Escort West (1959)

Victor Mature plays Ben Lassiter, a former Confederate officer traveling to Oregon with his daughter, Abbey (Reba Waters) in hopes of starting a new life.

En route, they stumble across a U.S. Cavalry patrol and a paymaster’s wagon. The soldiers are also escorting two sisters — Beth Drury (Elaine Stewart) and Martha (Faith Domergue) — to a nearby fort where Beth is to be married to one of the commanding officers.

Unbeknownst to everyone, some Modoc Indians have fled their reservation and gone on a rampage.

They’ve already pinned down the troopers led by Beth’s fiancé.

When they hit the paymaster’s wagon, the sisters hide in a cellar while most of the soldiers are massacred.

Lassiter and Abbey come to their rescue, though the war-embittered Martha isn’t fond of being rescued by anyone wearing Confederate gray.

Victor Mature as Ben Lassiter, trying to safely guide his young daughter and two women through Modoc war parties in Escort West (1959)

Reba Waters as Abbey Lassiter, concerned about her father’s safety again as they work their way West in Escort West (1959)

Review:

Better than average, with one of the more unusual final showdowns you’ll see and a fine performance by Victor Mature.

The supporting cast — mainly the troopers — include plenty of familiar faces, including Ken Curtis, Noah Beery Jr., Harry Carey Jr., Slim Pickens and Leo Gordon.

Gordon, in fact, co-wrote the script and has one of the most villainous parts, as a soldier who sneaks off in the middle of an attack, then tries to steal the payroll from Lassiter and the women, leaving them on foot to face a slow death.

This marked a rare film role for young Reba Waters, who did most of her acting on TV shows, including “Leave It to Beaver,” “Rawhide” and “The Donna Reed Show.”

Ken Curtis appeared in his first “Gunsmoke” episode the same year this film was released, but wouldn’t take over the role that made him famous — Festus — until 1964.

Elaine Stewart as Beth Drury, learning to rely on Ben Lassister’s knowledge of Indians in Escort West (1959)

Faith Domergue as Martha Drury, holding a grudge from the Civil War against all things Confederate, including Ben Lassiter, in Escort West (1959)

Directed by:
Francis Lyon

Cast:
Victor Mature … Ben Lassiter
Elaine Stewart … Beth Drury
Faith Domergue … Martha Drury
Reba Waters … Abbey Lassiter
Noah Beery Jr. … Jamison
Leo Gordon … Vogel
Rex Ingram … Nelson
John Hubbard … Lt. Weeks
Harry Carey Jr. … Travis
Slim Pickens … Wheeler
Roy Barcroft .. Sgt. Doyle
William Ching … Capt. Howard Poole
Ken Curtis … Trooper Burch
Claire Du Brey … Mrs. Kate Fenniman
Syd Saylor … Elwood Fenniman
X Brands … Tago

Runtime: 75 min.

Noah Beery Jr. as Jamison and William CHing as Capt. Howard Poole, surrounded by Modoc Indians and reviewing their options in Escort West (1959)

Ken Curtis as Trooper Burch and Leo Gordon as Trooper Vogel, demanding an Army payroll from Lassiter in Escort West (1959)

Memorable lines:

Martha Drury, after an Indian attack: “Look at this — my best dress — (now a) filthy rag.”
Beth Drury: “You should be glad you’re able to see it again.”

Ben Lassiter to Martha Drury: “Look, let’s get one thing straight. We’ve got a lot of country to go over. And I’m in no mood for a nasty disposition.”
Daughter Abbey: “You sure told her. Why don’t you paddle her behind?”

Jamison: “Sometimes it’s safer to chase those Modocs and not catch them.”

Martha Drury: “Saddle pig!”
Vogel: “You don’t learn easy, do ya? I’d like to see you wind up in some Modoc cave, duchess. You’d be glad to see this pig then. Real glad.”

Victor Mature as Ben Lassiter, trying to console Beth Drury (Elaine Stewart) in Escort West (1959)

John Hubbard as Lt. Weeks, commander of the patrol Beth and Martha Drury are traveling with in Escort West (1959)

Harry Carey Jr. as Trooper Travis and Slim Pickens as Cpl. Wheeler, two of the men pinned down with Capt. Poole in Escort West (1959)

Elaine Stewart and Faith Domergue as sisters Beth and Martha Drury, trying to make their way West for a reunion with the former’s fiance in Escort West (1959)

Claire Du Brey as Mrs. Kate Fenniman and Syd Saylor as Elwood Fenniman, bidding farewell to young Abbey Lassiter and her dad in Escort West (1959)

Victor Mature as Ben Lassiter with young daughter Abbey (Reba Waters), pinned down by Modoc Indians in Escort West (1959)