Soldier Blue on DVD (1970)

Average rating: 68%

from 300 members

4 Critics reviews
23 Members reviews

Starring:	Candice Bergen, Peter Strauss, Donald Pleasence
Director:	Ralph Nelson
Studio:	MOMENTUM PICTURES
Run time:	109 mins
Certificate:
Collections:	100 Wild Westerns
User collections:	Movie of the year, 1970: the year of interesting failures, Dvds that have been censored/shortened in the U.K
Genres:	Action/Adventure
Languages:	English
Released:	21/03/2005

Brief synopsis of Soldier Blue

This violent drama is based on an allegedly historic encounter between white settlers and the Cheyenne Indians, of the west. Based on Theodore V. Olsen's novel ARROW IN THE SUN, the account enacts the struggle of a U.S. soldier named Honus Gant (Peter Strauss) and a white woman named Cresta (Candice Bergen) who has been captured by the Indians two years earlier. The pair is hoping to stay alive until they can reach the nearest army outpost. When the Cheyenne slaughter the paymaster's party, with which they have been travelling, the two carry on to encounter several unusual characters. Donald Pleasance is perfect in his portrayal of Isaac Q. Cumber, who holds them captive, while hoping to sell the Cheyenne guns, in order to acquire some of gold they stole from the paymaster. When Honus is wounded, Cresta goes ahead alone, only to discover that the army plans to wipe the Indians out entirely. She hopes to return to help Honus, and warn the Cheyenne to flee, before the handful of them that are left, are wiped out. Ralph Nelson directs, and keeps the allegiances even, revealing the true tragedy behind the conflict.

Related

The Big Country

our price: £4.43

A Fistful Of Dynamite

our price: £4.73

Two Mules For Sister Sara

Little Big Man

our price: £4.43

Giant

our price: £6.93

Critics Reviews

Radio Times

Very controversial on its release, this dramatisation of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 does not stint on the appalling carnage meted out to the Cheyenne by the US Cavalry. Scenes of women and children being raped and mutilated were cut by the British censor and Ralph Nelson's film was widely condemned for its extreme violence. It closely resembles Little Big Man in its tale of a white person — in this case Candice Bergen — who is kidnapped by Cheyenne tribesmen and becomes culturally enriched rather than bigoted. Like Arthur Penn's critically rated film, the vilified Soldier Blue owed a lot to the hugely influential book Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and is an explicit allegory of the My Lai massacre in Vietnam.

Rating of 1
stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

Extremely violent 'anti-violence' Western with a particularly nauseating climax following clichés all the way. From a director with pretensions.

Time Out

A grimly embarrassing anti-racist Western about the US Cavalry's notorious Sand Creek Indian massacre in 1864. In the... Read more on www.timeout.com

See all 4 Critics Reviews »

Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Best Ever Western

Owen McCarthy from Gloucestershire , 20/05/2005

If you want a version of the wild west seldom told, then this is the film for you. Made well before any ofthe usual knocking the USA films were made. There is a warning on the opening title scene, be warned they mean every word of it. The end brings one to tears, thinking what fellow human being can do in the name of progress is a disturbing thought. Well acted throughout, the only real let down is the fiance, but he is in it for such a short time it does not matter. The screwy general of the cavalry, is too realistic for comfort, you can imagine it was his offspring that gave the orders in the trenches to go over the top. Great film not to be missed. I cannot praise it highly enough, I watched this when it was first released and it is still as good as ever.

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

Report offending content.

Read all reviews