The Last Wagon **** (1956, Richard Widmark, Felicia Farr, Tommy Rettig, Susan Kohner, Ray Stricklyn, Nick Adams) – Classic Movie Review 6,831

Delmer Daves’s notable 1956 Western film The Last Wagon stars Richard Widmark as sheriff’s prisoner, scout Comanche Todd, who is forced to help a wagon train of settlers against hostile Apaches.

Co-writer/ director Delmer Daves’s notable 1956 Western stars Richard Widmark as accused-of-murder sheriff’s prisoner, scout Comanche Todd, who is forced to help a wagon train of settlers against hostile Apaches and they are forced to accept his dubious help.

Sheriff Bull Harper (George Mathews) is taking Comanche Todd to be tried for the murder of Harper’s three brothers, and they join a wagon train led by Colonel Normand (Douglas Kennedy). Todd intrigues Jenny’s (Felicia Farr) young brother Billy (Tommy Rettig).

This tough, intelligent, character-driven Western, is taken at a good lick by Fifties expert cowboy director Daves. As well as Richard Widmark, it also stars Felicia Farr, Tommy Rettig, Susan Kohner, Ray Stricklyn and Nick Adams.

The stock situation is well set up and suspensefully handled with plenty of action, the script plays arresting variations on the Western archetype characters, and the ever-admirable Widmark makes an extremely useful tough guy, being especially admirable here.

It is only a slight shame about the saccharine ending but it is still an extremely impressive Western.

Also in the cast are Carl Benton Reid, Stephanie Griffin, George Mathews, Douglas Kennedy, James Drury, Ken Clark, Timothy Carey, George Ross, Juney Ellis and Abel Fernandez.

The Last Wagon is directed by Delmer Daves, runs 98 minutes, is made and released by 20th Century Fox, is written by James Edward Grant, Delmer Daves and Gwen Bagni, based on a story by Gwen Bagni, is shot in CinemaScope and DeLuxe colour by Wilfred Cline, is produced by William B Hawks, is scored by Lionel Newman, and is designed by Lewis H Creber.

Felicia Farr was born on October 4, 1932.

Felicia Farr (born on October 4, 1932) also stars in Delmer Daves’s Jubal (1956) and 3:10 to Yuma (1957).

The cast are Richard Widmark as Comanche Todd, Felicia Farr as Jenny, Susan Kohner as Jolie Normand, Tommy Rettig as Billy, Stephanie Griffin as Valinda Normand, Ray Stricklyn as Clint, Nick Adams as Ridge, Carl Benton Reid as General Howard, Douglas Kennedy as Colonel Normand, George Mathews as Sheriff Bull Harper, James Drury as Lt. Kelly, Ken Clark as Sergeant, Stephanie Griffin, Timothy Carey, George Ross, Juney Ellis and Abel Fernandez.

The film is shot in Sedona, Arizona, at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon, mostly along Schnebly Hill Road. Delmer Daves’s previous Western Broken Arrow (1950) had already popularised the region, giving him some trouble in finding fresh, unspoilt locations.

Rettig previously played Widmark’s son in the 1950 Panic in the Streets and the 1955 The Cobweb.

Rettig died of heart failure at age 54 on February 15, 1996. After a difficult transition from child star to adult, he was a well-known database programmer and author for the last 15 years of his life.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6,831

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