson
Format: Color
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: June 30, 1993
Cast:
James Garner ... Jess Remsberg, Scout
Sidney Poitier ... Toller, Contract Horse Dealer
Bibi Andersson ... Ellen Grange
Dennis Weaver ... Willard Grange, Fort Creel Frighter
Bill Travers ... Lt. Scotty McAllister
William Redfield ... Sergeant Ferguson
John Hoyt ... Chata, Apache Chief
John Crawford ... Clay Dean, Fort Concho Marshal
John Hubbard ... Major Novak, Commanding Officer Fort Creel
Ralph Nelson ... Colonel Foster, Commanding Officer Fort Conchos
Bill Hart ... Cpl. Harrington
Eddie Little Sky ... Alchise, Apache Warrior
John Daheim ... Stableman at Fort Creel
Richard Farnsworth ... 1st Wagon Driver
Joe Finnegan ... 2nd Wagon Driver
Ralph Bahnsen ... Trooper Nyles
Richard Lapp ... Forbes
J.R. Randall ... Crowley
Jay Ripley ... Tech
Phil Schumacher ... Burly Soldier
Al Wyatt Sr. ... Miner
Jeff Cooper ... Trooper Casey
Armand Alzamora ... Ramirez
Kevin Coughlin ... Norton
Robert Crawford ... Trooper Swenson, Bugler
Dawn Little Sky ... Chata's Wife
Jess Remsberg (James Garner) is after the man who murdered h9s Indian wife and scalped her. During his search, he rescues a woman who has been taken by the Apaches, Ellen Grange (Bibi Anderson), who has had a baby son by the son of Chata, the Apache chief (John Hoyt). She leaves her husband, Willard Grange (Dennis Weaver), and returns to the Indian camp to retrieve her baby, Chata's grandson. Again she is rescued by Remsberg.
An army patrol is escorting Grange and his wife, along with Remsberg and Toller, a Contract Horse Dealer and ex-soldier (Sidney Poitier) when they are attacked by Chata and his band of renegades, and trapped in a box canyon. The situation looks hopeless.
This is the story: Remsberg is seeking revenge, Toller wants payment for the horses he has sold to the army, Ellen Grange is trying to save her baby, her husband is trying to avoid Remsberg's revenge and the patrol is trying to stay alive. This is a good drama, well acted and directed.
Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating: 
Summary: Good action western with beautiful Utah scenery
Review: "Duel at Diablo" is another cavalry-Indian affair that has the Apaches rising one last time, going on the warpath to settle old grievances and mistreatment on the reservation at the hands of corrupt agents and military police. The deserts and multicolored canyons and mountains of Utah provide a beautiful panorama for the hostilities between a column of troopers and Apaches that result in several bloody skirmishes in which the pony soldiers must battle thirst as well as their fierce adversaries. There are similarities between this film and "Ulzana's Raid" that was released several years later, with the Apaches fighting desperately for a return to the glory days of the warpath who are trailed by army scouts who know Indians and lead cavalry troopers into the field against them. Both films are quite violent but this film has a romantic angle between Indian scout Jess Remsberg who seeks revenge on the man who murdered his Comanche wife and Ellen Grange, the spurned wife of a freighter who has borne an Apache son. The film's music score has a bouncy, carefree quality that doesn't really work because it lacks the traditional heroism and tension of strings, woodwinds and tom-tom beats that give cavalry-Indian films much of their unique sense of drama, character and urgency that is part of the fiber of this kind of film.
