Saskatchewan (1954)

Alan Ladd is Thomas O’Rourke, a Canadian mounted officer extraordinaire in this Western mounted north of the border.

O’Rourke is also half brother of Cajou (Jay Silverheels), a member of the peaceful Cree tribe.

And all is well until a new, get-tough officer — Robert Douglas as Benton — takes charge of the outpost and decides to treat the Cree as enemies, taking away the guns and ammunition they need to hunt and survive.

With the Sioux crossing the border after Custer’s Last Stand, a merging of the tribes against the Royal Mounted seems likely.

Benton is ordered to move his force to a post closer to the U.S. border.

But his by-the-book tactics puts the small force at risk, especially when he refuses to leave the wagons behind.

O’Rourke finally refuses to take his orders and assumes command of the detail with the troopers’ support, though it might mean court martials for all involved.

Meanwhile, there’s a pretty lady named Grace Markey (Shelley Winters) along for the ride. She’s being taken back to the states on a murder charge by Marshal Carl Smith.

Alan Ladd as Thomas O’Rourke, demanding the Mounties return guns and ammunition to the Cree Indians in Saskatchewan (1954)

Shelley Winters as Grace Markey, reacting to the approach of strangers after an Indian attack in Saskatchewan (1954)

Review:

Winters’ spirited performance and the wonderful Canadian scenery help make this otherwise routine Western worth watching, because the fantasy-land ending nearly ruins it.

It’s also interesting to see Hugh O’Brien, TV’s future Wyatt Earp, in such an unsympathetic role. He’s the marshal determined to take Grace back to the states, though he’s willing to ignore that responsibility if she’ll run off with him instead. And who did she supposedly kill? His brother, of course.

The film’s treatment of the Indians is rather embarrassing for a film where the villain of the piece is a villain because he treats them so poorly. Poor Cajou (Jay Silverheels) can’t outshoot or outride or win any bet against the mighty O’Rourke.

And near the end, the Cree chief proclaims: “The great Cree are like children before the two Red Coats whose wisdom saved the lives of the women and children and brought victory to our warriors.” Oh, my.

Hugh O’Brian as Marshal Carl Smith, determined to bring in Grace Markey for the murder of his brother in Saskatchewan (1954)

Robert Douglas as Maj. Benton, receiving arrest orders for Grace Markey from Marshal Carl Smith in Saskatchewan (1954)

Directed by:
Raoul Walsh

Cast:
Alan Ladd … Thomas O’Rourke
Jay Silverheels … Cajou
Shelley Winters … Grace Markey
Robert Douglas … Benton
Hugh O’Brien … Marshal Carl Smith
J. Carroll Naish … Batouche
George J. Lewis … Lawson
Richard Long … Patrick J. Scanlon
Antonio Moreno … Chief Dark Cloud
Frank Chase … Keller
Lowell Gilmore … Banks
Anthony Caruso … Spotted Eagle
Henry Wills … Merrill
Bob Herron … Brill

aka: O’Rourke of the Royal Mounted

Runtime: 87 min.

Jay Silverhells as Cajou, at odds with his blood brother Thomas O’Rourke in Saskatchewan (1954)

Antonio Moreno as Cree Chief Dark Cloud, contemplating an alliance with the Sioux tribe in Saskatchewan (1954)

Memorable lines:

Grace, as she and O’Rourke ride by a waterfall rainbow: “Gee, that’s a pretty rainbow.”
O’Rourke: “Somebody’s gonna have good luck.”
Grace: “It probably won’t be me.”

Grace: “How long have you been married?”
Indian squaw, pointing to six kids: “Six years. Can’t you see?”

O’Rourke: “Who’d she kill?”
Marshal Carl Smith: “A man in Great Falls who was in love with her.”
O’Rourke: “Fatal illness.”
The marshal: “Seems a man should be able to cure himself if things look that bad. He couldn’t.”

Richard Long as wounded officer Scanlon with Shelley Winters as Grace Markey in Saskatchewan (1954)

Alan Ladd as Thomas O’Rourke and J. Carroll Naish as Batouche, discouraging a commander’s misguided Indian policy in Saskatchewan (1954)

Robert Douglas as Benton and Lowell Gilmore as Banks, the Mountie officers determine to drive the Sioux out of Canada in Saskatchewan (1954)

Alan Ladd as Thomas O’Rourke and Shelley Winters as Grace Markey, discussing her status as a wanted woman in Saskatchewan (1954)