Duel at Diablo *** (1966, James Garner, Sidney Poitier, Bibi Andersson, Bill Travers, Dennis Weaver) – Classic Movie Review 6456

Director Ralph Nelson’s strong 1966 movie is basically an old-fashioned Fifties-style action Western with some Sixties trappings, such as an African American star, added violence, and a Neal Hefti score, none of which you’d have got in Randolph Scott’s day.

James Garner stars as Jess Remsberg, an Indian scout who joins a small troop of rookie soldiers transporting ammunition wagons to a fort through Apache territory. He then joins with a horse-breaker called Toller (Sidney Poitier) to rescue Ellen Grange (Bibi Andersson) from the Native Americans and return her to her horrible husband Willard Grange (Dennis Weaver).

Duel at Diablo tells a decent story, is well played by good actors who recognise what they can do with intriguingly written roles, and is nicely filmed by a director who keeps it moving while looking for significance in the screenplay by Marvin H Albert and Michel M Grilikhes, based on the novel by Albert.

Also in the cast are Bill Travers as Lieutenant McAllister, William Redfield, John Hoyt, John Crawford, Bill Hart, Eddie Little Sky and John Hubbard.

It is shot by Charles F Wheeler in DeLuxe colour.

At the start, the United Artists logo is sliced off the screen with a bloody knife.

Nelson directed Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field and in The Wilby Conspiracy, as well as directing the controversial Western Soldier Blue.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6456

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