DAKOTA INCIDENT

US, 1956, 88 minutes, Colour.
Linda Darnell, Dale Robertson, John Lund, Ward Bond, Regis Toomey.
Directed by Lewis R. Foster.

Dakota Incident now has a good reputation as a small western. It is in the vein of westerns focusing on the interaction between whites and Indians – especially after such films as Broken Arrow in 1950 with the pointing out of Indian rights and respect as well as the betrayals and breaking of treaties by whites?

The film focuses on life in a western town, on an outlaw, on a bank teller being framed for robbery, on a saloon singer. They find themselves eventually in a stagecoach and besieged by Indians, having to cope with the thirst, the isolation, their own attitudes towards the Indians.

Dale Robertson is a rather wooden hero, an outlaw who finally makes good. Linda Darnell is a strong screen presence as the singer who hates the Indians. John Lund is the bank teller. Ward Bond has a stronger role than usual as a senator who is able to give speech about relationships with the Indians and reconciliation and who was prepared to die in his beliefs. The dialogue contains quite a strong amount of antagonistic lines towards the Indians – but, in fact, there is a reconciliation at the end and a message that talk and friendship bring about peace.

The film was produced by Republic Studios in the mid-50s, always ‘poor neighbour’ of the main studios.

1.The reputation of the film? Improving over the decades? Style? Themes?

2.The colour picture of the west, the town, the open areas, the siege? The musical score?

3.Familiar ingredients of the western? The bank robbers, betrayals, shooting? The town? The dance hall in the saloon? The stagecoach, the attack on the Indians? The Indian siege? Antagonism, betrayals, friendships? How well worked together?

4.The title, the territory, the focus on the episode and its significance in terms of white/Indian relationships?

5.Banner, the robbery, his being shot, his brother? Surviving, coming into the town? The confrontation with his brother and his leaving town? The shoot-out with Largo? The encounter with Hamilton, the truth about Hamilton, his wanting Banner to give back the money and clear his name? The attraction towards Amy? The stagecoach, their going together, the attack, his trying to keep the horses? His taking charge? Water and his trying to get it? The discussions, the passing of time, the deaths of the various individuals? The final confrontation, the friendship with the Indian chief, the reconciliation and their being allowed to go free?

6.Amy, stranded in the town, her glamour and style, Minstrel and his support, Giselle as her maid? Watching the confrontation between Banner and Largo? The friendship with Hamilton? Her needing to get out of town, to recover her money, her bribing the station clerk with the garter? The travel, the crash, the Indians, in the siege, her anger, her concern about Hamilton? Her attack on the senator, his advances, her shaming him and her going out to die, her blaming herself? The finale and her realisation of her need for friendship with the Indians?

7.Hamilton, the gentleman in the town, interest in Banner, the explanation of his predicament? His going on the coach, helping, his being wounded, dying?

8.The senator, his speeches, the liberal ideas of reconciliation with the Indians? The people spurning him? On the coach, making advances towards Amy? His being shamed, having to be as good as his word - his approach to the Indians and his death?

9.Minstrel, with Amy, on the coach, the mirage and his seeing the water, his death?

10.The other passengers, their deaths?

11.The Indians, the ambush, the siege? The sparing of the life of the Indian? His coming back and freeing Amy and John? Friendship with the Indians?

12.The background of the western town, the saloons, the stagecoaches, the gunfighters?