In the 1930s, Robert Taylor was hugely successful playing "pretty boy" roles. This isn't meant to demean his talents, but the idea of him playing a gritty part at that time was about as believable as Marjorie Main playing romantic lead in a Clark Gable film! However, by the mid-late 1940s, Taylor filled out a bit and as he approached his 40s, he was suddenly finding himself in several gritty cop films--but he still was a bit on the pretty side. However, with "Ambush", Taylor makes a break with this matinée idol image, as the film finds him dirty and unshaven through eh first 20 minutes. And, instead of begin well dressed and sexy, he was a frontiersman who was used to fighting Indians and roughing it. I liked the new Robert Taylor look and style--he was grittier and more believable and seemed to grow older quite well.
The story is pretty typical of many westerns of the day. There is a renegade Indian, Diablito ("Little Devil"), who has killed a group of settlers and took the women and children prisoners. While Indians did sometimes take women and children into their tribe this way, the notion of "renegades" is a bit of a misnomer, as this sort of thing was pretty rare in the west--despite what you see in films. As for Taylor, he is asked to guide the cavalry to find the prisoners, but he's less than thrilled with the idea, as he thinks it's pretty useless. Ultimately, however, he relents and leads a small group of soldiers to Diablito's camp. In a couple scenes he's shown conversing with the natives in their language. While I assume he's speaking gibberish, it did sound pretty good and I'd love to know if he's actually saying anything.
Aside from this plot, there are subplots that give the film some depth. In other words, it's not just a film about killing Indians. there is a subplot involving a drunk brute named Conovan who amuses his long-suffering wife and goes so far as tries to kill the commanding officer! Acting commanding officer John Hodiak is a tough-as-nails guy who is awfully rigid--and not the sort to work out the Indian problem with any finesse. So, as you can see, it's not just a Robert Taylor film but it's more complex than that. Plus, in one scene where Taylor and Hodiak get in a fist-fight, it's interesting to see Taylor (the once pretty-boy) lose! This certainly isn't the Taylor film of old! Overall, there's nothing that unique about this western, though it still is very good and definitely better than the typical film of the genre (and frankly, I think there have been way too many westerns over the years). I also appreciated how the natives actually looked like they were American-Indians--not the white guys in paint like many films. And, I liked how they had intelligent battle plans--not the usual riding right into the whithering gunfire of the "good guys" or riding in circles around a wagon train (which didn't actually occur) while they get shot!!
By the way, I agree with the review by bkoganbing. While John Ford made quite a few cavalry and western films, this sort of film isn't his style at all and can't be confused for one of his films. Sam Wood's style and direction is much more direct--and this film lacks the overt sentiment of a Ford film. It is simple, unflinching and well made--the final film of an accomplished but mostly overlooked director now in the 21st century.
The story is pretty typical of many westerns of the day. There is a renegade Indian, Diablito ("Little Devil"), who has killed a group of settlers and took the women and children prisoners. While Indians did sometimes take women and children into their tribe this way, the notion of "renegades" is a bit of a misnomer, as this sort of thing was pretty rare in the west--despite what you see in films. As for Taylor, he is asked to guide the cavalry to find the prisoners, but he's less than thrilled with the idea, as he thinks it's pretty useless. Ultimately, however, he relents and leads a small group of soldiers to Diablito's camp. In a couple scenes he's shown conversing with the natives in their language. While I assume he's speaking gibberish, it did sound pretty good and I'd love to know if he's actually saying anything.
Aside from this plot, there are subplots that give the film some depth. In other words, it's not just a film about killing Indians. there is a subplot involving a drunk brute named Conovan who amuses his long-suffering wife and goes so far as tries to kill the commanding officer! Acting commanding officer John Hodiak is a tough-as-nails guy who is awfully rigid--and not the sort to work out the Indian problem with any finesse. So, as you can see, it's not just a Robert Taylor film but it's more complex than that. Plus, in one scene where Taylor and Hodiak get in a fist-fight, it's interesting to see Taylor (the once pretty-boy) lose! This certainly isn't the Taylor film of old! Overall, there's nothing that unique about this western, though it still is very good and definitely better than the typical film of the genre (and frankly, I think there have been way too many westerns over the years). I also appreciated how the natives actually looked like they were American-Indians--not the white guys in paint like many films. And, I liked how they had intelligent battle plans--not the usual riding right into the whithering gunfire of the "good guys" or riding in circles around a wagon train (which didn't actually occur) while they get shot!!
By the way, I agree with the review by bkoganbing. While John Ford made quite a few cavalry and western films, this sort of film isn't his style at all and can't be confused for one of his films. Sam Wood's style and direction is much more direct--and this film lacks the overt sentiment of a Ford film. It is simple, unflinching and well made--the final film of an accomplished but mostly overlooked director now in the 21st century.