There’s gold on the Apache’s land, and businessman Frank Crawford (Reed Hadley) figures he can get his hands on it, if he can stir up an Indian war by cheating the tribe out of most of their government-promised rations.
Unfortunately for him, a Confederate officer turned gambler named Dan Craig (Robert Young) shows up in San Remo.
The two men butt heads over pretty entertainer Helen Dalhen (Janis Carter), over a possibly crooked card game and, finally, over the treatment of the Indians.
Craig has befriended a half-breed named Charlie Wolf (Jack Buetel), and the two men do everything they can to preserve peace between the whites and Indians.
Craig even gives up gambling to become temporary Indian agent.
But with the Apache land worth $1 million, Crawford isn’t easily deterred. An attack on the Apache as they’re transporting goods back to camp and the vicious murder of Charlie’s half-sister pushes the two sides to the brink of war.
Once again, Craig sets out to get justice for the Indians. But this time, he might not have Charlie by his side.
Charlie, too, has fallen for Helen, who has been flirting with him to make Craig jealous. Now Charlie thinks they’ve made him look like a fool and he’s ready to don war paint with the rest of the Apache braves.
Robert Young as Dan Craig, arriving in San Remas with a reputation as a trouble-making gambler in The Half-Breed (1952)
Janis Carter as Helen Dalhen, flirting with Charlie Wolf to make Dan Craig jealous in The Half-Breed (1952)
Review:
A silly plot and sillier dialogue undermine a film that’s mostly sympathetic to the Indians. At one point, a cavalry commander even suggests Charlie Wolf might be getting the worst of the deal if Dan Craig teaches him how to be “a good white man.”
This is one of four Westerns Jack Buetel made between 1951 and 1954 after being kept on the sidelines for nearly a decade by Howard Hughes. Buetel had made his film debut in “The Outlaw” opposite Jane Russell. That movie was filmed in 1941, but wasn’t released until 1943 because of censorship problems.
But while Buetel’s the half-breed of the title, Robert Young’s character is the film’s hero. In fact, the prologue leads viewers to believe they’ll be watching a film about the prejudice faced by half-breeds in the West, though in truth the Charlie Wolf character is pretty well respected by honest whites and his fellow Apache.
Meanwhile, though he’s supposedly barely known in these here parts, everyone turns to the Dan Craig character whenever there’s a crisis. Sporting low-cut gowns for most of the film, Janis Carter provides the eye candy. This marked the last of her 30-some credited film roles.
Jack Beutel as Charlie Wolf, committed to keeping the peace between the Apache and the whites in The Half-Breed (1952)
Barton MacLane as Marshal Cassidy, inviting Dan Craig to leave town as soon as possible in The Half-Breed (1952)
Directed by:
Stuart Gilmore
Cast:
Robert Young … Dan Craig
Janis Carter … Helen Dalhen
Jack Buetel … Charlie Wolf
Barton MacLane … Marshal Cassidy
Reed Hadley … Frank Crawford
Porter Hall … Indian agent Kraemer
Connie Gilchrist … Ma Higgins
Judy Walsh … Nah-Lin, Wolf’s sister
Sammy White … Willy Wayne
Damian O’Flynn … Capt. Jackson
Frank Wilcox … Sands
Tom Monroe … Russell
Runtime: 81 min.
Saloon tunes performed by Janis Carter
“When I’m Waling Arm in Arm with Jim”
“Remember the Girl You Left Behind”
Reed Hadley as Frank Crawford, obsessed with the idea of making Helen Dalhen one of his possessions in The Half-Breed (1952)
Damian O’Flynn as Capt. Jackson, welcoming Dan Craig’s help dealing with the Apache in The Half-Breed (1952)
Memorable lines:
Charlie Wolf: “You understand Apache?”
Dan Craig: “You don’t have to understand a whole language to know a man wants to kill you.”
Dan Craig, on the life of gambler: “When you gamble and lose, you’re a fool. When you gamble and win, you’re a crook:”
Dan Craig to Helen: “Shame those pretty traveling clothes were wasted on a little thing like a near massacre.”
Helen: “The stage isn’t coming through?”
Dan: “Not with the Apache feeling the way they do now.”
Tom Monroe as Russell, getting urgent orders from his boss, Frank Crawford (Reed Hadley) in The Half-Breed (1952)
Porter Hall as Indian agent Kraemer (center), the man who cheats the Apache out of their rations in The Half-Breed (1952)
Charlie Wolf, to Dan, about peace talks: “I go to chief. You watch for smoke signals from Lake of Dead Princess, across valley.”
Charlie Wolf to Dan: “I teach you to be good Indian. You teach me to be good white man.”
Capt. Jackson: “You might be getting the short end of the deal.”
Charlie Wolf: “Take chance.”
Helen, when Charlie Wolf kisses her: “Let me go, you half-breed. Let me go!”
Marshal Cassidy: “I wish the army was here. Until they get here, we’re all swinging across a canyon on a paper rope.”
Janis Carter as Helen Dalhen, the gals who captures nearly everyone’s attention in The Half-Breed (1952)
Sammy White as Willy Wayne, promoter for the dance troupe, reacting to news that Indians are approaching in The Half-Breed (1952)
Frank Wilcox as Sands and Reed Hadley as Frank Crawford, wondering why Craig has invited the Apache to town to collect their rations in The Half-Breed (1952)
Judy Walsh as Nah-Lin, sister of the half-breed Apache Charlie Wolf in The Half-Breed (1952)
Jack Buetel as Charlie Wolf, pointing out a signal spot to Dan Craig (Robert Young) in The Half-Breed (1952)
Jack Buetel as Charlie Wolf, realizing he misunderstood the intentions of Helen Dalhen (Janis Carter) in The Half-Breed (1952)
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