the audience applauded

Pretty Good

A Major Disappointment

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

A generally excellent and very unusual blend of leading characters for a Civil War western is combined with an unusual and tension-filled script, released by Fox and directed by Robert Wise: neither much known for their westerns. This B&W film was released shortly after Jeff Chandler costarred as Apache chief Cochise, in the well- regarded "Broken Arrow". Here, he plays the fort commander(Major Kenniston), in a region of troublesome 'Indians', evidently in SE New Mexico, not far from the Texas border. This is a risky place to have sent a contingent of dyed-in-the-wool ex-Confederate cavalry prisoners-of-war, who reluctantly agreed to serve as Union cavalry in the West, as opposed to continued rotting in a prisoner camp. The war clearly had entered its terminal phase, as Sherman was manhandling Georgia. Historically, a policy was initiated early in 1864, which allowed Confederate POWs to be repatriated if they would serve as Union soldiers: labelled as 'galvanized Yankees'. About 7000 POWs took advantage of this offer, mostly sent to areas far removed from the major battles of the time. This meant mostly to areas of the West which were undermanned, due to the exodus to the East, and where Native Americans(NA) were troublesome. However, unlike in the film, they were assigned as infantry, not as cavalry, and most were sent to outposts far from unconquered Confederate territory, thus further reducing the incentive to desert.Getting back to this film, in addition to Chandler, as Major Kenniston, we have frequent leading men Cornel Wilde and Joseph Cotten, who hardly are thought of as western or soldier actors,but add their charisma as Union and ex-Confederate officers, respectively. Cotten is OK in his pivotal role; but I would have preferred Randy Scott: clearly a true southerner by his speech. We are very lucky to have beautiful, forceful, Linda Darnell as the lead female(Elena), scripted as the widowed Latino wife of Chandler's brother , killed in battle in the East. She's decided to tag along with Chandler for a while, until joining a wagon train for her California home. The chief supporting actors include the always charismatic Arthur Hunnicutt, who provides an element of gritty authenticity to the ex-Confederates that Cotten(as Lt. Tucker) cannot, and Jay Flippen, as his Yankee counterpart, as sergeant.In Major Kenniston, I see strong parallels with Colonel Thursday, in the prior "Fort Apache". Both despise the regional unpredictable Native Americans. Both make a fatal mistake in insulting them, and in underestimating their ability to take revenge on him and his command., and both pay the ultimate price for their folly. Major Kenniston actually is looked upon as a hero in his demise, suffering a fate similar to that of Jose Mendoz, in "Seven Cities of Gold", and Sir Robert, in "Hudson's Bay", for example. Cotten(Tucker) takes on John Wayne's role in "Fort Apache", more or less, while Linda takes on Shirley Temple's role. Some other aspects of the screen play resemble Ford's recent "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon". In contrast to most Hollywood westerns of this era, even the NA chiefs appear to be real NAs. The main war chief is named Satank, who was a real Kiowa war chief during this era. However, SE NM is rather far west and south of the Kiowa's homeland, being Apache country. Also, most of the NA have Apache-styled headbands. Confusing! Although Hollywood liked to include the occasional NA attack on army forts, in fact, such were very rare on well built forts. They were typically too lethal for the NAs, who couldn't afford to lose many warriors in battle, with their decimated populations. The battle scenes, both outside and inside the fort are rather well staged. Included is an extended shot of a soldier with his shirt burning, after struck in the back with a flaming arrow. I hope he had some good fire-proof insulation under his shirt!We learn that Kenniston(Chandler) spent some time in the Richmond Libby POW facility, from which he escaped, probably as part of the historic mass escape somewhat dramatized in the 1940 Civil War western "Virginia City". We also learn that Kenniston's brother(Elena's husband) was killed in a charge lead by Tucker. Kenniston holds a personal grudge against Tucker for this, as well as a general hatred of all rebels, be they Confederate or NA.During the course of the film, it becomes clear that all 3 of the main officers(including Wilde as Bradford) , have hopes of snaring Elena. It also becomes clear that Kenniston's persistent refusal to give her permission to leave has less to do with the NA threat than his desire to keep her near. However, she's not interested in him as a suitor. She's more accommodating with Tucker and Bradford(who is killed), but it's clear they are secondary to her ambition to return to her California homeland.(Reportedly, privately , Linda much preferred the company of Chandler)Near the film ending, after the attacking NAs have left and we learn that Sherman has completed his subjugation of Georgia, we have an informal friendly competition between the Yanks and former Confederates in singing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" vs. "Dixie". There was a similar scene in the subsequent Civil War western "Column South", which has several other commonalities with this film, including being scripted as taking place in New Mexico. However, that story takes place just prior to the opening shots of the war, rather than near it's terminus.Linda Darnell reportedly hated being cast as a cowgirl, because she suffered from dust and horse allergies.

