Yes, it is a classic Western in some respects, the cavalry versus the Indians in some well directed battle scenes by Ralph Nelson with some lovely scenery and good acting, in particular the Cavalry Commander(Bill Travers).
However, there is for the purist, something lacking in this Western. Maybe, it is the way Sydney Poitier is immaculately dressed, without any dust or dirt on him, even in the midst of battle. Then, at the beginning James Garner comes across Bibi Anderson in the middle of the Mexican desert, hardly looking like someone at death's door. I was not convinced by James Garner's role of an ex scout and while i found Sydney Poitiers character as a breaker in of horses colourful, it was also less than convincing especially with that glaring error of cleanliness.Dennis Weaver's performance as the "Baddie" is good but when you compare it to his performance as the Cattle Driver in "Centennial" it lacks depth.
To conclude, i did enjoy the the story theme and will keep the film in my collection.