Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Audie Murphy is John Philip Clum, an Indian agent sent by the Dutch Reformed Church to the San Carlos Apache Reservation, where the cavalry’s strong-handed approach to dealing with reservation Indians isn’t working.

Upon reaching the reservation, Clum has the Apache leaders freed from chains, orders the cavalry platoon off the land, then has the Apaches form their own police force.

Later, he even arms the Indians — to the dismay of local whites — so they can hunt their own meat.

Most of the reservation Indians come to admire Clum.

The only problem is that Geronimo is lurking about. And when he and his renegade Apache braves attack a wagon train, they threaten to bring the cavalry back to the reservation.

Hoping to keep that from happening, Clum heads into the hills with his Apache police force, hoping to stop the hostilities.

Audie Murphy as John P. Clum, returning weapons to the Apache for hunting only in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Ainslie Pryor as Capt. Larsen and Charles Drake as Sgt. Tom Sweeny give Clum a soldier’s welcome when he arrives at San Carlos in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Review:

Murphy is believable as the peace-loving would-be minister who prefers a more humane approach to solving whatever Indian problem exists at San Carlos, but some of the plot twists are a bit too far fetched for the film to be wholly successful.

Anne Bancroft and Pat Crowley provide the romantic subplot, and a touch of humor to the proceedings.

Bancroft is Tianay, an Apache woman in mourning … until she meets Clum. Crowley is the sophisticated Eastern lady who comes West to marry Clum, and finds him living with Tianay. Needless to say, that doesn’t go over too well.

Jay Silverheels is Geronimo and Charles Drake plays the former cavalry sergeant who helps Clum on the reservation.

Anne Bancroft as Tianay, the Apache widow assigned to care for John Clum in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Pat Crowley as Mary Dennison Clum upset to learn that Tianay has been living with Clum (Audie Murphy) in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Directed by:
Jesse Hibbs

Cast:
Audie Murphy … John P. Clum
Anne Bancroft … Tianay
Pat Crowley … Mary Dennison
Charles Drake … Sgt. Tom Sweeny
Tommy Rall … Taglito
Robert Warwick … Chief Eskiminzin
Jay Silverheels … Geronimo
Eugen Mazzola … Tono
Victor Millan … Santos
Anthony Caruso .. Disalin
Ainslie Pryor … Capt. Larsen
Morris Ankrum … Gen. Wade
Addison Richards … Gov. Safford

Runtime: 88 min.

Robert Warwick as Chief Eskiminzin, standing up to Geronimo on behalf of his people in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Jay Silverheels as Geronimo, looking for Apache braves to join him in taking up weapons against the whites in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Memorable lines:

Gov. Safford: “This is a remote area. Or I should say the eastern churches are remote to us. How can they presume you would understand our Indian problem?”
John P. Clum: “They feel the problems of human beings are the same everywhere, sir. Indian or not.”

Sgt. Sweeney: “How long you planning to stay? The last agent stayed three weeks.”
John P. Clum: “That the record?”
Sweeney: “For the ones that lived.”

John P. Clum, when Tianay suggests he could have more than one wife: “It’s not the white’s man way. Our God and out laws frown on such things.”
Tianay: “Your God is good maybe. But perhaps he would not mind if in this one way you were different from other whites.”
Clum: “Tianay, there’s a saying in our Bible. Our God is a jealous God. Our women are jealous, too.”

Audie Murphy as John P. Clum, explaining his plan to Gov. Safford (Addison Richards) in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Morris Ankrum as Gen. Wade, hearing of John P. Clum’s plans for the San Carlos reservation in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Eugen Mazzola as Tono, Tianay’s son, laughing upon learning Clum’s name in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Anthony Caruso as Disalin and Victor Millan as Santos, debating whether Clum’s ways can be trusted in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Audie Murphy as John P. Clum introduces his new wife Mary (Pat Crowley) to Tono (Eugene Mazzola) and Tianay in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Audie Murphy as John P. Club, reacting to the sudden arrival of armed soldiers at San Carlos in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Tommy Rall as Taglito and Charles Drake as Sweeny, carefully approaching Geronimo’s camp in Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Anne Bancroft as Tianay tends to a wounded John P. Clum (Audie Murphy) in Walk the Proud Land (1956)