The Plainsman ** (1966, Don Murray, Guy Stockwell, Abbie Dalton, Leslie Nielsen, Bradford Dillman, Henry Silva, Simon Oakland) – Classic Movie Review 6840

Don Murray stars as Wild Bill Hickok and Guy Stockwell plays Buffalo Bill Cody in director David Lowell Rich’s plush, handsome but dramatically rather tepid 1966 remake of the Cecil B DeMille Thirties vintage Western The Plainsman (1936). The B-movie casting is mostly quite effective, but Abbie Dalton lets the side down as a plain Calamity Jane.

The plot is basically the same as in 1936, with Jane helping Cody and Hickock to stop an Indian war. It has one small advantage over the 1936 classic – it is shot in colour – Pathécolor. And despite its B-movie status, it is well produced, and comes with an early John Williams score. Also it is notably short at just 92 minutes.

Also in the cast are Leslie Nielsen as Colonel George Armstrong Custer, Bradford Dillman, Henry Silva, Simon Oakland, Ed Binns, Michael Evans, Percy Rodriguez, Walter Burke, Terry Wilson, Emily Banks, David Macklin, Vince St Cyr.

The Plainsman is directed by David Lowell Rich, runs 92 minutes, is released by Universal, is written by Michael Blankfort, is shot in Pathécolor by Bud Thackery, is produced by Richard E Lyons and Jack Leewood, is scored by John Williams, and is designed by Alexander Golitzen.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6840

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