Drum Beat is a 1954 CinemaScope western film in WarnerColor written and directed by
Delmer Daves and co-produced by Daves and Alan Ladd in his first film for his Jaguar Productions company.
Ladd stars along with Audrey Dalton, Charles Bronson as Captain Jack, and Hayden Rorke as President Ulysses S. Grant.
Filmed in Sedona, Arizona,the story uses elements of the 1873 Modoc War in its narrative,
with Ladd playing a white man asked by the U.S. Army to attempt negotiations with Native Modocs
who are about to wage war.
An early role for Charles Bronson (originally Buchinsky), who plays Captain Jack
as a memorable villain wearing the coat of a deceased US Cavalry Captain.
After murdering General Edward Canby (Warner Anderson) during a peace negotiation,
Bronson puts on the late General's coat and announces to the audience "Me GENERAL Jack now!"
Production
The film was announced in April 1954. It was the first production from Ladd's own company,
Jaguar, which released through Warner Bros.He made it after a spell of almost two years making films outside the USA.
Delmer Daves wrote the script based on his family's first hand knowledge of the Modoc Indians
on the California-Oregon border in the 1870s.
Marisa Pavan and Audrey Dalton were signed to three picture contracts with Jaguar
Dalton was borrowed from Paramount.
Notes
In the actual events of the Modoc war of 1873 Modoc Toby (Winema) Riddle doesn't die and saves the life of severely wounded Alfred B. Meacham who was an American Methodist minister, reformer, and served as the U.S. Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon (1869–1872). At the time of the Peace Tent assassinations he was chairman of the Modoc Peace Commission. Toby (Winema) Riddle was one of the few Native American women to be honored by the US Congress authorizing a military pension for her because of her heroism and service. She lived until 1920.
Captain Jack was hanged for General Edward Canby's murder, along with three of his warriors. The rest of the tribe was either returned to the Klamath Reservation in Oregon or relocated to Oklahoma. Canby, by the way, was the only U.S. Army general killed in a war against the Indians. (George Armstrong Custer was, in fact, only a lieutenant colonel at the time of his 1876 death at Little Big Horn.
User Review
A fine outdoors action western
25 May 2003 | by NewEnglandPat (Virginia)
Quote from NEWThis western is one of Alan Ladd's best films and he is the peace commissioner turned Indian fighter who finally brings peace in the far west. The film is based on factual events as Modoc boss Captain Jack ignores repeated overtures for peace and leaves the cavalry no choice but to resort to arms to stop the killing and outrages. Ladd and Charles Bronson, the Indian leader, make fine adversaries and the movie has lots of action and beautiful scenery. A great cast of western favorites are in the film and Ladd even has a moment or two to clinch with with pretty Audrey Dalton. Marisa Pavan is an Indian maiden who also has a yen for Ladd. Delmer Daves directed this film, which is another in a succession of excellent Daves westerns.
Victor Young's fine music accompanies the film.