Jonathan Bliss is Capt. Harris, a Confederate captain who keeps his men fighting months after the Civil War has ended, though he doesn’t tell them that.
After all, he’s gotten word that a Union payroll carrying $300,000 is bound for Knoxville and stopping in the small town of Taswell along the way.
So he leads his hungry, war-weary men into the town and takes over the saloon where his men entertain themselves with food, drink and a trio of willing women.
Sure enough, a Union wagon arrives the next day. The Rebels spring an ambush, killing everyone but Lt. Nelson (Warren James), his fiancee Faith (Maria Lease) and her black servant Nancy (Roda Spain).
But the metal chest on the wagon contains just $2,400 in gold coins, and the rest of that anticipated payroll is no where to be found.
But Harris is determined to find it, and if that means turning his men on the lieutenant and the two women to compel them to talk, so be it.
John Bliss as Capt. Steve Harris, leader of the Rebels, in The Scavengers (1969)
Warren James as Lt. Nelson, the Union commander, in The Scavengers (1969)
Review:
A Western from director Lee Frost, who was churning out exploitation and sexploitation films at a pretty rapid pace under a variety of names in the last 1960s and early 1970s.
And it’s a bizarre Western, featuring some of the best closeups of buzzards and one of the oddest bedroom chats (between Capt. Harris and Faith) you’ve likely seen.
The latter explains why Harris is unwilling to end his personal war and is determined to keep fighting until every black man and women, south and north, is wearing chains.
You also might wind up remembering this film for the climatic gun battle between Harris’ men and a band of freed slaves. Or for the strange twist at the end.
You won’t remember it as a classic Western. It’s crudely made. And there’s nothing erotic about it.
Maria Lease as Faith, Lt. Nelson’s fiancee, in The Scavengers (1969)
Roda Spain as Nancy, Faith’s servant, in The Scavengers (1969)
Directed by:
Lee Frost
Cast:
Jonathan Bliss … Capt. Harris
Michael Divoka .. Sgt. Tom West
Warren James … Lt. Nelson
Maria Lease … Faith
Roda Spain … Nancy
The Rebs
Paul Wilmoth … Cpl. Mason
John Riazzi … Carson
Wes Bishop … Dillon
Sanford Mitchell … Parker
Bruce Kimball … Jud
Jody Barry … Williams
Tom Siegel … Bradley
At the saloon
James E. McLarty … Mr. Marsh
Uschi Digard … Lucille
Claudia Siefried … Ellie
Karen Swanson … Min
The Union
Paul Hunt … Sgt. Ivers
James K. Shea … Morse
Freddy Mizrahi … Johnson
Ben Adams … Bishop
The Freed Slaves
Tom Bowden Jr. … Polie
Fig Blackman … Jefferson
Ben Cadlett … Jess
Robert Jones … Jeremiah
James Gordon … Elijah
Runtime: 94 min.
aka:
Tombstone Territory
The Grabbers
Ambush!
Rebel Vixens
Title tune: “The Scavengers”
performed by Jody Berry
Michael Divoka as Sgt. West, the Rebels’ second in command, in The Scavengers (1969)
Paul Wilmoth as Cpl. Mason in The Scavengers (1969)
Memorable lines:
Carson, as the Rebel patrol hides in the hills: “I tell you, Mason, the word is out. Them animals know we can’t shoot ’em. And that’s why they’re just sitting around lookin’ at us.”
Mason: “Well, Carson, if’n one of ’em talks to you, don’t tell me.”
Capt. Harris to Cpl. Mason: “Corporal, the men are dead tired, bone weary, half-starved, but I know them. They’ve been with me since the start. I’ve nursed them, fed them, raised them on hate. Don’t you change that diet … Don’t appeal to their patriotism. They’re fresh out of patriotism. You put your faith in their hate, son.”
Polie, grabbing the ramrod that has pierced his gut and pulling a rebel soldier onto it: “We’re both dead, white boy.”
James E. McLarty as saloon owner Mr. Marsh in The Scavengers (1969)
Uschi Digard as Lucille, one of Mr. Marsh’s whores, in The Scavengers (1969)
Tom Bowden Jr. as Polie, one of the freed slaves, in The Scavengers (1969)
John Bliss as Capt Steve Harris with Maria Lease as Faith in The Scavengers (1969)
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