A great film !! Not only Elvis's best film BUT a GREAT WESTERN and a GREAT film. Always overlooked by the general public, because Elvis is in it, this is one of the best westerns of the 1960s. Directed by legendary auteur director Don Siegel this film has the action and tension of his best films as well as dramatically beautiful landscapes.(I would kill to see this on the BIG screen). Based on a book by western writer Clair Huffaker ( War Wagon, Posse from Hell, The Last Warrior) who with the legendary Nunally Johnson ( Prisoner of Shark Island, Jesse James, Grapes of Wrath, Dirty Dozen) have written a small action western with a statement on racism. A white man with Indian wife and their two sons ( one white and one half breed) must try to avoid choosing sides during an Indian uprising. Interestingly most films about racism deal with the causes of racism however this film deals with the consequences of racism. Also many of the other films of the time, unlike this film, reduced racism down to nasty individuals rather than societal forces. There are no sides taken although the Indians come off as more noble and intelligent that the white man. (It won a number of awards when it came out from Indian groups for its depiction of Indians) The story of a family's disintegration and descent into violence by external forces beyond it's control is truly moving. There are great performances and bits of beauty in John McIntire's and Dolores Del Rio's performances. Elvis is great also as the half breed son full of anger. Only 2 songs in the film ( one over the credits and one at the start in a party scene). A Bit of trivia : other actors slated for the role at one time or another include James Dean and Marlon Brando. Also I've read somewhere that the film had an underground street cult in the late 1960s with Black Urban youths in the US ! A great film.