In the early 1950's Hollywood made a spate of Civil War based westerns where the main plot line concerned Union and Confederate forces joining together to fend off native Americans.eg Films such as "Rocky Mountain" "The Last Outpost" and "Escape from Fort Bravo". Probably the best example is "Two Flags West".One wonders where they found the time to slaughter 620,000 of each other and is there any historical basis for such an occurrence? Certainly Lincoln did issue a proclamation offering pardons to any Confederate prisoners who were prepared to go west and fight the Indians.They became known as Galvanized Yankees. Here we have Colonel Clay Tucker (Joseph Cotton) excepting Captain Mark Bradford's (Cornel Wilde) offer of freedom from their prison camp if they will go and fight the Indians.The film here doesn't pull it's punches in depicting that conditions in Northern prisons were just as appalling as their Southern counterparts. When they reach Fort Thorn in New Mexico they receive a less than enthusiastic welcome.Their new commanding officer Major Henry Kenniston (Jeff Chandler) is a bitter man who hates rebels and traitors as he puts it.He also has an interest, not returned, in his dead brothers widow (Linda Darnel) There are the usual North/South tensions within the fort but Tucker is an honourable man who tries to do his duty.Kenniston's behaviour is so outrageous that eventually Tucker and his men decide to desert to Texas.Meanwhile Kenniston who by now is almost completely deranged commits murder when he shoots an Indian chief's son.The consequence of this is that the Indians lay siege to the fort. Captain Bradford escapes and rides after Tucker's men and explains the situation to them.Its no great surprise when Tucker and his Confederates decide to ride back to the fort to support the people there which includes women and children. A pitched battle follows which is magnificently staged though some reviews state that it was explicitly violent,perhaps but compared to "Soldier Blue" for example it is fairly restrained. Major Kenniston in a complete change of character agrees to give himself up to the Indians who will then leave peacefully and spare the fort.The scene where he walks through the gates into a mist is brilliantly done and one can only imagine the terrible death he must have suffered. It is a superbly done cavalry western and in all deference to John Ford a complete absence of knock about Irish humour is most welcome. The cast is superb, here we have Cornel Wilde in his last film for 20th Century Fox playing almost a supporting role being expendable.He was at his best as a team player in films like "The Greatest Show on Earth" and "Womens World".Jeff Chandler is a revelation, normally a fairly monolithic presence here he is quite chilling as a completely troubled man who at the end atones for his actions giving his life so that others may live.As for Joseph Cotton though usually associated with lounge suit roles here he is excellent as the decent and honourable Confederate Colonel,and lucky chap ,at he end he gets the girl the lovely Linda Darnel. As an added bonus the supporting cast contains such western icons as Dale Robertson,Jay C.Flippen,Noah Beery and best of all Arthur Hunnicutt. A wonderful western of the type they don't make any more where the premise is that you don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

"Two Flags West" starts off feeling like it will be a rather clichéd affair: Cornel Wilde as an honor-bound good guy, the Confederate soldiers unreconstructed and unbowed, Jeff Chandler as an unmovable rebel-hater, and so on. But stick with it: "Two Flags West" develops into an unusually smart movie in which the strands of plot do not end predictably (for example, the expected flourishing of love between Linda Darnell and somebody, anybody, never occurs), and the dialogue becomes increasingly nuanced and thoughtful.This is a movie whose intelligence does not insult your intelligence.Joseph Cotton has always fascinated me. He is not particularly handsome, always looking older than he probably is, and his voice is strangely distinctive. But he is a wonderful actor, and his Southern Colonel is more than just obviously conflicted about whether he should stay with, or abandon, the Union army with his men: his conflict is more subtle, as he ponders where his future ultimately lies in a post-Civil War country; his very interesting dialogues about this with Linda Darnell, especially toward the end of the film, are quite pleasing to this lover of Westerns (me), who otherwise cheerfully acknowledges the clichés that often dominate this genre.The battles with the Indians are violent and nasty: we really suffer with the lonely horse soldiers of the west who are slaughtered in the fort. And the glorious black and white photography does a great job of bringing out the loneliness and understated beauty of the plains (though filmed in New Mexico) (contrast John Ford's celebratory treatment of Monument Valley).A great little Western with unexpected endings to the various strands of plot. It will leave you exceptionally fulfilled and pleased at the end.

"Two Flags West" is a real surprise, entertaining and powerful. It contains its share of Hollywood clichés: Yankees and Rebels teaming up to fight Indians; an unhinged officer commanding a lonely outpost; a beautiful women creating tension among comrades in arms. But it's original in the way it handles them.Jeff Chandler plays Maj. Henry Kenniston, a Union officer put in charge of a desert fort after being partially disabled by a war wound. Distrustful of Indians and bitter about his assignment, he dreams of returning to the war and taking revenge on the Confederates who hurt him and killed his brother. Worst of all, Kenniston is obsessed with his brother's widow (played by Linda Darnell). He's an honorable man in his own way, and he feels a genuine sense of responsibility toward her. He tells himself he's keeping her at the fort for her own protection. But in his heart, he lusts after her, and he hates himself for doing so.When reinforcements arrive at this troubled outpost, Kenniston is shocked to find that most are former Confederate POWs. They have pledged to serve the Union as Indian fighters as long as they don't have to make war on fellow Southerners. To the already unstable major, being put in command of such troops is a crushing insult. And it doesn't help his state of mind when the Southerners' leader (played by Joseph Cotten) and an idealistic Union officer (played by Cornel Wilde) begin to show interest in the beautiful widow themselves. Kenniston soon embarks on a course of action guaranteed to alienate both the Indians and the Southerners -- and endanger the peace."Two Flags West" is a well plotted western, with events that flow from the characters' motivations instead of from a predictable plot. It's full of action, and its violence is grimly realistic for the time it was made. Chandler is excellent as a complex, disastrous leader who inspires anger, pity and even some admiration in the viewer. Darnell, in one of her better roles, makes a convincing object of desire. Cotten and Wilde are fine, although they could have switched roles and still been just as effective. Any fan of westerns ought to enjoy this a lot, and non-fans should give it a look.