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They Rode West

  • 1954
  • Approved
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
757
YOUR RATING
Donna Reed, Philip Carey, Robert Francis, and May Wynn in They Rode West (1954)
DramaWestern

A young cavalry doctor, against orders, treats very sick Indians who are forced to stay on unhealthy land, which could lead to a war.A young cavalry doctor, against orders, treats very sick Indians who are forced to stay on unhealthy land, which could lead to a war.A young cavalry doctor, against orders, treats very sick Indians who are forced to stay on unhealthy land, which could lead to a war.

  • Director
    • Phil Karlson
  • Writers
    • DeVallon Scott
    • Frank S. Nugent
    • Leo Katcher
  • Stars
    • Robert Francis
    • Donna Reed
    • May Wynn
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    757
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • DeVallon Scott
      • Frank S. Nugent
      • Leo Katcher
    • Stars
      • Robert Francis
      • Donna Reed
      • May Wynn
    • 21User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

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    Top cast41

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    Robert Francis
    Robert Francis
    • Dr. Allen Seward
    Donna Reed
    Donna Reed
    • Laurie MacKaye
    May Wynn
    May Wynn
    • Manyi-ten
    Philip Carey
    Philip Carey
    • Capt. Peter Blake
    • (as Phil Carey)
    Onslow Stevens
    Onslow Stevens
    • Col. Ethan Waters
    Peggy Converse
    • Mrs. Martha Walters
    Roy Roberts
    Roy Roberts
    • Sgt. Creever
    Jack Kelly
    Jack Kelly
    • Lt. Raymond
    Stuart Randall
    Stuart Randall
    • Chief Satanta
    Eugene Iglesias
    Eugene Iglesias
    • Red Leaf
    Frank DeKova
    Frank DeKova
    • Isatai
    John War Eagle
    John War Eagle
    • Chief Quanah
    Ralph Dumke
    Ralph Dumke
    • Dr. Gibson
    James Anderson
    James Anderson
    • Wounded Trooper
    • (uncredited)
    Carl Andre
    • Bugler
    • (uncredited)
    Beulah Archuletta
    • indian Woman
    • (uncredited)
    James Best
    James Best
    • Lt. Finlay
    • (uncredited)
    Buck Bucko
    • Trooper
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • DeVallon Scott
      • Frank S. Nugent
      • Leo Katcher
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews21

    6.0757
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    10

    Featured reviews

    dougdoepke

    Better Than Expected

    Better than expected, with a complex script, lots of action (not all well-staged), and even some character development. Francis is fine as the idealistic young doctor whose dedication to his Hippocratic oath is greater than his oath to the army. As a result, he treats hostile Indians as equals, causing trouble for the cavalry when the tribe jumps the reservation. It's hard to tell if Francis's apparent unease is good acting or still a bit of stage fright for a newcomer. But whichever, it fits in perfectly with a tenderfoot trying to get his bearings in unfriendly surroundings.

    At first I thought Donna Reed's super-coy little flirt was nothing more than star-casting that would ruin the movie. But the script deals intelligently with her development as the plot darkens. Carey's excellent as the no-nonsense Captain, who's the realist counterpoint to the doctor's idealism. Note how he's never treated with disrespect even though some of his decisions seem ethically callous. Too bad, however, the writers included the tiresome cliché of a whiskey- loving sergeant as comedy relief. Nonetheless, director Karlson, who would later excel at crime dramas, keeps things moving, and wonder of wonders, even has the Indians shrewdly shooting horses out from under the cavalry.

