Run of the Arrow **** (1957, Rod Steiger, Sarita Montiel, Brian Keith, Ralph Meeker) – Classic Movie Review 3469

Writer-producer-director Samuel Fuller’s 1957 movie is an ambitious, tough, odd Western and it is one of the important works of cult film-maker Fuller, who said: ‘Rod Steiger overdoes it and I had to keep an eye on him. He has lots of talent but he doesn’t know how to use it’.

Rod Steiger does extremely  well in a difficult role as Private O’Meara, an Irish-accented Southern sharpshooter for the Virginia Volunteers, who wants to continue the fight against the North after the Civil War, so he undergoes an endurance test and joins the Sioux Indians and takes a wife.

Steiger’s Method acting, Brian Keith as moral Cavalry officer Captain Clark, Ralph Meeker as Indian-hating Lieutenant Driscoll, Joseph F Biroc’s cinematography and the bursts of grim action are all highly impressive individual components of a pretty great Western.

It also stars Sarita (Sara) Montiel as Yellow Moccasin, Charles Bronson (as Blue Buffalo), Tim McCoy as General Allen, Jay C Flippen (Walking Coyote) and Olive Carey as Mrs O’Meara.

Steiger said: ‘What do you mean Run of the Arrow is my best film – haven’t you seen The Pawnbroker?’

Also in the cast are H M Wynant, Neyle Morrow, Frank DeKova, Tim McCoy, Stuart Randall, Frank Warner, Billy Miller, Chuck Hayward, Chuck Robertson, Roscoe Ates, Don Orlando, Bill White Jr and Carleton Young.

Montiel’s voice is dubbed by Angie Dickinson.

Steiger badly sprained his ankle, so Fuller got one of the Indian extras to run in his place and shoots only feet instead of close-ups or medium shots.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3469

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