Dakota Incident (1956)

Sadly Over-hyped

Good concept, poorly executed.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Please don't confuse the B&W John Wayne western "Dakota" with this Trucolor film, starring Linda Darnell and Dale Robertson. Both were released by Republic studios and both included Ward Bond playing a major character. This one was mostly filmed in Red Rock Canyon, southern CA, which somewhat resembles the badlands of South Dakota.Aside from the western action sequences, the main thing of interest is the romantic give and take between Dale Robertson(as Johnny) and Linda Darnell(as Amy), which provides some chuckles here and there. In accordance with standard formula, at first, Linda is put off by Dale's egoism and chauvinism, but gradually warms up to him, as she is impressed with his backing up his claims. His final act that broke her icy attitude, comes near the end, when Dale says he will keep his promise to the dying John Hamilton to clear his name from hosting the bank robbery at the bank where he was a teller. This robbery was actually carried out by Dale and his 2 deceased partners. Assuming he will keep this promise along with returning the money, this impresses Linda as to his honesty.Several reviewers mention the opening segment, in which the team of 3 bank robbers are riding along, when one(Largo) suggests to another (Frank) that they kill Frank's brother(Dale), so that the money can be split 2 ways instead of 3. Amazingly, Frank agrees to this!(Frank definitely should not have been characterized as Dale's brother)!. They shoot at Dale several times, killing his horse, and apparently Dale, as well. But, the sloppy pair fail to check to make sure he's dead! After they leave, Dale gets up, apparently minimally hurt by a bullet or by the fall from his horse. He walks to town, carrying his saddle. Later, when he has a gun duel with Largo in town, he falls down, apparently dead. Largo staggers over to him and collapses. Dale then arises, apparently unhurt and says to his deceased opponent "I didn't think you would fall for that opossum trick twice". Dale also has a gun duel with brother Frank, winning again, but not killing Frank. He tells Frank to get out of town. Later, on a stage coach run, Frank is found dead, of a Cheyenne arrow.A stage comes into town with arrows sticking out everywhere and most of the people dead. A number of people, including Linda are anxious to get on to Laramie, but nobody wants to be the driver, until Dale volunteers. Linda later asks him why he volunteered to drive. His answer suggests because she was on the stage and he didn't want to lose her. Dale, as well as the 5 passengers later regret they decided to take this stage, as they have 2 traumatic experiences. Firstly, a wheel comes off the stage, perhaps from Dale's inexperience at driving a stage. This causes the stage to crash and land on it's side. Miraculously, no one inside is even hurt, let alone killed. Dale, who is dragged a considerable distance by the fleeing horses likewise has nary a scratch! As this is in the middle of Cheyenne country, they are in a very bad situation. They decide to hold up in a trench-like gully, not knowing what to do next, being very short on water. Soon, Cheyenne start throwing arrows and lead at them. Then, the Cheyenne place a canteen where they have to crawl out of their trench to get it. Two of the 4 male passengers die trying to get this canteen or a mirage of water. Senator Blakely(Ward Bond), who has been giving pro-Indian speeches all along, dies when he climbs out of the trench to plead with the Cheyenne to buzz off. The 4th male passenger, John Hamilton, is shot trying to steal some Cheyenne ponies. However, he makes it back to the trench, with Dale's help. However, he will soon die. He extracts a promise from Dale, that he will clear Hamilton's name, as the accused in the robbery that Dale and partners committed, and will return the money. After Hamilton dies, Linda asks Dale why he should keep that promise. Who will know if he doesn't. Dale claims he will keep the promise, because he will know if he doesn't. Regardless, looks like their chance of surviving their current situation is virtually nil, unless they can somehow turn the Cheyenne from enemies into friends. I won't tell you the conclusion. See the movie to find out. It's available on You Tube now.I enjoyed the movie. I liked Robertson's laconic self confidence and Oklahoma twang. I also liked Linda's more openly stated confidence and fancy colorful outfit. Ward Bond stood out periodically as the 'pretentious blowhard', to quote Linda, always talking up giving the Indians a chance to stick to a peace treaty, and dying in the effort. The screenplay was marred by the occasional implausible event. I've discussed the wrecked stage event. Also, the little stream of water that finally flows into the gulch where the stage people are hiding, after most have died. There was no hint of rain nearby. The ending may seem implausible, as well, but possible.

Dakota Incident is a minor western with a pretty decent cast. A stagecoach of very different people is attacked by Indians and have to band together to survive. The set up is pretty slow as it introduces the main characters but there are some decent scenes before the main event begins, certainly enough to keep you watching. If I'm being honest I found the lead Dale Robertson to be a bit annoying but the supporting cast especially John Lund and Ward Bond are pretty good. The real star though is the beautiful Linda Darnell who is great as the strong but alluring Amy Clarke. On the downside at times it's a bit too talky for it's own good which does slow the pace too much at times. There is no effort to portray the Indians as anything other than the generic bad guys apart from the character of Senator Blakely who sees them as more than that. This is a western that ticks most of the boxes tumbleweed, saloons, card games, gunfights, howling coyotes, Indians, stagecoaches, good looking young woman. The lot. So for all it's faults this is still an enjoyable western if by no means a classic.

This western gets of to a good start when two bank robbers connive to shoot the third in the back and take his share of the loot. Too bad for them they didn't check that he was dead because he will bump into them again in town. In many stories the conclusion would be when he faced down the two who tried to kill him; here that is just the beginning of his adventure. He is one of several people wanting to get to Laramie; it seems everybody wants to go there including a senator who is preaching the case for peace with the Indians, a woman called Amy Clarke who wants to catch up with the partner who robbed her and a travelling minstrel. The ticket seller tells them that the stage is full but when it finally arrives it is clear that there will be places available… those aboard are full of Cheyenne arrows! They don't get far before the coach loses a wheel and they have to take cover in a dry riverbed as the Cheyenne prepare to attack. When the attack comes not all of them will make it out alive.I was surprised just how much I enjoyed this less well known western, the opening scene got me interested and I was not bored from that moment till the end. I hadn't heard of any of the actors before but thought they all did a pretty good job, especially Dale Robertson who played the bank robber John Banner and Linda Darnell who played Amy Clarke; it isn't surprising that all the male characters took an interest in her; she was stunning in her scarlet dress. I feared that it would be an old fashioned 'white man good, Indian bad' film however by the end our anti-Indian hero had grown to respect them. The action was pretty tense and I was surprised at how much bright red blood we see; most of the westerns I've seen from this era show very little if any. If you enjoy westerns of this era I'd certainly recommend this one; it might not be a classic but it is still worth watching.

Dakota Incident is a curiosity for several reasons. It will be obvious from the start that it was made long before anyone ever thought of political correctness. Although, the Ward Bond character softens the edge with "maybe we can communicate with them, after all they're humans, too" type of dialogue. His part stands side-by-side with the preacher attemtping to communicate with the Martians in War of the Worlds. In fact, it's uncanny. The title is curious too. Use of the word "Incident" contributes an importance and sophistication to the film that probably didn't hurt boxoffice. The contrived assortment of characters and Linda Darnell's fancy dress and hat are wonderful dated touches that make Dakota Incident a cool western artifact from the mid-fifties.