Two Flags West
Two Flags West | |
---|---|
20th Century Fox | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Two Flags West is a 1950 Western drama set during the American Civil War, directed by Robert Wise and starring Joseph Cotten, Jeff Chandler, Linda Darnell, and Cornel Wilde. The opening credits contain the following statement:
On December 8th, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a Special Proclamation, whereby Confederate Prisoners of War might gain their freedom, provided they would join the Union Army to defend the frontier West against the Indians.[1]
Based on the historical service of "
Two Flags West was one of a wave of Civil War reconciliation-themed Westerns in the 1950s, in which soldiers from North and South combine against a common foe: it included Rocky Mountain (1950), The Last Outpost (1951), Escape from Fort Bravo (1953), and Revolt at Fort Laramie (1957).[2]
Plot
In the autumn of 1864 remnants of the
The troop arrives at
Friction quickly develops between the Northern and Southern soldiers. When Tucker's men try to pursue a band of Indians but are ordered to stop, they mock the order as Yankee irresoluteness. Kenniston rebukes them, warning them they had been riding into an ambush. He assigns the Georgians to execute two civilians convicted of gunrunning. When informed that they were actually Confederate agents Tucker objects as a violation of their enlistment agreement, but to no avail. He begins plotting to desert the command, which Kenniston shrewdly deduces. Rationalising that he does not want "enemies" in his ranks, he assigns Tucker's troop to escort a wagon train across hostile territory, knowing Tucker will deliver it safely before deserting. Elena escapes by concealing herself in a wagon, which Tucker discovers but allows to continue. Ephraim Strong, a civilian in the train, reveals himself as a Confederate agent (and pretending to be a Union agent) and enlists Tucker in a plan to link California with the South. He persuades Tucker not to desert with his men but to return to Fort Thorn with Elena to gain Kenniston's confidence. While surprised by Tucker's actions, Kenniston continues to be wary of him.
The troop is away from the fort when Kenniston executes a
Cast
- Joseph Cotten as Lt. Clay Tucker USA, formerly Col. Clay Tucker CSA
- Linda Darnell as Elena Kenniston
- Jeff Chandler as Maj. Henry Kenniston
- Cornel Wilde as Capt. Mark Bradford
- Dale Robertson as Lem
- Jay C. Flippen as Sgt, Major Duffy
- Noah Beery Jr. as Corp. Cy Davis (as Noah Beery)
- Harry von Zell as Ephraim Strong
- Johnny Sands as Lt. Adams (as John Sands)
- Arthur Hunnicutt as 1st Sgt. Pickens
Production
The film was originally known as Trumpet to the Morn.
Casting
Fox had originally intended the role of "Col. Clay Tucker" to be played by either Victor Mature or Richard Basehart, but Joseph Cotten was cast at the last minute, loaned to Fox by Selznick International Pictures.
The role of the major was meant to be played by Lee J. Cobb who owed 20th Century Fox a film. (He had recently ended a long-term contract with the studio after refusing to make Where the Sidewalk Ends.) However, Cobb was replaced by Jeff Chandler, who had a six-film contract with Fox after making Broken Arrow of which this was the second movie. He had to commute from Hollywood to the location because of his radio commitments.[5][6]
Locations
The movie was filmed on location at
Historical basis
Screenwriter Frank S. Nugent developed the concept for the film while writing the screenplay for
The historical Fort Thorn was built in December 1853 on the west bank of the Rio Grande, 45 miles (72 km) north of Las Cruces, New Mexico (near present-day Hatch) to defend local settlements against raids by Apache Indians, primarily those of the Mescalero band. Fort Thorn became the eastern terminus of a road built in 1856 across Arizona from Fort Yuma until 1860, when the post closed as a permanent garrison.[11]
In 1861 it was reoccupied as a forward outpost when the Civil War began and Texas organised an expeditionary force to seize New Mexico as part of its
Union forces stationed at Fort Thorn were companies of the
The 5th Georgia Cavalry was an actual unit of the Confederate
The plot scenario of the Confederacy attempting to militarily link
Reception
Two Flags West opened October 14, 1950, at the Rivoli Theater in New York City, to a favorable review from
References
- ^ a b c "Two Flags West – notes". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
- ISBN 0-313-29019-9, p. 614.
- ISBN 0-7425-4525-3, p. 167.
- ^ Wills (2006), p. 168.
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (March 1, 1950). "Drama: Hayward Slates Picture; 20th Casts Chandler; 'Chaplains' Activated". Los Angeles Times. p. A7.
- ^ THOMAS F. BRADY (March 3, 1950). "LEE J. COBB GETS RELEASE AT FOX: Studio Ends His Contract, but May Use Him in One Film-- Actor Had Been Suspended". New York Times. p. 21.
- ^ "New Mexico filmography: Two Flags West". Filmnewmexico. Archived from the original on December 6, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
- ^ Brown later authored a book (The Galvanized Yankees) on the topic in 1963, reprinted in 1986.
- Horatio to Marcellus at the end of Act I Scene I of Hamlet.
- ISBN 0-8032-6075-X., pp. 183-184
- ^ ISBN 0-8263-0632-2, p. 271, note 58.
- ^ Col. Christopher H. McNally, who commanded the 3rd U.S.V.I. regiment of Galvanized Yankees at Julesburg, Colorado, had been a troop commander of the 3rd Cavalry at Mesilla in 1861.
- ^ Perhaps entirely coincidental, its fictional "Colonel Tucker" had an historical counterpart in Colonel Julius G. Tucker, a former cavalryman who commanded Tucker's Confederate Regiment in 1865, composed of former Union soldiers "galvanized" into Confederate service.
- ^ Brown (1963), p. 162
- ^ Brown (1963), p. 205
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (1950). "The Screen in Review: Two Flags West". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
External links
- Two Flags West at IMDb
- Two Flags West at the TCM Movie Database
- Two Flags West at AllMovie
- Review of film at Variety