The Nebraskan (1953) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Phil Carey is Wade Harper, an Indian scout whose faithful friend Wingfoot is accused of murdering a Sioux chief named Thundercloud.

The Sioux want to put Wingfoot to death; Carey takes him to Fort Carney instead where Wingfoot is locked up and thrown in a cell with a bad-to-the-bone private named Benton (Lee Van Cleef).

When Benton kills a guard and escapes, he takes Wingfoot along. Harper and the cavalry give chase, but a headstrong captain (Dennis Weaver) leads them into an ambush and only the scout survives.

Pretty soon, all three finds themselves taking refuge at a way station run by Mac McBride.

In their company are Ace Elliott and his wife Paris (Roberta Haynes), who was once Harper’s lover. They just survived an Indian attack on their stagecoach.

The Sioux under Spotted Bear track them down and make a simple demand: Either the whites turn over Wingfoot, or everyone in the station will die.

Elliott is in favor of doing just that. Between his cowardice and Benton’s desire to do anything to escape again, Harper finds himself facing challenges from inside and outside the way station.

Phil Carey as Wyane Harper, the man trying to keep peace with the Indians in The Nebraskan (1953)

Richard Webb as Ace Elliott with his wife Paris (Roberta Haynes) as the station is attacked in The Nebraskan (1953)

Review:

Okay, you know you’re in low-budget trouble when Harper and Wingfoot ride into Fort Carney just ahead of a band of Sioux shown in stock footage. The cavalry shut the front gate just in the nick of time, and the Sioux warriors stand outside whooping and hollering. “Everything’s alright now,” Harper says. “Let them yell their heads off.”

Most of the film takes place with our heroes under siege in the way station. Wallace Ford takes great delight in his role as the aging station manager, a former soldier determined to make the army pay for every bullet used in fighting off the Indians.

Meanwhile, arrows and all sorts of other things fly right at the viewer because this was filmed in 3D. The highlight comes when dual red pokers — designed for burning eyes out — come our way.

In another scene, Ace Elliott gets the drop on Wayne Harper. Wife Paris distracts him. Harper smacks a coffee pot sitting on a table and sends it flying. It conks Ace right in the noggin, giving Harper a chance to gain the upper hand.

The twist that saves the day is equally groan worthy. But we do get to see Lee Van Cleef and Dennis Weaver before they were stars and hear Jay Silverheels shout lots of warnings about whites dying from the hill outside the way station.

Wallace Ford as Mac McBride, owner of the way station attacked by Indians in The Nebraskan (1953)

Lee Van Cleef as Private Benton, forcing Wingfoot (Maurice Jara) to help his escape in The Nebraskan (1953)

Directed by:
Fred Sears

Cast:
Phil Carey …. Wayne Harper
Roberta Haynes … Paris Elliott
Wallace Ford … Mac McBride
Richard Webb … Ace Elliott
Lee Van Cleef … Private Benton
Maurice Jara … Wingfoot
Jay Silverheels … Spotted Bear
Regis Toomey … Col. Markham
Pat Hogan … Yellow Knife
Dennis Weaver … Capt. DeWitt

Runtime: 68 min.

Pat Hogan as Yellow Knike and Jay Silverheels as Spotted Bear, demanding a prisoner in The Nebraskan (1953)

Phil Carey as Wayne Harper with Paris Elliott (Roberta Haynes), the woman he once loved in The Nebraskan (1953)

Memorable lines:

Mac McBride, indicating Benton: “Who’s the fella with a face like a dead-horned toad?”
Wayne Harper: “He’s my prisoner, Mac.”

Wingfoot: “They will cut my heart from me. They will bury it with Thundercloud.”

Mac McBride to Harper, debating over who will go for help: “I stole more horses from Indians than you have hairs on your head.”

Richard Webb as Ace Elliott and Roberta Haynes as wife Paris, their trip West interrupted, with Wingfoot (Maurice Jara) in The Nebraskan (1953)

[caption id="attachment_38189" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Wallace Ford as Mac McBride and Phil Carey as Wayne Harper, trying to figure out how to stay alive in The Nebraskan (1953)