COMANCHE TERRITORY

US, 1950, 76 minutes, Colour.
Maureen O’ Hara, Macdonald Carey, Will Geer, Charles Drake.
Directed by George Sherman.

Comanche Territory is a routine western. Made at Universal Studios in 1950, it preceded the spate of popular westerns, especially starring Audie Murphy.

Macdoland Carey is Jim Bowie, rather stolid for this kind of western. However, Maureen O’ Hara is, once again, the fiery Irish redhead.

The film focuses on the Comanches, Jim Bowie sent on a mission by President Andrew Jackson with a treaty concerning the silver to be mined on Comanche territory, a group of renegades who want to destroy and exploit the treaty. Direction is by George Sherman, director of many of this kind of popular film, often directing to a year during the 1950s.

1.A popular western of the 1950s? Indians? Miners? Clashes? Perspective for justice for the Indians?

2.The location photography, the landscapes? The musical score?

3.The background of the American federal government, the territories for the Indians? The role of the Comanches? The Indian traditions and their land? Exploitation by settlers and miners? The attempts to have justice with the treaties?

4.Jim Bowie, his reputation, sanitised for this film? Pursued by the Comanches, encountering Seeger, his helping him with his rifle, removing the bullet? Going to the town, the encounter with Katie Howard, bumping into her, her losing the bet, her hostility, refusing to cash his cheque, refusing to let him gamble? The change of policy at the advice of her brother? Her running the saloon, her disagreement with Bowie, learning the truth about the treaty, her participation in the attack on Seeger? Gathering the miners together, her speech, rallying them to support the treaty? Her accompanying Bowie to the Indians, the peace pipe incident? Her betrayed by her brother? The falling in love with Bowie, the happy ending?

5.Jim Bowie, heroic figure, with the treaty, helping Seeger, the clashes with Katie Howard, explaining the truth to her, at the saloon, dancing with her, falling in love? Stacey Howard’s betrayal? His going to the Indian chief, the discussions? His rallying the troops, pursuing Howard? The happy ending?

6.Seeger, carrying the treaty, attacked by the Indians, helping Bowie? Their being captured, the arrows fired at them? The encounter with the chief, the discussions? Seeger and his detecting who attacked him, the encounter with Katie, supporting Bowie?

7.Stacey Howard, pleasant brother of Katie, good manners, the irony of his being the villain, with the rebel miners?

8.The background of the Indians, their lands, the pursuit of the whites? Hostility? The renegade whites, their wanting to exploit the land?

9.Familiar material – 1950s style?