Soldier Blue (1970)

This violent drama is based on an allegedly historic encounter between white settlers and the Cheyenne Indians, of the west. Based on Theodore V. Olsen’s novel ARROW IN THE SUN, the account enacts the struggle of a U.S. soldier named Honus Gant (Peter Strauss) and a white woman named Cresta (Candice Bergen) who has been captured by the Indians two years earlier. The pair is hoping to stay alive until they can reach the nearest army outpost. When the Cheyenne slaughter the paymaster’s party, with which they have been traveling, the two carry on to encounter several unusual characters. Donald Pleasance is perfect in his portrayal of Isaac Q. Cumber, who holds them captive, while hoping to sell the Cheyenne guns, in order to acquire some of gold they stole from the paymaster. When Honus is wounded, Cresta goes ahead alone, only to discover that the army plans to wipe the Indians out entirely. She hopes to return to help Honus, and warn the Cheyenne to flee, before the handful of them that are left, are wiped out. Ralph Nelson directs, and keeps the allegiances even, revealing the true tragedy behind the conflict.

Well, nearly the whole film tells the love story of a woman who has grown up at the Indians and an American soldier as well as their survival in the wilderness. The last 15 minutes however have the same shocking effect other controversial films like "Cannibal Holocaust" or "I spit on your grave" have got: it is shown how the US-cavalry massacres/slaughters an innocent and peaceful Indian tribe, how children get killed or even beheaded, women get raped and tortured to death, how genocide was done in the name of freedom, democracy and liberality. Extremely graphic, shocking and disturbing!!! A positive aspect of "Soldier Blue" is, that this film doesn´t deal with the typical "good Americans/bad Indians"-cliché: in this movie you won´t see a glorious hero like John Wayne riding into the sunset at the end, because "Soldier Blue" shows the darkest side of the American glory!

aleutian