Rating:
Summary: Good action western with beautiful Utah scenery
Review: "Duel at Diablo" is another cavalry-Indian affair that has the Apaches rising one last time, going on the warpath to settle old grievances and mistreatment on the reservation at the hands of corrupt agents and military police. The deserts and multicolored canyons and mountains of Utah provide a beautiful panorama for the hostilities between a column of troopers and Apaches that result in several bloody skirmishes in which the pony soldiers must battle thirst as well as their fierce adversaries. There are similarities between this film and "Ulzana's Raid" that was released several years later, with the Apaches fighting desperately for a return to the glory days of the warpath who are trailed by army scouts who know Indians and lead cavalry troopers into the field against them. Both films are quite violent but this film has a romantic angle between Indian scout Jess Remsberg who seeks revenge on the man who murdered his Comanche wife and Ellen Grange, the spurned wife of a freighter who has borne an Apache son. The film's music score has a bouncy, carefree quality that doesn't really work because it lacks the traditional heroism and tension of strings, woodwinds and tom-tom beats that give cavalry-Indian films much of their unique sense of drama, character and urgency that is part of the fiber of this kind of film.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting western
Review: Duel at Diablo is an excellent western that deals with more than just the battles between the cavalry and Indians, but also the tensions among the groups. The movie follows a supply train through the desert as they are harassed by an Apache chief, Chata, and his band of renegades. Trapped in the desert without any water, the supply train must fight their way out. There is plenty of good action here as well as very good characters. The movie deals with racism throughout since one of the main characters was kidnapped by Apaches and forced to live with them. When she escapes from the village, the people at Fort Creel look down upon her with disgust. James Garner stars as Jess Remsberg, the army scout who is also trying to track down the killer of his Indian wife. His role is very good and also different from what his fans might be expecting of him. Sidney Poitier plays Toller, the ex-sergeant who now accompanies the wagon train to break in their new horses for him. I hadn't seen Poitier in a western, but he is very good in this role alongside Garner. Dennis Weaver and Bibi Anderson star as the Granges. Anderson's character was abducted by Apaches and escapes but now wants to go back and live among them. Weaver's Will Grange is a rascist and very dislikable. Bill Travers plays Lt. Scotty McCallister, the leader of the wagon train who is desperately trying to get a promotion. The DVD offers widescreen presentation that looks very good and also a theatrical trailer. This is not your typical western but it is still very enjoyable. Check it out if you haven't seen it before!
Rating:
Summary: Exciting western
Review: Duel at Diablo is an excellent western that deals with more than just the battles between the cavalry and Indians, but also the tensions among the groups. The movie follows a supply train through the desert as they are harassed by an Apache chief, Chata, and his band of renegades. Trapped in the desert without any water, the supply train must fight their way out. There is plenty of good action here as well as very good characters. The movie deals with racism throughout since one of the main characters was kidnapped by Apaches and forced to live with them. When she escapes from the village, the people at Fort Creel look down upon her with disgust. James Garner stars as Jess Remsberg, the army scout who is also trying to track down the killer of his Indian wife. His role is very good and also different from what his fans might be expecting of him. Sidney Poitier plays Toller, the ex-sergeant who now accompanies the wagon train to break in their new horses for him. I hadn't seen Poitier in a western, but he is very good in this role alongside Garner. Dennis Weaver and Bibi Anderson star as the Granges. Anderson's character was abducted by Apaches and escapes but now wants to go back and live among them. Weaver's Will Grange is a rascist and very dislikable. Bill Travers plays Lt. Scotty McCallister, the leader of the wagon train who is desperately trying to get a promotion. The DVD offers widescreen presentation that looks very good and also a theatrical trailer. This is not your typical western but it is still very enjoyable. Check it out if you haven't seen it before!
Rating:
Summary: Good action western with beautiful Utah scenery
Review: Films like this one are what gives the whole western movie genre such a contemptable reputation. For every SHANE, THE SEARCHERS, DUEL IN THE SUN, MCCABE AND MRS MILLER, UNFORGIVEN, or one of Sergio Leone's innovative and classic spaghetti westerns, there are 50 dozen of these dime-a-dozen stinkers with their cliché-ridden scripts, staging and acting. They present a steady stream of bar scenes, knock`em-sock`em brawls, charging and re-charging cavalry, charging and re-charging Indians, incessant bugle-tooting, with nameless faceless Indians and cavalry falling from their horses (to remount out of camera range for multiple passes, for maybe a hundred bucks a pass; ever wonder why the attacking forces never seem to diminish?) This cookie-cutter flick would have been better served with a cast of unknowns, the second-rate portrayals quite possibly being improved. In one of several heartwarming sub-plots, the Garner character (protagonist) seeks to avenge his Indian wife's premature (off-camera: we never meet her) scalping. By a typically preposterous coincidence, this dastardly scalper just happens to be right under the protagonist's nose all along, thereby conveniently saving lots of time getting the Fort Concho cavalry to the rescue, since the protagonist doesn't have to spend precious minutes (or hours? who cares?) before the troops can ride out. Consistent with this sub-plot's pertinence, perhaps the script writers and actors drew straws to determine who the guilty character would be? At one point, Neal Hefti's unavoidably ever-present and at times (unintended) toe-tapping musical score swelled to suggest the entire encampment of Indian women and children were about to break out into a fully choreographed cha-cha sequence. This reviewer had to check the credits to verify that Mel Brooks or Rudy DeLuca (or Gene Wilder lurking somewhere about) were not implicated. Charles Wheeler's Utah landscape photography is gorgeous. The DVD picture and sound are probably as good as the originally source allowed and more than adequate for this cardboard cutout.
