FLAMING FEATHER
US, 1952, 77 minutes, Colour.
Sterling Hayden, Forrest Tucker, Arleen Whelan, Barbara Rush, Victor Jory, Richard Arlen, Edgar Buchanan.
Directed by Ray Enright.
Flaming Feather is a standard western of the early 1950s. The Indians are presented in a hostile manner, rather unlike the presentation in Broken Arrow and other films of the early 1950s. However, they are a renegade group led by a mysterious outlaw called the Sidewinder.
Sterling Hayden is a rancher who is attacked by the Indians and determines to find the Sidewinder. Forrest Tucker and Edgar Buchanan are the cavalry. Arleen Whelan is a mysterious saloon singer with an agenda of her own, assisted by gunfighter, Richard Arlen. Barbara Rush is an ingenuous young woman who is captured by the Indians and released by Lucky Lee, played by the sinister-looking Victor Jory. It emerges that Lucky Lee is the Sidewinder.
There are the standard actions in this kind of western – presented straightforwardly and interestingly nonetheless.
Ray Enright was a prolific director – in his last years as a director from the late 40s to the early 50s he made seven westerns.
1.A popular western of the 1950s? The popular ingredients? Cowboys and Indians? The cavalry?
2.The location photography, Arizona Territory, the towns, the plains, deserts and mountains? Musical score?
3.The information about the Sidewinder, twenty years of terrorising ranchers? The initial attack, Tex Mc Cloud and his people, the Mexican singing the song, the shootout, his death? The stampeding of the cattle?
4.Mc Cloud, going into town, the encounter with Carolina? Her singing mysterious? Showdown as her henchman – and his attempt on Mc Cloud’s life?
5.The cavalry, the lieutenant and his tobacco-chewing sergeant? Their attempts to find the Sidewinder? The challenge from Mc Cloud, the bed?
6.The night, Nora and her fears, not locking the door, the attack by Showdown and his associate? Mc Cloud’s gallantry?
7.The stagecoach, the hold-up, and her going to Fort Savage, Nora going for her wedding to Lucky Lee? The information about Lucky Lee?
8.Fort Savage, lawlessness, the shooting on the streets, the doctor and his help? The comic touches with the doctor and his other associates? Carolina and the Red Feather Saloon (the Flaming Feather of the title?)? Her songs, dealings, clashes with Tex?
9.Nora, young, eager to marry, Lucky Lee as her rescuer, attracted to Tex, his rescuing her in the stagecoach, going to the hotel? The preparation for the wedding?
10.The meeting with Lucky Lee, genial, plausible, trading post? Turquoise in the office? His connections, the revelation that he was Sidewinder?
11.McCloud and his investigations, the suspect, his being shot, the collaborating witness – and finding him dead?
12.The marriage interrupted, Tex and the accusations, the cavalry, the decision for everybody to go out to search for the mine? The attack of the Indians, Turquoise giving the information? The fight, the shooting? Lee making his break, taking Nora? The showdown in his mountain fort? The fights? The shooting of Carolina, the shooting of Showdown – mysterious?
13.The confrontation with Lee, Turquoise shooting him? The bets being off? Tex finding Nora – and a conventional happy ending?
