Sal Mineo is White Bull, a young Sioux eager to prove his manhood. So he borrows a rope he’s forbidden from using and tries to catch a wild horse that catches his eye.
He fails, provokes the ire of Yellow Bull, leader of the hunting party and returns to his mother’s camp in disgrace.
But he wonders back out into the wild looking for a bow and arrow he lost and discovers the wild horse has gotten tangled in the aforementioned rope. Slowly but surely, he tames the horse he names Tonka Waken — the Great One.
But trouble is on the horizon. Once back in camp, Yellow Bull exercises his authority and seizes the horse. Rather than see Tonka be mistreated, White Bull sits the horse free.
The horse winds up in possession of the U.S. Cavalry, then in the hands of Capt. Miles Keough, another man who appreciates the horse’s strength, quickness and bravery.
He rides Tonka — now known as Comanche — into the Battle of the Little Bighorn with Custer. Whtie Bull winds up there as well, fighting alongside best friend Strong Bear and Yellow Bull.
Sal Mineo as White Bull, setting his sights on the wild horse he wants to make his own for the first time in Tonka (1956)
Philip Carey as Capt. Keough, showing Tonka, aka Comanche, his bill of sale in Tonka (1956)
Review:
Disney takes the story of Comanche and turns it into an entertaining family Western, one that’s quite solid as long as you keep in mind that the primary target audience was young adolescents.
The fight at the Little Bighorn is surprisingly well done. Sal Mineo, about 19 when the film was released, turns in a solid performance, as does Philip Carey in the role of Capt. Keough.
Longtime TV actor Britt Lomond gets the role of the blood-thirsty Custer. He’s best remembered for playing Zorro’s villain on TV in the early 1950s.
The roles of Tonka and White Bull at the Battle of the Little Big Horn are far-fetched, of course. But, again, remember the audience Disney had in mind.
John War Eagle as Sitting Bull, White Bull’s uncle, contemplating war with the whites in Tonka (1956)
Britt Lomond as George Armstrong Custer, itching for glory, orders be damned, in Tonka (1956)
Directed by:
Lewis R. Foster
Cast:
Sal Mineo … White Bull
Philip Carey … Capt. Keough
Jerome Courtland … Lt. Nowlan
Rafael Campos … Strong Bear
H.M. Wynant … Yellow Bull
Joy Page … Prairie Flower
Britt Lomond … Gen. Custer
Herbert Rudley … Capt. Benteen
Sydney Smith … Gen. Terry
John War Eagle … Sitting Bull
Gregg Martell … Cpl. Korn
Slim Pickens … Ace
Robert Buzz Henry … Lt. Crittenden
Runtime: 97 min.
Title tune: “Tonka”
H.M. Wyannt as Yellow Bull, the warrior who claims ownership of Tonka after White Bull has trained the horse in Tonka (1956)
Rafael Campos as Strong Bear, White Bull’s best friend, riding into battle for the first time in Tonka (1956)
Memorable lines:
Yellow Bull, after White Bull has “borrowed” and lost his prized rope: “From now on, you will walk with the women and the dogs.”
Yellow Bull’s mother: “Vengeance is a poor replacement or honest achievement, my son.”
White Bull. after taming Tonka: “All that remains now is to go on a hunt — to kill a buffalo. And to take a scalp in battle. We will do these things together, Tonka. You’ll take me to the hunt. And you’ll ride me to the battle.”
Capt. Keough: “That horse runs like a scared Comanche with a load of buckshot in his breeches.”
Custer: “Capt. Benteen’s putting together a small patrol to run down some Indians. They burned a wagon train, ran off with two white women. They must be caught and punished.”
Capt. Keough: “And the women rescued.”
Custer: “It’s more important to teach those red savages who’s running this country. They must learn quickly. Or be exterminated.”
Joy Page as Prairie Flower, watching her son’s proud return to camp with the wild horse he’s tamed in Tonka (1956)
Jerome Courtland as Lt. Nowlan, discussing what makes a good cavalry horse with Capt. Keough in Tonka (1956)
Philip Carey as Capt. Keough, the cavalry officer who shares White Bull’s love of of Tonka, aka Comanche, in Tonka (1956)
Sal MIneo as White Bull, briefly reunited with Tonka at the cavalry post in Tonka (1956)
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