Rating: 
Summary: Guns Across the Badlands? Arrows of Vengeance?
Review: Films like this one are what gives the whole western movie genre such a contemptable reputation. For every SHANE, THE SEARCHERS, DUEL IN THE SUN, MCCABE AND MRS MILLER, UNFORGIVEN, or one of Sergio Leone's innovative and classic spaghetti westerns, there are 50 dozen of these dime-a-dozen stinkers with their cliché-ridden scripts, staging and acting. They present a steady stream of bar scenes, knock'em-sock'em brawls, charging and re-charging cavalry, charging and re-charging Indians, incessant bugle-tooting, with nameless faceless Indians and cavalry falling from their horses (to remount out of camera range for multiple passes, for maybe a hundred bucks a pass; ever wonder why the attacking forces never seem to diminish?) This cookie-cutter flick would have been better served with a cast of unknowns, the second-rate portrayals quite possibly being improved. In one of several heartwarming sub-plots, the Garner character (protagonist) seeks to avenge his Indian wife's premature (off-camera: we never meet her) scalping. By a typically preposterous coincidence, this dastardly scalper just happens to be right under the protagonist's nose all along, thereby conveniently saving lots of time getting the Fort Concho cavalry to the rescue, since the protagonist doesn't have to spend precious minutes (or hours? who cares?) before the troops can ride out. Consistent with this sub-plot's pertinence, perhaps the script writers and actors drew straws to determine who the guilty character would be? At one point, Neal Hefti's unavoidably ever-present and at times (unintended) toe-tapping musical score swelled to suggest the entire encampment of Indian women and children were about to break out into a fully choreographed cha-cha sequence. This reviewer had to check the credits to verify that Mel Brooks or Rudy DeLuca (or Gene Wilder lurking somewhere about) were not implicated. Charles Wheeler's Utah landscape photography is gorgeous. The DVD picture and sound are probably as good as the originally source allowed and more than adequate for this cardboard cutout.
Rating:
Summary: Unbearable tension....
Review: From the haunting opening theme song, to the nail-biting suspense, to the moments of gutwrenching horror, and the fantastic performances by James Garner and Sidney Poitier, this is perhaps one of the finest Westerns ever filmed. I was on the edge of my seat through out most of the movie and I can't say I've experienced that with many recent movies. The filmmakers pulled no punches, especially when depicting scenes of torture at the hands of the Apaches, none of which is exploitative or gratuitous, and the Apaches' viewpoint is poignantly expressed, which lends credence to some of the atrocities. Overall, a must own movie. Thank God it's now on DVD. What are you waiting for? Buy it now! A quick bit of related trivia: There's a scene in Brian DePalma's "Carrie" where William Katt and Amy Irving are studying together and A movie is playing in the background on a television. The movie is a Western. The title is never revealed, but a familiar theme song is clearly heard...yes, it's "Duel at Diablo!" In fact, that short excerpt shown in the background prompted me to seek out "Duel at Diablo." Kudos to Brian DePalma!
Rating:
Summary: Exciting Apache action!
Review: Great opening scene with bloody knives cutting through the black screen to reveal a desert landscape and the body of a tortured victim. James Garner watches intently and comes to the rescue as two Apaches attack another lost soul. Nice opening music too. As a kid I enjoyed Sidney Poitiers role as an independent, free black man in charge of his own destiny: a gambler and a horse trainer, counted on by the ambushed cavalry, and a real hero. Excellent Dennis Weaver torture scene comeuppance in the end. My only disappointment was how easily the indians give up in the end. Overall a really cool movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good western.
Review: Gritty performance by Garner, not the affable character he is so often associated, along with an interesting story line makes this a very watchable film. Dennis Weaver gives a good performance as the conflicted frontier business man whose wife had been abducted by the indians. The Sidney Poitier characted is not well developed though he looks dashing in his western garb. The Neil Hefti score takes a while to get used to but is familiar enough not to be too distracting. The indians are protrayed with some degree of social consciousness, though voilent in their treatment of captives, which may very well be accurate. And the attitude of many of the white folk toward the indians is certainly not what you might call charitable. An engrossing film, but not one that is designed to put a smile on your face when it's over. Though there is a semblance of a hopeful ending, the cost in lives lost was is just too great for what is gained. And maybe that is the message.
|
