THE STALKING MOON
DIRECTED BY ROBERT MULLIGAN
NATIONAL GENERAL PICTURES
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Plot Summary
When an army scout retires to a farm in New Mexico he takes pity on a white woman
and her "half-breed" son recently rescued from Indians,
and invites them to join him. He does this even knowing the child's father
is a feared and murderous Apache and that sooner or later
a showdown is almost inevitable.
Written by Jeremy Perkins
Cast
Gregory Peck ... Sam Varner
Eva Marie Saint ... Sarah Carver
Robert Forster ... Nick Tana
Noland Clay ... Boy
Russell Thorson ... Ned
Frank Silvera ... Major
Lonny Chapman ... Purdue
Lou Frizzell ... Stationmaster (as Lou Frizell)
Henry Beckman ... Sgt. Rudabaugh
Charles Tyner ... Dace
Richard Bull ... Doctor
Sandy Brown Wyeth ... Rachel (as Sandy Wyeth)
Joaquín Martínez ... Julio (as Joaquin Martinez)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan ... Stage Driver Shelby (as Red Morgan)
Nathaniel Narcisco ... Salvaje
Writing Credits
Alvin Sargent ... (screenplay)
Wendell Mayes ... (adaptation)
Theodore V. Olsen ... (novel)
Produced
Alan J. Pakula ... producer
Music
Fred Karlin Cinematography by
Charles Lang ... director of photography
Trivia
After Patricia Neal had recovered from her stroke, she had a choice of either
"The Stalking Moon" or "The Subject Was Roses" as her comeback vehicle. A
lthough she opted for "Roses," she would have liked to have done
"The Stalking Moon" also.
George Stevens was originally slated to direct but bowed out because of script problems.
His replacement, Robert Mulligan, had directed Peck to an Oscar in "To Kill a Mockingbird."
In the 1958 movie starring and produced by Gregory Peck "The Big Country"
the foreman (played by Charlton Heston) Steve Leech rides
a very striking and beautiful black and white paint horse.
10 years later in the 1968 movie starring Gregory Peck "The Stalking Moon"
the same horse is ridden by the Apache chief Salvaje. (played by Nathaniel Narcisco).
Although this was Gregory Peck's only film release in 1968,
he should also have been appearing in the Mirisch production
" The Bells of Hell Go Ting a Ling a Ling ".
Scripted by Roald Dahl, this production was shut down after just 6 weeks
shooting due to " poor weather conditions ", a popular euphemism for a troubled shoot.
Goofs
Continuity
When Gregory Peck walks out of the cabin he is unshaven,
but when he's seen outside the cabin he's clean-shaven.
Errors in geography
The movie was set and filmed in the Mojave Desert,
yet in an early scene at an Army camp, the still night air is filled
with the sound of crickets and frogs.
This would be fine had the camp been in or near an oasis, but it clearly was not.
With no wind, there should have been no sound at all from outside the camp.
Factual errors
A young boy spends almost the entire film walking across the mountains for days,
then, when he puts his feet up in one shot the bottoms of his moccasins
are neither soiled or worn but look brand new.
Filming Locations
Bavispe, Sonora, Mexico
Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, USA
Valley of Fire State Park - Route 169, Overton, Nevada, USA
Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA