Fort Bowie (film)

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Fort Bowie
Fort Bowie poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Howard W. Koch
Screenplay byMaurice Tombragel
Produced by Aubrey Schenck
Starring Ben Johnson
Jan Harrison
Kent Taylor
Maureen Hingert
Peter Mamakos
Larry Chance
Cinematography Carl E. Guthrie
Edited byJohn A. Bushelman
Music by Les Baxter
Production
companies
Aubrey Schenck Productions
Bel-Air Productions
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
  • February 1, 1958 (1958-02-01)
Running time
81 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Fort Bowie is a 1958 American Western film directed by Howard W. Koch and written by Maurice Tombragel. The film stars Ben Johnson, Jan Harrison, Kent Taylor, Maureen Hingert, Peter Mamakos and Larry Chance. The film was released on February 1, 1958, by United Artists. [1] [2]

Contents

Plot

When Major Wharton's ruthless and cruel killings of Apache Indians leaves him convinced a counterattack by the Apache war chief Victorio is inevitable, Captain "Tomahawk" Thompson reports his conclusion to Colonel Garrett, his commanding officer. To get him out of the way while Wharton, an ambitious schemer, tries to arrange to murder Victorio's tribe, Garrett assigns a task to Thompson: Safely escorting the colonel's wife, Alison, who had walked out on him from Tucson to Fort Bowie.

Alison attempts to seduce Thompson along the road to Fort Bowie. Rejected and irate, she lies to her husband, claiming she and Thompson became lovers. Garrett immediately gives Thompson the suicide mission of riding into Indian territory and attempting to make peace with Victorio. Chanzana, a half-blood native girl, once Victorio's lover and who now works in the fort's laundry, fancies Thompson. She goes along to guide him to Victorio. Chanzana frees him and his sergeant when Victorio's Indians take them captive with the intention of torturing them to death. The three successfully escape and head for Fort Bowie.

Major Wharton leads most of the troops at Fort Bowie out to attack Victorio, but they are themselves surrounded and wiped out. Thompson, Chanzana, and Sergeant Major Kukas come on the scene of the massacre and realize the fort is in deadly danger. The captain dispatches Kukas to find patrols he knows the Colonel has sent out and bring them back to Fort Bowie ASAP.

Fort Bowie braces for a battle Colonel Garrett fears they cannot win. Alison apologizes to the colonel for lying about Thompson as the fort braces for Victorio's attack. Outnumbered, the soldiers fight valiantly but cannot hold the walls, falling back into the mess hall where they make a final stand. Victorio loses many of his braves to the "soldier coats" firing from cover before attempting to break into the mess. He and Captain Thompson engage in single combat, Victorio's bowie knife against Thompson's tomahawk. Victorio is killed, and the fort is relieved by a returning patrol the colonel had sent out, which was located by Sergeant Major Kukas.

When the dust settles, Thompson realizes he is as in love with Chanzana as she is with him. The two of them kiss, a promise for the future, as the sergeant major watches with a knowing smile.

Cast

Production

Parts of the film were shot in Kanab Canyon, Johnson Canyon, and the Kanab movie fort in Utah. [3]

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References

  1. "Fort Bowie (1958) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  2. "Fort Bowie". TV Guide. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  3. James V. D'Arc (2010). When Hollywood Came to Town: A History of Moviemaking in Utah (1st ed.). Layton: Gibbs Smith. p. 289. ISBN   978-1-4236-0587-4. Wikidata   Q123575108.