SMOKE SIGNAL
Posted: August 6th, 2012, 12:52 am
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Smoke Signal is not a great western, not even a really good one, but it's differences make it stand out from the rest. For one thing, the movie is played in boats on the Colorado River instead of the dusty prairie. It was made in 1955 and starred Dana Andrews, Piper Laurie, and Rex Reason. Dana was a deserter and everyone believes he helped in a massacre where the Captain lost his brother. Piper was visiting her father when he died during an attack on the fort, and while the indians are gathering, the Captain decides to take a trappers' advice and get out of the fort since three nations are getting together to attack. So, off they go and naturally during the trip Dana is the only one who knows what to do, yet the Captain refuses to trust him. As time goes on he gains the respect of the other men and a few of them get to the safety of a different fort. I expected it to end with us learning he was on a special mission and not deserting, but not quite. If it comes on again on Encore (which I'm sure it will), you might want to catch it. At lease it's in color, and that seems to be a favorite complaint of most non-western fans that 'they're all in black and white'. Piper, of course is there for decoration, but there are a few surprises along the way. I lived along the Colorado for a while in Bull Head, Arizona and don't quite recall the river being so murky and yuckky green, in fact I recall it a beautiful clear blue, even when the white rapids are passing. I guess maybe the filming crew had something to do with messing up the water.
Has anyone else seen this slightly different film?
What do you think?
.
Smoke Signal is not a great western, not even a really good one, but it's differences make it stand out from the rest. For one thing, the movie is played in boats on the Colorado River instead of the dusty prairie. It was made in 1955 and starred Dana Andrews, Piper Laurie, and Rex Reason. Dana was a deserter and everyone believes he helped in a massacre where the Captain lost his brother. Piper was visiting her father when he died during an attack on the fort, and while the indians are gathering, the Captain decides to take a trappers' advice and get out of the fort since three nations are getting together to attack. So, off they go and naturally during the trip Dana is the only one who knows what to do, yet the Captain refuses to trust him. As time goes on he gains the respect of the other men and a few of them get to the safety of a different fort. I expected it to end with us learning he was on a special mission and not deserting, but not quite. If it comes on again on Encore (which I'm sure it will), you might want to catch it. At lease it's in color, and that seems to be a favorite complaint of most non-western fans that 'they're all in black and white'. Piper, of course is there for decoration, but there are a few surprises along the way. I lived along the Colorado for a while in Bull Head, Arizona and don't quite recall the river being so murky and yuckky green, in fact I recall it a beautiful clear blue, even when the white rapids are passing. I guess maybe the filming crew had something to do with messing up the water.
Has anyone else seen this slightly different film?
What do you think?
.