The Indian Fighter (1955)

Despite a peace treaty being signed, tensions between whites and Indians are high. A former Confederate soldier and Indian scout (Kirk Douglas) is assigned to accompany a wagon train of settlers headed for Oregon through Sioux country. But two underhanded varmints (Walter Matthau, Lon Chaney Jr.) riding in the wagon train plot to steal the gold on the Indian's land. A run of the mill western with handsome Oregon landscapes shot in CinemaScope by Wilfred M. Cline (CALAMITY JANE). It comes off as a vanity project for Kirk Douglas which is not surprising as his production company produced the film. No other men in the film are as brave, rugged or as principled as Kirk. For western lovers only. Still, with one exception, its depiction of Native Americans are free of the stereotypes perpetuated by many westerns. The one exception is Hank Wordern (THE SEARCHERS) who sells out his own people for "fire water". Directed by Andre De Toth (HOUSE OF WAX). With Elsa Martinelli (HATARI!) in her American film debut, Walter Abel, Elisha Cook Jr., Alan Hale, Ray Teal and Diana Douglas (Kirk's ex, Michael's mother) as a husband hunting frontierswoman.