Still, that allows for some good storytelling opportunities of the gun almost being used in the Civil War and later during the fighting between the cavalry and the Indians in the west. So take it with a grain of salt, 1954's Siege at Red River is pure historical drivel that doesn't always make a ton of sense (in a lot of ways). It's another odd, little Civil War western that is sold as part of a DVD packaging of a bunch of average to bad westerns. There are so many elements working against each other and working together in subsequent scenes that there is no way on God's green earth this movie should work...in any way. It does though, flaws and all. 'Red River' is no classic, and maybe it's not even very good all things considered. I liked it though, and that's all I care about, entertain value.
After robbing a Union train in Ohio of one of the few models of a Gatling gun in existence, Confederate spies Capt. James Farraday (Van Johnson) and Sgt. Benjy Guderman (Milburn Stone, later of Gunsmoke fame) travel west to avoid the Union soldiers searching for the missing gun. They are holed up in a small western town where a Pinkerton agent, Kelso (Jeff Morrow) and Union cavalry commanded by Lt. Braden (Craig Hill) arrive soon after, not knowing who has the gun, only that someone in town is hiding it. Farraday and Guderman meet a young woman, Nora (Joanne Dru), the owner of a nursing home, hoping she'll be able to help, but ultimately turn to a horse wrangler/rustler, Manning (Richard Boone), to help them get through the Union lines. The Pinkerton agent and the cavalry are closing in though, but they've got to keep their eyes on Manning too who looks like he'll take the first chance he can get to turn them in for the biggest payday.
I don't know if I can think of a single western that features as many discordant elements all in one place as this movie. For the most part, that's a positive. It starts as a Civil War movie, moves west, and then by the end is a straight cavalry vs. Indians flick. In between those things, we've got a traveling salesman (Johnson) selling "muscle builders" while also performing the song, Tapioca, as a signal to other Confederate agents. Then there's Van Johnson as a driven, almost obsessed Confederate agent. On the other side, there's Van Johnson, ladies man who woos Joanne Dru. Also for good measure, Stone's Sgt. Benny gets Dru drunk to throw her off their trail, Morrow's Kelso doesn't tell anyone what's going on and then flips out when things don't go his way, Hill's Lt. Braden is a talented scout/tracker masquerading as an officer, and by the end we've got an epic grouping of Indian tribes that threaten to take over the American west...oh, and there's the Civil War too.
An underrated actor and one of my favorites, Van Johnson is an interesting choice to play the lead in this Civil War western. He had a knack for starring in comedies, even romantic comedies, but was nonetheless able to play heavy dramatic roles. In 1954 along with 'Red River,' he starred in one of his most dramatic roles, The Caine Mutiny. This is a mix of a little bit of everything. As needed, Johnson moves back and forth seamlessly between drama, action, romance and comedy. It's always the sign of a good actor when it doesn't feel forced watching that change back and forth. As the straight villain, Richard Boone nails his part, the wrangler/rustler who has some ulterior motives as to what he wants to do with the Gatling gun. His Brett Manning has a bit of the gay caballero thing going on, with an odd outfit that includes a "very stylish" tie and his penchant for using a whip to strike rivals. A little flamboyant, but a worthy rivalry through all the craziness.
Not all the weirdness works though, and there's a fair share. For one, and it's a big issue, is the whole driving force of the movie. Johnson and Stone rob a Union train (which is a mess itself with people shooting each other left and right with no explanation) in hopes of turning the tide of the war which isn't going well for the South. So the robbery seems to take place in Ohio -- judging by a map that's shown after the robbery -- and then head....southwest into Indiana and Missouri. Head east or southeast, but not that direction. The decision to do so in the story is for one reason and one reason alone....the story requires the Indians to be a key part of the story late. It's just a ridiculous premise, turn the tide of war by going where there are no Confederate armies for hundreds and thousands of smiles. Then there's Joanne Dru who will she is a fine actress has a knack for ruining westerns she's in (see Red River and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, the 2nd one not so much). She's very tolerable here until her change of tone drunk scene out of a bad slapstick comedy. She also falls for Van Johnson with the snap of a finger after hating him for most of the movie.
Little things end up being the tipping point here. Director Rudolph Mate has a real mess of a movie overall. Through the haze of the mess, it is a beautiful movie. I'm really not sure where this story is supposed to take place, but seeing similar locations as John Ford used in Fort Apache and some other westerns is never a bad thing. The Utah locations are a big selling point here, especially late when the Civil War plot gets left behind for a more traditional western oater. The finale is a gem as the all-powerful Gatling gun gets stolen and re-stolen and then is finally used late during an Indian attack on a lonely cavalry outpost. As is the formula opened up by the movie, we've got a Union patrol, an enormous Indian war party, a Gatling gun, and Johnson's Confederate spy wavering over what he should do. For good measure, the cavalry and Indians have one last go at each other at a shallow water hole. Reading other reviews, I see I'm one of the few who liked this movie. It isn't great, and I can't say I'll seek it out again. But for a western I went into with low expectations, they were easily met and then some.
Siege at Red River (1954): ***/****
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