Revolt at Fort Laramie (1957)

It’s 1861, and the Fort Laramie outpost out West is awaiting news from the East.

Will Lincoln be elected? Will the South withdraw from the Union? Will war break out?

John Dehner plays Maj. Seth Bradner, the post commander who has torn loyalties because he’s from Virginia. Second in command, Cap. James Tenslip (Gregg Palmer) would have no such concerns, if he weren’t in love with the major’s niece (Frances Helm), whose loyalties also lie with the South.

As soon as word that Fort Sumter has been fired upon reaches Fort Laramie, the soon-to-be Rebel cavalrymen start making plans to take over the fort, claim a $50,000 shipment of gold intended for Red Cloud as part of a peace treaty and take off for Texas to join the Confederate Army.

Maj. Bradnor convinces them not to go through with the first two parts of their plan. “Would you rather have the gold, or your honor?” he asks.

Then resigns his post to lead the small detail to Texas.

But there’s still the problem of dealing with Red Cloud.

Review:

Interesting premise, but neither director Lesley Selander nor his cast can do much to enliven this all-in-all average outing.

The most memorable scenes come when one of the Southern soldiers tells the captain about their plans, then is knifed to death for being a traitor; and when a group of soldiers floating down a river on rafts are attacked from the shore by Indians.

Gregg Palmer, who also played a cavalry officer in “Column South” (1953) and “Taza, Son of Cochise” (1954), went on to appear in a long list of TV Westerns and five John Wayne oaters.

This marked just one in a handful of film roles for Frances Helm, who spent most of her acting career on TV shows. She also spent six years as the wife of frequent Western actor Brian Keith.

Directed by:
Lesley Selander

Cast:
John Dehner … Maj. Seth Bradnor
Frances Helm … Melissa Bradnor
Gregg Palmer … Capt. James Tinslip
Don Gordon … Jean Salignac
Robert Keys … Sgt. Darrach
Harry Stanton … Rinty
Eddie Little … Red Cloud
Robert Knapp … Lt. Chick Waller
William Phillips … Serrell

Runtime: 71 min.

Memorable lines:

Capt. Tinslip: “Suppose you find me a nice girl, Melissa.”
Melissa: “A nice girl wouldn’t love you the way I do.”

Melissa, to Capt. Tinslip as they discuss the impending war: “Darling, I don’t want to be a statesman or a soldier or even a Virginian. I just want to be the captain’s wife. I promise not to shoot at you across the barricade.”

Maj. Bradnor: “Within the walls of this fort is a compay of the army of the United States. The states are no longer united. Each of you will chose his own loyalty. Perhaps there are a few of you who have yet to make that decision. Whichever way you chose, you will, for the present time, continue to exist together, in anger — if necessary with hatred — but within this fort you will remain a company of soldiers. That order doesn’t come from me. Or Washington. That order comes from Red Cloud and his warriors.”

Salignac, the cavalry scout: “Major, you are in command of a group of imbeciles, but I congratulate you.”

Eddie Little as Red Cloud, making demands of the southerners making their way to Texas in Revolt at Fort Laramie (1957)

John Dehner, a Union commander from Virginia when the Civil War breaks out in Revolt at Fort Laramie (1957)