One Little Indian (1973)

On the run from the U.S. Cavalry where he faces a hangman's noose, a soldier (James Garner) is saddled with a ten year old runaway (Clay O'Brien) and an ill tempered camel named Rosie. Directed by Bernard McEveety (NAPOLEON AND SAMANTHA). This family friendly Disney movie has a little more bite than their usual live action offerings. By 1973, Disney's star in residence Fred MacMurray was getting a little too old for shenanigans like this so James Garner stepped in. One of the most likable of actors, Garner brings his boyish charm to the forefront along with his sincerity. The film touches on subjects like the massacre of Native Americans by the U.S. Cavalry so this isn't your usual Disney family movie. Still, the overuse of unnecessary comic touches only serves to detract from the more dramatic aspects of the film. The film's most touching moment is the death of a camel, not its human elements. The lackluster score is by Jerry Goldsmith. With Vera Miles, Jodie Foster, Pat Hingle, Andrew Prine, Jim Davis and Jay Silverheels.