Comanche Territory [DVD]

Jim Bowie (Macdonald Carey) and an ex U.S. Senator (Will Geer) are sent by the government into Comanche territory to extend a peace treaty along with a codicil that allows the U.S. government to mine silver on the Comanche territory. But the treaty is stolen and as the expiration of the current treaty nears, settlers plan on raiding Comanche territory. Directed by the veteran George Sherman, this is a typical Universal "B" western. The kind of short (it runs 73 minutes) oater that squeezed into theatres to fill the need to occupy movie houses in between the major films. As such, it does its job and it's an inoffensive cowboy and Indians shoot 'em up. The vapid Macdonald Carey makes for a dreary hero but fortunately there's the gorgeous Maureen O'Hara as the feisty heroine in three strip Technicolor and the equally stunning Arizona vistas (including Sedona) beautifully shot by Maury Gertsman. The score is by Frank Skinner (WRITTEN ON THE WIND). With Charles Drake, James Best, Pedro De Cordoba and Parley Baer.

The Pegasus DVD via Great Britain is a beautiful, rich Technicolor transfer in the proper 1.33 ratio.

The film is one I haven't seen before and I thought it was very good. I've seen a pre-release copy of this disc and found the print used to be very good indeed. Nice strong colours, decent sound. Again, Pegasus have shown they can produce quality discs and I can only hope that future releases from the company continue to be as good as this batch of westerns.

This movie was first released in 1950(1995)2011, in Technicolour, fullscreen and runs 76 minutes. The sound and picture quality are very good. The film starts with Jim Bowie(MacDONALD CAREY) riding through beautiful Comanche Territory and is spotted by the Comanche braves. They follow Bowie and chase him. Then shots are fired right into the toes of Bowie's horse. Bowie investigates and Dan'l Seeger(WILL GEER) comes out with his rifle and says that the land here was secret to the Comanche. Bowie looks at Seeger left injured arm and tries to take a bullet out with his Bowie knife. Soon the Comanche capture both of them and take them to their village. After tying them up, the Comanche use them for arrow target practice. Soon Quisima(PEDRO DE CORDOBA), No 1 Chief rides in, and Bowie gives him a lecture on treaties and peace. The Chief cuts them loose with Bowie's knife and says the Comanche honor their treaties. The Chief likes Bowie knife and asks him to teach his braves how to make and fight with his kind of knife. Quisima gives his word that Bowie can have access to the silver on Comanche land. Seeger warns Bowie that the treaty was going to be exploited by the prospectors. They knew the original copy of the treaty was stolen and who ever has this will be selling silver soon, and Bowie will pretend to be a buyer of silver inorder to smoke him out. They head for the town of CROOKES TONGUE. In town, Katie Howard(MAUREEN O'HARA) runs the Crooked Tongue Saloon and has an immediate dislike to Bowie. When Bowie tries to cash his bank draft of $5,000, he finds Katie in the Manager's office as President of that Bank. Katie refuses to cash the draft. Bowie tries to cash the draft at the saloon and finds that, yes, Katie as the boss there. Later, Katie looses a bet and Bowie gets his $5,000 in cash. Seeger is there too, smelling for perfume, saying the person who stole the treaty had the same perfume on her/him. Seeger recognises that perfume on Katie. But Bowie and Seeger are thrown out off the saloon. Stacy Howard(CHARLES DRAKE), Katie's brother, tells Katie to make up with Bowie, so that they may later sell their silver.
How will it end? Who is interested in selling and buying the silver? Are the Comanche interested in the silver? What will happen to the Comanche Territory? What is Stacy upto? Who has the original treaty? What is the silver needed for? Will the Comanche be tricked again?
This story of LEWIS MELTZER is beautifully photographed in rich Technicolour by MAURY GERTSMAN and well directed by GEORGE SHERMAN. Will Geer, MacDonald Carey give good performances and Maureen O'Hara looks good on screen. The action scenes and the Comanche costumes are very good.
WILL GEER(WILLIAM AUGHE GHERE) was born on 9.3.1902 in Frankfort, Indiana. He started to become a botanist at University of Chicago. He began his acting career touring in tent shows and on river boats. He became the lover of gay activist Harry Hay in 1934. Geer made his Broadway debut in 1928, until 1940. From 1948 to 1951, he appeared in many movies. In 1934, he had become member of the Communist Party of USA. He was black listed in 1950's. In 1972, he was casted as ZEBULON WALTON on 'The Waltons'. He maintained a garden at his vacation home called -'GEER GORE GARDENS', in Nichols, Connecticut. He was married to HETA GEER(1934-1954) and had 3 children, Kate, Thad and actress Ellen Geer. Geer died on 22.4.1978, aged 76, of respiratory failure, in Los Angeles, California.
Some of Will Geer's films are:-
(1) Union Pacific, 1939
(2) Broken Arrow, 1950
(3) Winchester '73, 1950
(4) The Kid From Texas, 1950
(5) Bandolero, 1968
(6) Gunsmoke, 1968
(7) Bonanza, 1969
(8) Alias Smith and Jones, 1971
(9) Law and Order, 1976
(10)Starsky and Hutch, 1976
Watch and ENJOY.