ONLY THE VALIANT
aka Fort Invincible
DIRECTED BY GORDON DOUGLAS
A WILLIAM CAGNEY PRODUCTION
WARNER BROS. PICTURES
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Plot Summary
Capt. Richard Lance is unjustly held responsible, by his men and girlfriend,
for an Indian massacre death of beloved Lt. Holloway.
Holloway is killed while escorting a dangerous Indian chief to another fort's prison.
The chief escapes. Knowing their fort is in danger of Indian attack,
Lance takes a small group of army misfits to an abandoned nearby army fort
to defend a mountain pass against the oncoming Indian assault. T
heir mission is to stall for time until reinforcements from another fort arrive.
The men in this small group of malcontents, deserters, psychopaths and cowards
all hate Capt. Lance and wish him dead. Much to their chagrin,
the men recognize that Lance's survival instincts, military knowledge
and leadership are the only chance the group has of staying alive.
Written by E.W. DesMarais
Cast
Gregory Peck ... Capt. Richard Lance
Barbara Payton ... Cathy Eversham
Ward Bond ... Cpl. Timothy Gilchrist
Gig Young ... Lt. William Holloway
Lon Chaney Jr. ... Trooper Kebussyan (as Lon Chaney)
Neville Brand ... Sgt. Ben Murdock
Jeff Corey ... Joe Harmony
Warner Anderson ... Trooper Rutledge
Steve Brodie ... Trooper Onstot
Dan Riss ... Lt. Jerry Winters
Terry Kilburn ... Trooper Saxton
Herbert Heyes ... Col. Drumm
Art Baker ... Capt. Jennings
Hugh Sanders ... Capt. Eversham
Michael Ansara ... Tucsos
Nana Bryant ... Mrs. Drumm
and many more...
Directed
Gordon Douglas
Writing Credits
Edmund H. North ... (screenplay) and
Harry Brown ... (screenplay)
Charles Marquis Warren ... (novel)
Produced
William Cagney ... producer
Music
Franz Waxman
Cinematography
Lionel Lindon ... director of photography
Trivia
Gregory Peck said this was his least favorite of all his movies.
He regarded the film as a potboiler and a step backwards for his career
after starring in The Gunfighter (1950).
According to a biography Gregory Peck himself authorized,
during filming he had an affair with Barbara Payton.
Gary Cooper was originally intended for the lead role.
Lon Chaney Jr and Barbara Peyton would be reunited the same year for Bride Of The Gorilla.
Trooper Onstott, referred to as a Reb from a prison camp,
would have been what was known as a "galvanized Yankee,"
a term used only during the Civil War, between 1863 and 1865 for former Confederate s who took the oath of loyalty to the US, and were sent west to protect the frontier.
Therefore, the movie takes place during the Civil War.
Goofs
Anachronisms
A time line was never developed. Since there was ongoing trouble between the Sgt.
and one of the troopers who was formerly a rebel soldier,
this had to take place during the Civil war or just after. They do mention that the Gatling gun was just developed, which would make it during the Civil war. All the troopers are carrying Winchester rifles and Colt single action army revolvers, not manufactured until the 1870's. The song, 'Little Brown Jug', is heard and it was written in 1869.
Continuity
When Cpl. Gilchrist tells Trooper Saxton to go get him a new pick, Saxton places his shovel against the stone wall and leaves, you can plainly see the shovel start to fall. The next shot shows Saxton (below) and Gilchrist (above), but no shovel on the ground.
During the the last gun fight, Gilchrist takes an arrow in the right shoulder and falls.
The next scene shows the Captain helping Gilchrist, but now the arrow is in his left shoulder.
And in the next scene the wound is in the right shoulder again
Filming Location
Gallup, New Mexico, USA
Watch the Movie
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