Fort Vengeance ** (1953, James Craig, Rita Moreno, Keith Larsen) – Classic Movie Review 12,550

The 1953 okay if below-par Cinecolor Western film Fort Vengeance stars James Craig and Keith Larsen as Canadian Mountie brothers battling against pirates, Sioux and Blackfoot Indians, and each other. The 22-year-old Rita Moreno is the heroine. 

Director Lesley Selander’s 1953 Cinecolor film Fort Vengeance [Royal Mounted Police] stars James Craig and Keith Larsen as Dick and Carey Ross, who are North Dakota brothers in the Canadian Mounties, battling against pirates, Sioux and Blackfoot Indians, and each other, in this okay but generally below-par Western.

There is a busy, quite interesting plot, but where is the exciting action? Tepid acting and paceless handling constantly hold it back. Nevertheless, it is adequate and watchable, with the Cinecolor cinematographer by Harry Neumann an important and enjoyable asset.

There is an early, thankless star role for the 22-year-old Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno (aka Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano) as the heroine Bridget Fitzgibbon.

The Sioux Indians are led by Michael Granger as Sitting Bull and the Blackfoot Indians are led by Morris Ankrum as Chief Crowfoot and Paul Marion as his son, Eagle Heart. Also in the cast are Reginald Denny, Emory Parnell, Charles Irwin, Guy Kingsford, and Patrick Whyte.

Moreno’s early films include Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and The King and I (1956), before her breakout role as Anita in West Side Story (1961), which earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, Moreno plays Valentina in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story.

James Craig (born James Henry Meador, February 4, 1912 – June 27, 1985) is best known for Kitty Foyle (1940), The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941), and The Human Comedy (1943).

Keith Larsen (born Keith Larsen Burt, June 17, 1924 – December 13, 2006).

Fort Vengeance is directed by Lesley Selander, runs 75 minutes, is released by Allied Artists, is written by Daniel B Ullman, is shot in Cinecolor by Harry Neumann, is produced by Walter Wanger, is scored by Paul Dunlap, and is designed by Dave Milton.The cast are James Craig as Dick Ross, Rita Moreno as Bridget Fitzgibbon, Keith Larsen as Carey Ross, Reginald Denny as Inspector Trevett, Charles Irwin as Sgt Saxon, Morris Ankrum as Chief Blackfoot, Guy Kingsford as Sgt Major MacRea, Michael Granger as Sitting Bull, Patrick Whyte as Sgt Major Harmington, Paul Marion as Eagle Heart, and Emory Parnell as Patrick Fitzgibbon.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,550

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