The Black Dakotas (1954)

Gary Merrill plays Brock Marsh, a Southern sympathizer during the Civil War. He kills, then steals the identity of a Northerner sent West to offer the Sioux a $100,000 payment in return for peace … a peace that would free up Union troops to fight the war back East.

Naturally, Marsh and others living in the Dakotas, but allied with the South, don’t want to see that happen.

Marsh manages to negotiate a peace with the Sioux, but he intends to break every promise and steal the $100,000 for the Confederacy … or perhaps for himself.

Caught in his web is deceit is Ruth Lawrence (Wanda Hendrix), who has been shunned by the people in her hometown after her dad is identified as a Southern spy and hanged.

But she has a shoulder to lean on — fiancé Mike Daugherty (John Bromfield), who owns the stageline that’s carrying the treaty money to the Sioux.

Gary Merrill, revealing his identity as Southern agent Brock Marsh while fellow Confederate sympathizer Stone (Clayton Moore) looks on in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Wanda Hendrix as Ruth Lawrence, making a point with her rifle after her dad’s death in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Review:

Action packed but mediocre, with a twist at the end that might make you groan, and a narrow brush with death by Marsh at the hands of “the bad” Sioux that might have the same effect.

Merrill has the juiciest role as the double-crossing Marsh; Hendrix isn’t nearly as convincing as the young spitfire. Noah Beery Jr. plays one of the Southern sympathizers.

Also notable because Jay Silverheels and Clayton Moore both appear in the film. The former is Black Buffalo, a Sioux chief with a thirst for war with the whites; the latter in an uncredited role as Stone, one of the henchmen sympathetic to the South.

“The Lone Ranger” TV series was airing when this film was released. But it was likely filmed during the time Moore had been replaced in the title role by John Hart. Moore was rehired to play the Lone Ranger in late summer 1954; this filmed was released in early September.

John Bromfield as Mike Daugherty, owner of the stage line carrying the peace payment to the Indians in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Noah Beery Jr. as Gimpy Joe Woods, the townsman secretly working with Marsh to help bilk the Union out of $100,000 in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Directed by:
Ray Nazarro

Cast:
Gary Merrill … Brock Marsh
Wanda Hendrix … Ruth Lawrence
John Bromfield … Mike Daugherty
Noah Beery Jr. … Gimpy Joe Woods
Fay Roope … John Lawrence
Robert Simon … Marshal Collins
Howard Wendell … Judge Horatio Baker
James Griffith … Warren
Richard Webb … Frank Gibbs
Peter Whitney … Grimes
John War Eagle … War Cloud
Jay Silverheels … Black Buffalo

Runtime: 68 min.

Jay Silverheels as Black Buffalo, the Indian chief advocating war with the whites in The Black Dakotas (1954)

John War Eagle as War Cloud, the Indian chief the Union government is negotiating a peace with in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Memorable lines:

Gimpy Joe Woods: “This deal we’re gonna offer the Sioux, we promise them everything, huh?”
Brock Marsh: “I’m going to give them more promises than Abe Lincoln ever dreamed of. And we’re not going to keep one of them.”

Brock Marsh: “I’m hardly dress for riding, but this will have to do.”
Mike Daugherty: “Your horse will never know the difference.”

Mike, after Marsh has barely escaped burning at the stake: “Luck was with both of us. Otherwise, you’d be an angel by now.”
Marsh: “Either that or a cinder.”

Fay Roope as John Lawrence, leader of the plan to steal Union gold for the Confederate cause with Frank (Richard Webb), one of his henchmen, in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Robert Simon as Marshal Collins, investigating the mysterious death of a stage passenger in The Black Dakotas (1954)

James Griffith as Warren, a southern sympathizer realizing Marsh might want the money for himself in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Peter Whitney as Grimes, a trouble maker calling for the lynching of anyone not loyal to the Union cause in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Wanda Hendrix as Ruth Lawrence, pleading for the life of her father (Faye Roope as John Lawrence) in The Black Dakotas (1954)

Gary Merrill as John Marsh, trying to talk his way out of being burned at the stake in The Black Dakotas (1954)