''Distant Drums'' is a 1951 American

Florida Western A Florida Western can be used to describe a small number of films and literature set in the 19th century, particularly around the time of the Second Seminole War. Not a significant number of these films have been made, as most Hollywood and other g ...

film directed by

Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh (born Albert Edward Walsh; March 11, 1887December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent screen actor George Walsh. He wa ...

and starring

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

. It is set during the

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans and Black Indians. It was part of a ser ...

in the 1840s, with Cooper playing an Army captain who successfully destroys a fort held by Spanish gunrunners and is pursued into the

Everglades The Everglades is a natural region of tropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissim ...

by a large group of

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...

s. The fort used in the film was the historic

Castillo de San Marcos The Castillo de San Marcos ( Spanish for "St. Mark's Castle") is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States; it is located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine, Florida. It was designed by the Spanish ...

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; es, San Agustín ) is a city in the Southeastern United States and the county seat of St. Johns County on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabi ...

, and most of the principal photography was shot on location in Florida. ''Distant Drums'' is wildly historically inaccurate, received mixed reviews upon release, and was a moderate financial success. It is notable for being the source of the

Wilhelm scream The Wilhelm scream is a stock sound effect that has been used in a number of films and TV series, beginning in 1951 with the film '' Distant Drums''. The scream is usually used when someone is shot, falls from a great height, or is thrown from ...

sound effect, which is believed to have been voiced by cast member Sheb Wooley and is used when a supporting character is attacked by an

alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additional ...

Plot

During the

in 1840, US Army General

Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...

sends naval Lieutenant Tufts and scout Monk to a remote Florida island home, where the reclusive Captain Quincy Wyatt lives with his 5-year-old son. The soldiers' mission is to destroy a remote "old Spanish fort" being used as a base for Spanish gunrunners aiding the

Seminoles The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and ...

, and they convince the reluctant Wyatt to lead the small strike force as Taylor had requested. Wyatt and his men succeed in destroying the fort (the historic

, which was not harmed during filming), but not before rescuing a group of prisoners who were being held there. One of them, Judy Beckett, develops a romantic attraction to Capt. Wyatt as they flee from a large group of pursuing Seminoles through the

. The journey is difficult, and several of the troops are killed, including one who is attacked by an

and produces the first

as he is dragged under water. Wyatt leads the survivors to his remote homestead, where he is shocked to discover that his home has been burned and his son is missing. Meanwhile, the pursuing Seminoles arrive nearby, and Wyatt challenges their chief, Ocala, to single combat. Wyatt kills him in an underwater fight and the Seminoles flee. Soon after, he discovers that his son had been taken to safety before his home had been attacked and they are reunited.

Cast

as Captain Quincy Wyatt * Richard Webb as Lieutenant Tufts *

Mari Aldon Mari Aldon (born Marija Aldona Pauliutė; 17 November 1925 – 31 October 2004) was a Lithuanian-born American actress. Early life Mari Aldon was born in Tauragė, Lithuania. Her father Antanas Paulius was a policeman, mother Antanina (Antos� ...

as Judy Beckett *

Arthur Hunnicutt Arthur Lee Hunnicutt (February 17, 1910 – September 26, 1979) was an American actor known for his portrayal of wise, grizzled, and old rural characters. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ...

as Monk *

Carl Harbaugh } Carl Harbaugh ( – February 26, 1960) was an American film actor, screenwriter and director. Biography On Broadway, Harbaugh performed in ''The Greyhound'' (1912) and ''The Bludgeon'' (1914). He was married to Frances Lawson Bouis (? - ...

as Duprez *

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor.The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

as Private Mohair *

Robert Barrat Robert Harriot Barrat (July 10, 1891 – January 7, 1970) was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor. Early years Barratt was born on July 10, 1891, in New York City and was educated in the public schools there. He ...

as General

* Bob Burns as Indian Boy (uncredited) * Larry Carper as Chief Ocala (uncredited) * Sheb Wooley as Private Jessup (uncredited)

Notes

External links

* * {{Raoul Walsh 1951 films 1951 Western (genre) films 1950s historical films American Western (genre) films American historical films Western (genre) cavalry films Cultural depictions of Zachary Taylor 1950s English-language films Films directed by Raoul Walsh Films scored by Max Steiner Films set in 1840 Films set in Florida Seminole Wars Warner Bros. films 1950s American films