Arizona Raiders (1965)

Audie Murphy is Clint Stewart, a member of Quantrill’s Raiders who is captured in one of the infamous Rebel’s final raids along with good friend Willie Martin. Quantrill is seriously wounded in the same raid and later dies.

But the gang reorganizes in Arizona under Brady (Michael Dante) and Montana Smith (George Keymas).

And when that gang proves too much for authorities there to handle, former Union officer Tom Andrews (Buster Crabbe) agrees to let Clint and Willie Martin (Ben Cooper) out of jail if they’ll help stop their former gang members.

Clint wants to kill Montana to settle an old score. For one thing, it was Montana’s fault that he and Willie were captured.

But the real surprise comes when Clint realizes his younger brother Danny has joined the Arizona Raiders too, under the last name Bonner.

That might help change Clint’s way of thinking. Because until that point, he figured to head to Mexico after dealing with Montana, leaving behind the Arizona Rangers badge he was given by Capt. Andrews.

Audie Murphy as Clint Stewart, a man who has to help track down his former friends to stay out of prison in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Buster Crabbe as Capt. Andrews, speaking up for Clint and Willie at their trial in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Review:

Odd Murphy vehicle with lots of blood — just check out the cactus torture scene — but little else to make it stand out. And when the Yaqui Indians start hurling cactus branches at the bad guys … oh, my. Let’s just say this doesn’t measure up to the better Murphy Westerns.

Buster Crabbe has one of his better later Western roles as the head of the Arizona Rangers. Gloria Talbott, in her next to last film, plays an Indian woman whose parents are taken captive by the gang and who quickly realizes her one hope for help might be Clint.

The film also features on of the longest opening narrations you’ll find, a full nine minutes! In fact, two narrators have their say before the film starts in earnest.

Ben Cooper as Willie Martin, trying to convince Clint they should live up to the oath they made to Capt. Andrews in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Ray Stricklyn as Danny Bonner, Clint’s brother, who joined the lawful forces under a different name in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Directed by:
William Witney

Cast:
Audie Murphy … Clint Stewart
Michael Dante … Brady
Ben Cooper … Willie Martin
Buster Crabbe … Capt. Tom Andrews
Gloria Talbott … Martina
Ray Stricklyn … Danny Bonner
George Keymas … Montana Smith
Fred Graham … William Quantrill
Fred Krone … Matt Edwards
Willard Willingham … Eddie
Boyd “Red” Morgan … Ted

Runtime: 88 min.

Michael Dante as Brady, trying to determine whether he can trust former ally Clint in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Gloria Talbott as Martina, seeking Clint’s help in freeing her parents from a church where they’re being held captive in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Memorable lines:

Narrator, about Quantrill: “As a young boy, I remember well when he was accused of shooting a pig in the ear, just to see it run. Pain, in a person or animal, gave him pleasure.”

Montana, after taking a swig from a jug: “What do they call this stuff, honey.”
Martina: “Peyote. Devil curse.”
Montana: “Yeah, I heard about it. That’s good stuff.”
Martina: “No. Make men crazy.”
Montana: “You know, I hear how it makes women a little wild, too. Now why don’t we just try a little bit and see what it does for you?”

Danny Bonner, lying mortally wounded: “Clint, it’s getting kinda dark.”
Clint Stewart: “Well, it’s a little cloudy, Danny.”
Moments later, Danny dies.

George Keymas as Montana, being recruited as the new leader of the outlaw gang after Quantrill’s death in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Fred Graham as William Quantrilll, cornered in a barn with the rest of his gang in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Audie Murphy as Clint, trying to convince his former Quantrill buddies he’s still a trustworthy outlaw in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Booth Colman as the Ohio Gazette editor who provides a nine-minute monologue to open Arizona Raiders (1965)

Gloria Talbott as Martina, trying to ignore the lecherous advances of Montana (George Keymas) in Arizona Raiders (1965)

Audie Murphy as Clint and Ben Cooper as Willie Martin, staging an escape from Capt. Andrews (Buster Crabbe) in Arizona Raiders (1965)