    The movie's theme reflects the growing racial consciousness of the 1950's. I like the way a bond is established between the doctor and the medicine man in their common human concern with healing. But just as importantly, the screenplay manages to make its point without getting preachy. Sure, the production is low-budget, never getting out of greater LA, with an Indian encampment that looks about as real as a Disneyland tableau. Still, it's a thoughtful and generally well-executed little horse opera that's better than it ought to be.
    bux

    Better than average western

    I saw this one at the theater as a kid and was somewhat disappointed, probably too much story and not enough action to suit my taste at the time. However by today's standards, this one treats the Native American much more respectfully than other movies of it's time, most notably the God-awful "Arrowhead"(1953). The story moves along well and there really is enough action to go around and Francis shows that he had some real star quality, had he lived. Not a bad one.
    7adrianovasconcelos

    idealistic Western - tough to believe but heart in the right place

    THEY RODE WEST is an idealistic Western in which an arny doctor manages to get US troops to come to peace with joint Kiow and Comanche forces.

    In the process, poor Robert Francis (playing Dr. Sewer) has to suffer the vexation of being called an Indian lover, a woodhawk, and a renegade - but still he remains faithful to the Hippocratic oath and he continues to treat whites and Indians as plain human beings and nothing but.

    Francis performs credibily and is clearly the good man here, surrounded by others who appear to have sinister and racist motivations, like Captain Blake (played by Phillip Carey), who actually shoots an Indian in the back and never gets punished for it, even though he nearly started a war by doing so.

    The two women in this film, Donna Reed and May Wynn, are important to the story in that they can see the good in the doctor and help him advance the cause of peace. Donna Reed gets a strangely small part after winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar the previous year.

    All told, it is an enjoyable and highly moralistic Western.

    Plenty of credibility holes.
    6bkoganbing

    Military Medicine

    Had he lived to make more than the four films he did Robert Francis might have done a lot of the roles Tab Hunter did. In his memoirs Hunter said that he did so many military based film that he could have qualified for veteran's benefits. The two looked like they could have been brothers and all four of Francis's films had a military background.

    They Rode West is a cavalry western and Francis is a young doctor assigned to an army post out west where both the Kiowas and Comanches are pretty hostile. The Kiowas are coming down with malaria living near a swamp as are the military, but the Kiowas have been put there by the government.

    Like William Holden in The Horse Soldiers, Francis sees himself as a doctor first and a soldier second. He helps the Indian sick and then commits the unpardonable sin in the military by disobeying orders and telling the tribe they have to move to higher ground.

    Nevertheless his sincere concern for the health of the Indians later stands the cavalry in good stead.

    Along with Francis are Donna Reed as the niece of the commanding officer, May Wynn as a white Indian maid captive and Philip Carey as his rival who has a more traditional frontier view of the Indians.

    Francis acquitted himself well in his first film, sad indeed his career was so short.
    toonnnnn

    Robert Francis

    What a shame that this young actor died so tragically after making his film breakthrough,I guess its a cruel irony we will never know how good he would have really been.In this western he is a dedicated doctor who helps friend and foe alike,this is a basic western but worth watching once.The action scenes are good,and it shows that the US army was split into two as to the treatment of indians.5/10

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Second picture in a row with Robert Francis and May Wynn sharing significant screen time together in each film.
    • Goofs
      When the Indians ride away after attacking the fort, there are no dead bodies in sight, even though many Indians were killed.
    • Quotes

      Capt. Peter Blake: You've disobeyed orders by coming here. Let's go.

      [pause]

      Capt. Peter Blake: Doctor, I said let's go!

      Dr. Allen Seward: Now we'll fix you up little fellow.

      Capt. Peter Blake: I said let's go, Doctor.

      Dr. Allen Seward: It's going to be alright. Now, son, drink this.

      Capt. Peter Blake: [Cocks gun] You're under arrest.

      Dr. Allen Seward: 2 people have already died of malaria here. 22 more are sick. Would you mind not shooting me until after I've treated them?

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    FAQ15

    • How long is They Rode West?Powered by Alexa
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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 4, 1954 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Woodhawk
    • Filming locations
      • Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 24 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Donna Reed, Philip Carey, Robert Francis, and May Wynn in They Rode West (1954)
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