Little Big Horn Reviews

Based on a true story, this film tells of a small band of cavalry men trying to get to General Custer and warn him of a probable Sioux ambush. As they move through the hostile territory, the men are killed off one by one from the arrows of an unseen enemy, until only Bridges and Ireland are left. Bridges is convinced that Ireland has stolen his wife, which adds to the tension. The building of mood and character in this film is terrific, with suspense tightly wired throughout. The two leads are good in their nerve-wracking roles. This was Lippert's most expensive film to date and the directorial debut of Warren, who had previously been a western novelist and screenwriter. He guides the film with a steady hand and the results are remarkable for a first effort. Eventually he would go on to produce some of the 1960s' most successful television programs, including "Gunsmoke" and "Rawhide."