Setting the action in Florida land , 1835, and taken from the pages of history , a Cavalry lieutenant Lance (Rock Hudson) recounts his efforts to make peace with the Seminole Indian tribe led by chief Osceola (Anthony Quinn) , under the nasty Major Harlan Degan (Richard Carlson) . Army Lieutenant is assigned a dangerous mission by the evil Major , as they have to face the dangerous Everglades , quicksands and hostile Indians in order to reach safety and battle against risks . As Seminoles purportedly blocking the progress of White civilization . As the motley group throughout jungle swamplands during an Indian uprising . Lance must accompany the Major along with a regiment of soldiers into the Everglades to rout the Seminole Indians who are threatening the early settlers in Florida . After attacking a Seminole fort , they are betrayed then the command is forced to get away , but an injured Lance is rescued by Osceola and submitted to captivity .
This exciting Western packs thrills , noisy action , spectacular struggles and lots of gutsy adventure . Brawling , sprawling , almost primitive action, teeming across the screen . This is a distinctive frontier saga with a special look at uniforms evidently from an earlier age than ordinary cavalry fares . Budd Boetticher demonstrates a special talent for making the densest action sequences seem uncomplicated and uncluttered and his characters , like the scenes distinguished , often have an unfettered , raw power . As well as exploring the anguish of soldiers , the hard relationship between a disturbing Major and his troops and including jarring bursts of violence . This is a moving story about a surrounded garrison and director takes a fine penned script creating a cavalry-Indians tale that is far from ordinary , exploring the anguish and desperation of soldiers and a nutty Major . The characters are fairly basic , but a wonderful use is made of the Florida Everglades , though much of them shot in Universal studios . Thrilling nocturnal army attack on Seminole encampment which results to be a marvellously vivid piece sequence-building , thanks in no small part to slick camerawork by Boetticher . Budd makes the most of the visual contrast between the stiff-upper-lip collars and the swampy environments . Main cast is pretty well . Anthony Quinn gives the best acting as the Indian leader and Hudson's boyhood friend . Support cast is frankly good such as : Lee Marvin , Hugh O'Brian , Russell Johnson , Ralph Moody , James Best and special mention for Richard Carlson as unbalance-mind Major .It displays a glimmer and brilliant cinematography by Russell Metty, Universal Pictures regular . And a moving as well as charming musical score by Henry Mancini and Milton Rosen , though uncredited . The motion picture was well directed by Budd Boetticher who was a Western expert . His first Western was in 1949 called The Wolf Hunters, following Cimarron Kid , Bronco buster , Horizons West , Seminole, and Wings of the hawk . In 1956 with 7 Men From Now starts his collaboration with Randolph Scott, along with producer Harry Joe Brown and writer Burt Kennedy , including prestigious titles as Tall T, Decision at sundown, Buchanan rides alone , Ride lonesome, Comanche station , among others. His last Western was in 1969 titled A time for dying with Audie Murphy. Rating 6. 5/10 . The movie will appeal to Western aficionados and Rock Hudson fans .
The film is partially based on facts about Osceola (1804 - January 30, 1838, Asi-yahola in Creek) : Osceola became an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida. Of mixed parentage, including Creek, Scottish, African American, and English, he was considered born to his mother's people in the Creek matrilineal kinship system. He was reared by her in the Creek tradition. When he was a child, they migrated to Florida with other Red Stick refugees after their group's defeat in 1814 in the Creek Wars. There they became part of what was known as the Seminole people. In 1836, Osceola led a small group of warriors in the Seminole resistance during the Second Seminole War, when the United States tried to remove the tribe from their lands in Florida to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. He became an adviser to Micanopy, the principal chief of the Seminole from 1825 to 1849.Osceola led the Seminole resistance to removal until he was captured on October 21, 1837, by deception, under a flag of truce,when he went to a site near Fort Peyton for peace talks. The United States first imprisoned him at Fort Marion in St. Augustine, then transported him to Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina. He died there a few months later of causes reported as an internal infection or malaria. Because of his renown, Osceola attracted visitors in prison, including renowned artist George Catlin, who painted perhaps the most well-known portrait of the Seminole leader.
