One of the first of the CinemaScope films (this was Warners first film in the process), this minor western veers off the beaten path and provides a solid viewing experience. A cavalry doctor (Guy Madison) is temporarily put in charge of his troop after his commanding officer is killed. But before he can reach his destination, he is assigned to protect a wagon train going thru hostile Indian territory and not only deal with his inexperience but also a possible smallpox epidemic among the wagon train’s populace. The romance subplot is weak but director David Butler (who mostly directed musicals at Warners) use of the then new CinemaScope process is exceptional and fluid, most notably during the film’s set piece, the final Indian attack. James Whitmore and Joan Weldon co-star and Dimitri Tiomkin’s energetic score though often excessive is effective. Heartily recommended to western fans.
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