Slaughter Trail

1951

Drama / Western

Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 20%
IMDb Rating 4.5/10 10 312 312

stagecoach

Director

Irving Allen Photo
Irving Allen

Top cast

Frank McGrath Photo
Frank McGrath as Jamora
Charles Soldani Photo
Charles Soldani as Indian
Ric Roman Photo
Ric Roman as Chief Paako
Chuck Hayward Photo
Chuck Hayward as Wounded Indian

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by 6 / 10

I can't believe I found it!

I was very excited to see this movie come up on the database. I remember seeing this movie in the theaters when I was young, and the song keeps going through my head, even now.I have not seen it on TV at all, and would really LOVE to add this movie to my library. I know that what I remember as a child and what it would be like now are two completely different things, but since it took me at least 30 years to find anyone who even knew about this movie I think is an incredible thing.It must have been pretty good, or I wouldn't have remembered the title, the song, or the movie all of these 50 odd years!!!!
Reviewed by 4 / 10

I didn't totally hate the music.

In the 1920s and 30s, various prestigious films had what they called 'color'. But this wasn't full color, as Cinecolor and Technicolor at this point used two colors--and the results were generally pretty ugly (there are a few exceptions--such as in "Phantom of the Opera"). The colors were really bluish-green and reddish-orange....definitely not true color. This all changed when Technicolor brought out three color Technicolor...but it was expensive, difficult to use and many companies couldn't use it due to studios like Disney playing for exclusive rights to use it in cartoons. So, although vastly inferior, the Cinecolor company somehow continued up through the 1950s....and although their technology improved, the color still was incredibly ugly. I say all this because "Slaughter Trail" is one of the later ugly Cinecolor films...complete with a lot of orangy colors.In the other reviews on IMDB, I noticed how some folks apparently hated the music in the film. Well, the opening song is rather old fashioned and hokey,but I thought it was also kitschy and fun....and I found myself humming along and tapping my fingers. The same with the rest of the music.The film begins with a holdup of the stage...a familiar thing in 50s westerns. What isn't familiar is the baddie's shooting at the stage from about 200 feet away and hitting a mostly obstructed target...all with a pistol while seated on a horse! Now THAT is beyond incredible! What also is incredible is that one of the passengers is part of the gang...and she's a lady! Naturally, it's up to the local cavalry outfit to bring the gang to justice. However, this is no easy task as the local natives are somehow bent out of shape about something (perhaps in addition to having their land taken).While I did enjoy the opening tune, the film featured many more just like it....and I am sure after a while some audience members went mad as a result! I enjoyed them but know I am not normal! And, you'll either like 'em or hate 'em...who knows which?! If you like songs like "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" and those of the Sons of the Pioneers, well, that's kind of like what you'll hear...a lot!!As for the story, It's filled with many familiar B-western elements--the robbing of the stage, the Indian* attack, a fallen woman, and Andy Devine. Brian Donlevy is actually very good in the film...his acting seems very natural. The ending was a mixed bag...see it and you'll probably understand. And, on balance I see this as an adequate time-passer. Not exactly a glowing endorsement, I know!*Like so many westerns during this period, the extras appeared to be played by real natives, such as Navajos in this one. But, their leaders are played by white folks spray-tanned for the film....which isn't just politically incorrect but looked dopey.
Reviewed by 6 / 10

Sing us a tune.

After robing a stage coach. Three bandits shoot some Indians for their horses and from their actions. The Indians of that area break a peace treaty and go on a war path, until they get there hands on those three men. Capt. Dempster learns of the breakdown in relationship with the Indians and tries to convince the Indian Chief that those men would be brought to white-man's justice, but they want to hand out their own justice.What makes this one stick out from the textbook examples of cheaply done Hollywood westerns is the filming device of using a rumbling ballad to link the film's generically straight-forward narrative together. It's an unique novelty and was worked in accordingly, but I did find it to get rather distractingly tiring. In all "Slaughter Trail" is an earnestly tempestuous and rugged western outing. The story's outline might have been done to death, but its still in certain patches it manages to provide a breath of fresh air to the project. A causal flowing script kicks up snappy dialogues and hammers in some amusing comical elements too. Irving Allen's zippy direction never lets the pacing get bogged down and provides some scope on its location photography. Cinecolor gives the film a suitably penetrating colour scheme and the musical score stays lively throughout. While, the final battle sequence is an excitingly well done display. The performances are pretty solid and reasonably likable from the main players. Brian Donlevy is unshakably stout as the part of Capt. Dempster. Virginia Grey is delightfully strong in her role as Lorabelle Larkin. Andy Devine is having a good time. While Gig Young and Terry Gilkyson churn out good performances too.I thought it was a curiously decent b-grade effort, but couldn't help but get that feeling. I probably would've got something more out of it when I was that kid who loved to watch cowboys and Indians. Not easy to come by, but worth a look for fans of the genre.
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