''Seminole'' is a 1953 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

Budd Boetticher Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr. ( ; July 29, 1916 – November 29, 2001) was an American film director. He is best remembered for a series of low-budget Westerns he made in the late 1950s starring Randolph Scott. Early life Boetticher was born in C ...

and starring

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Gold ...

Barbara Hale Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 – January 26, 2017) was an American actress who portrayed legal secretary Della Street in the dramatic television series '' Perry Mason'' (1957–1966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting A ...

Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...

and Richard Carlson. Much of the film was shot in the

Everglades National Park Everglades National Park is an American national park that protects the southern twenty percent of the original Everglades in Florida. The park is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States and the largest wilderness of any kind east ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. The film depicts 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 ...

(1835-1842).Budd Boetticher: The Last Interview Wheeler, Winston Dixon. Film Criticism; Meadville Vol. 26, Iss. 3, (Spring 2002): 52-0_3.

Plot

Fort King Fort King (also known as Camp King or Cantonment King) was a United States military fort in north central Florida, near what later developed as the city of Ocala. It was named after Colonel William King, commander of Florida's Fourth Infantry and ...

, Florida, in 1835, Lieutenant Lance Caldwell is charged with the murder of a sentry. At his court martial, he recounts the story of the fragile peace between the settlers and the native

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, ...

and how that peace is threatened by the strict fort commander, Major Harlan Degan, who wants to wipe out the natives. Caldwell’s childhood sweetheart, Revere Muldoon, meets

Osceola Osceola (1804 – January 30, 1838, Asi-yahola in Muscogee language, Creek), named Billy Powell at birth in Alabama, became an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida. His mother was Muscogee, and his great-grandfather was a S ...

, a Seminole chief and old friend of Lt. Caldwell's. Through respect for Caldwell, Osceola comes to the fort under a flag of truce, but is imprisoned by Maj. Degan. Osceola dies while in captivity and Caldwell is accused of his murder and jailed. Eventually, the truth comes out and the Seminole rescue Caldwell from his prison.

Cast

as Lance Caldwell *

as Revere *

as Osceola * Richard Carlson as Major Degan *

Hugh O'Brian Hugh O'Brian (born Hugh Charles Krampe; April 19, 1925 – September 5, 2016) was an American actor and humanitarian, best known for his starring roles in the ABC Western television series ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' (1955–1 ...

as Kajeck *

Russell Johnson Russell David Johnson (November 10, 1924 – January 16, 2014) was an American actor. He played Professor Roy Hinkley in ''Gilligan's Island'' and Marshal Gib Scott in '' Black Saddle''. Early life Johnson was born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, o ...

as Lt. Hamilton *

Lee Marvin Lee Marvin (born Lamont Waltman Marvin Jr.; February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and premature white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Alt ...

as Sgt. Magruder * Ralph Moody as Kulak * Fay Roope as Zachary Taylor *

James Best Jewel Franklin Guy (July 26, 1926 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as James Best, was an American television, film, stage, and voice actor, as well as a writer, director, acting coach, artist, college professor, and musician. Duri ...

as Corp. Gerard * John Daheim as Scott (as John Day)

Historical Accuracy

Osceola was arrested under the treacherous and unwholesome circumstances which the film portrays. The character of Major Harlan Degan is based on the real life General

Thomas Jesup Thomas Sidney Jesup (December 16, 1788 – June 10, 1860) was a United States Army officer known as the "Father of the Modern Quartermaster Corps". His 52-year (1808–1860) military career was one of the longest in the history of the United St ...

who eventually had to resign in disgrace over the incident. The name "Jesup" was abruptly changed to "Degan" at the last minute, only days before filming started, to prevent being sued by living descendants of Jesup. The ambush in which Jesup and his men attempt to kill an encampment of Seminole while they're sleeping, only to find they've bayoneted bales of straw wrapped in blankets and disguised as sleeping people, is based on a real incident; Jesup attempted to ambush a Seminole encampment in between what is today Umatilla, Florida and Lake Yale and the Seminole carried out a counter-ambush in which Jesup was wounded, most of his men were killed and he was carried to safety (after being shot with an arrow) by two of his own soldiers. The film is considered exceptionally realistic in its portrayal of the flaws in U.S. strategy during the Second Seminole War, its portrayal of Jesup, U.S. military uniforms and weaponry of the time period, and American social norms pertaining to race and gender. The film was also considerably ahead of its time in its overwhelmingly sympathetic and realistic portrayal of the Seminole people.The Florida Historical Quarterly, Volume 77, 1998 pg. 323

References

External links

* * * {{Budd Boetticher 1953 films 1953 Western (genre) films 1950s historical films American Indian Wars films American Western (genre) films American historical films Films directed by Budd Boetticher Films set in 1835 Films set in Florida Universal Pictures films Western (genre) cavalry films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films

Plot

Cast

Historical Accuracy

See also

References

External links