Duel at Diablo (1966)

• Year: 1966
• Released: 18 Jun 1966
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 1 nomination
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060355/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Duel_at_Diablo
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: Approved
• Genre: Drama, Thriller, Western
• Runtime: 103 min
• Writer: Marvin H. Albert, Michael M. Grilikhes
• Director: Ralph Nelson
• Cast: James Garner, Sidney Poitier, Bibi Andersson
• Keywords: based on novel or book, native american, duel, apache nation, illegitimate son,

6.5/10

Duel at Diablo Storyline

Lieutenant McAllister is ordered to transport several ammunition wagons to another fort through Apache territory with only a small troop of rookie soldiers to guard them. Along for the ride is ex-scout Jess Remsberg who is trying to track down Ellen Grange, who, having recently been freed from Apache captivity, has mysteriously run off again to rejoin them. Remsberg frees Ellen again and leaves her with the embattled soldiers as he rides off to the fort, not only for help, but to find the man who killed and scalped his Indian wife.

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Duel at Diablo Movie Reviews

The Fight At Diablo Canyon

James Garner leaves behind his usual likable rogue that he normally plays for a role in Duel at Diablo as a grim and vengeful scout for the Army who’s been told by Lieutenant Bill Travers and graphically shown that his Apache wife has been killed. If he goes on a mission scouting for Travers delivering ammunition and green troops to another fort, he’ll meet up with the man who had the scalp, the marshal there, John Crawford.

Garner’s not the only who’s lived in both the white and Indian world. He rescues Bibi Andersson who’s been held captive by the Indians and when he brings her back to her husband, Dennis Weaver, he’s not exactly happy to see her. Decent white women were to do the honorable thing back in the day and commit suicide before being defiled by an Indian. Andersson’s not welcome back in the white world.

In the end nearly the whole cast is in a desperate battle for their lives against Apaches who have jumped the reservation. Also in the battle is former buffalo soldier Sidney Poitier. And with a whole lot of green troops in the battle, Poitier being around comes in mighty handy.

Duel At Diablo is not a western for the squeamish, it gets pretty graphic at times. The themes that were explored in such films as The Searchers, Trooper Hook, and Two Rode Together are really explored far more here. There’s also a little bit of Stagecoach in Duel At Diablo with Garner like John Wayne on a vengeance quest against the people who murdered his family.

Sidney Poitier’s part is interesting in that there really is no racial reference as far as his blackness is concerned. In fact Poitier having been in the army and fought the Apaches has just about the same attitudes towards them as the white characters do.

This is a good western, maybe a great one, but not one for the faint hearted.

good actors in standard western

Lieutenant McAllister (Bill Travers) is ordered to transport ammunition through Apache territory with only a small troop of rookie soldiers to guard them. Along for the ride is ex-scout Jess Remsberg (James Garner) who is trying to track down Ellen Grange (Bibi Andersson) who keeps running off to the Apache and away from her husband Willard Grange (Dennis Weaver). Also there is Toller (Sidney Poitier) who is breaking in the soldier’s wild horses.

This is rough and tumble old fashioned western. The men are tough, and the Apaches are tougher. The landscape is even harder. All the characters are stock characters. The good news is that they are played by some of the best actors of all times.

Exploitative Western with Racial Morality Themes

I DVR’d films with James Garner in it, and this film was recorded from the MGM channel as a result. When it started with the Bowie knife slashing the screen, I knew this would be a different western. The title cards were really weird, they used a white font similar to those I’ve seen on low budget drive in films next to a custom dark font that just seemed weird but interesting, it beckoned low budget to me. Then I watched the aerial shots of the beautiful scenery, which were amazing in HD, good job by MGM in presenting this film, watch it in this format and not on low quality like on a Youtube, it’s a difference to the overall enjoyment. So I quickly reasoned, yes it’s kind of low budget but the people involved considered it more then just a cheap western. The next scene starts with violence and graphic (for the time) torture, I knew pretty fast that this would be exploitative as far as the action goes. Spoilers, I predicted to my wife when the soldiers are riding out on the mission that 90 percent would die, and I nailed it. The morality tales concern race and mixed race relationships. The Indians are presented as really ruthless and willing to be killed off in droves which seemed over the top. The arrows are shown multiple times hitting soldiers in all body parts, however they did that, it was a very effective effect. I’m guessing they played the arrow scenes in reverse. Funny blooper that I caught, Poitier is twirling his pistol and when he puts the gun back in the holster he misses the holster and has to quickly pull it back and reset it. I’m surprised that wasn’t re-shot but I guess the low budget comes into play. The woman character is played by a European with a thick accent and so is the Army Officer, which lowered my suspension of belief but I guess is plausible. Poitier’s role seems unnecessary since the racial morality is already being addressed with the white woman and her mixed race child, luckily, it doesn’t get over the top on the morality issues to the point that it detracts from the action. I noticed only one other black soldier and he has no lines and is only seen briefly which also made me question why Poitier is the only Buffalo Soldier around. Weaver’s role is schizophrenic, one scene he’s a total bigot, the next scene a caring husband. For those who like character actor roles, I enjoyed seeing William Redfield, he reminds me in this movie of a character I would be like, realistic. There is a tread in there about Garner’s murdered Indian wife that loosely ties it all together but there are some bad plot holes and character motivations that I didn’t think were realistic. With all that said, the film is entertaining and if you are looking for some good action check it out. 7 of 10, for this unconventional western, entertaining.