Montford: The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Martin Sensmeier is Montford T. Johnson, a half-breed trying to make a living as a rancher out West at the outbreak of the Civil War.

It won’t be an easy task, because the Union cavalry keeps showing up to requisition his beef.

And being part Indian, he seems to have earned an extra dose of loathing in the eyes of Sgt. Richter (James Landry Hebert), who leads many of those Union patrols.

But other ranchers have been hiding their cattle in the hills.

So once the war ends, with his herd down to one solitary cow, Montford and buddy Jack Brown (Denim Richards) head into those hills in search of mavericks.

In spite of Richter’s continued efforts to keep a half-breed in his place, Montford’s ranch eventually thrives with the help of Brown and his hard-working wife Mary Elizabeth (Grace Montie).

Montford will face other challenges as well, including the return of his father (Dermot Mulroney as Boggy Johnson) after a 30-year absense and the unjust imprisonment and relocation of Kiowa friend Rising Wolf (Tatanki Means).

Martin Sensmeier as Montford T. Johnson, watching a Union cavalry patrol approach his ranch yet again in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Dermot Mulroney as Boggy Johnson, Montford’s father who returns to see his son after a 30-year absence in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Review:

A well-intentioned film that shares the true story of Montford T. Johnson, a half-breed who built a post-war cattle empire in Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, a viewer’s interest in learning that unique story is about all this production has going for it.

Filmmakers bit off way more plot than they could effectively chew and did it with a script that dives headfirst into melodrama far too often.

What’s more, they did it with a lead actor incapable of lifting the film above the barely watchable threshold.

Having a cartoon character style villain who’s shows up way too often to be believable doesn’t help either.

Denim Richards as Jack Brown, Montford T. Johnson’s right-hand man in starting his ranching operation in post-war Oklahoma in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Grace Montie as Mary Elizabeth Johnson, wishing her husband well as he heads off to the hills in search of mavericks in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Directed by:
Nathan Frankowski

Cast:
Martin Sensmeier … Montford T. Johnson
Dermot Mulroney … Boggy Johnson
Tommy Flanagan … Holden
James Landry Hebert … Sgt. Richter
Denim Richards … Jack Brown
Tatanki Means … Rising Wolf
MacKenzie Astin … Lt. Pratt
Grace Montie … Mary Elizabeth Johnson
Caleb Martin … Michael Campbell
Rebeckah Boykin … Adelaide Campbell
Casey Camp-Horinek … Granny Vicey
Eddie Easterling … Jesse Chisholm
Sonia Michelle Hoffman … Asha
Danny Tracey … Clarence “Chub” Moore
Cal Merritt … Rebeckah Johnson
Callan Wilson … Teenage Edward Bryant Johnson

Runtime: 96 min.

James Landry Hebert as Sgt. Richter, the man who tries to foil Montford Johnson’s every effort to succeed in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

MacKenzie Astin as Lt. Pratt, the cavalry officer Montford turns to with his complaints about rustling in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Memorable lines:

Sgt. Richter, interrupting a wedding ceremy: “Are you an Injun lover?”
Mary Elizabeth: “I’m proud to say I am.”

Montford Johnson, stopped by the sergeant as he drives mavericks back toward his ranch: “These belong to me.”
Lt. Richter: “I got a white man says they are his. Who you think the law’s gonna believe?”

Lt. Pratt: “The Indian must fall in line with American society or he will become instinct.”
Montford T. Johnson: “I’ve seen how the Army tries to civilize. By slaughtering innocent women and children.”

Montford Johnson, to Col. George Custer: “Better be careful, colonel. Someday you might run into some Indians who are ready for you.”

Callan Wilson as Edward Bryant Johnson, Montford’s son, talking to his grandfather in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Casey Camp-Horinek as Granny Vicey, the woman who raises Montford after his father heads back East in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Rebeckah Boykin as Adelaide Campbell (red jacket), shielding her Rebel husband Michael (Caleb Martin) from Yankees in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Tatanki Means as RIsing Wolf, one of the Kiowa men Montford Johnson tries to free from imprisonment in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Grace Montie as Mary Elizabeth Johnson, balking at her husband’s plans to travel from Oklahoma to Florida in an attempt to free Indian friends in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

Martin Sensmeier as Montford T. Johnson, a man who goes from one cow to owning a ranching empire in Montford, The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)