Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer (1956) User Reviews

Average take on the frontiersman's heroics suffering dangerous and risked adventures

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 15 April 2009]

This is a low-budgeted film about the famous adventurer and explorer Daniel Boone (Bruce Bennet) . After the guidance a settlers party from North Caroline to the fertile valley of Kentucky , Boone undergoes several adventures . This time Boone is living along with his wife and sons in Boonesborough , when his eldest son is kidnapped and murdered by the Shawnees Indians . Boone unites a group to track down a carriage full of children that are surrounded by the Indians , but he's taken prisoner and submitted deadly proof ; later on , he escapes . Chief Blackfish (Lon Chaney Jr.) and Boone accord a meeting in the location named Thousand Waterfalls but an Indian masquerading posing as white men threatens the peace . Then , the savage Indians attack the fort Booneesborough .

This shoe-string budget movie chronicling the further feats of our frontier hero , displays adventures , action , and spectacular outdoors . Filmed in Mexico and with Mexican actors as secondaries , such as Claudio Brook and Eduardo Noriega , and giving a surprisingly good acting by Lon Chaney Jr. including a touching weeping . Worn-out color , granulated and lousy cinematography , in spite of gorgeous landscapes . The flick was regularly directed by Albert Gannaway , also in charge of production and soundtrack which includes some songs . The film didn't help to spread Boone-mania among the kids of the 50s and 60s . Other adaptations about this frontiersman hero are the followings : the classic version (1934) by David Howard with George O'Brien and John Carradine , and the known TV series with Fess Parker .

The picture is partially based on real deeds , the actual events are the followings : Daniel Boone (1734-1820) long hunter , Indian fighter , trail-blazing pioneer and first of the frontier folk heroes was born in Pennsylvania . Moving to North Carolina he settled in the Yadkin Valley , supporting his family by hunting, often making long trips for profitable animal skins . The long hunters were so called because their long wildness hunts might last more than a year . Boone was impressed by the Indian hunting grounds of Kentucky and determined to make his home in this unsettled , fertile land rich with game.The journey was thwarted by hostile Indians who killed six of the party including Boone's eldest son . With a band of hardy woodsmen , Boone set forth and blazed a trail , known as the Wilderness Road , through the Cumberland Gap of the Appalachian Mountains to the Kentucky River , where they built a fort named Boonesborough , to which later brought his family and a group of settlers. In January 1778 Boone was captured by Shawnee Indians and adopted into tribe as the foster-son of Chief Blackfish . In June escaped escaped to warn Boonesborough of an impeding Shawnee attack . Frustated by legal nullification of his Kentucky lands claims, Boone moved on to Missouri . Boone died aged eighty-six in his son's farmhouse in Missouri.

Solid B Western

[Alberto-7 · 6/10 · 30 March 2004]

**Some Spoilers**

Good B western with plenty of action and good acting. Mexican locations standing in for Kentucky are also very pleasing to look at. Bruce Bennett as Daniel Boone is strong and stoic. I especially liked his interplay with his wife and many children. Lon Chaney Jr. is surprisingly good as the Indian Black Fish. The film is a little too short at 76 minutes, but what we get moves at a good clip. Most of the film was shot outdoors which is a definite plus. The final battle scene is well staged and exciting. We don't have a clue how Daniel and his group are going to survive but rest assured Daniel uses his brains to save everyone from a massacre.

A good film for western fans ages 8 and older(the younger ones might be a little bothered by some of the killings and occasional scalping). I give it 6 trail blazers out of 10.

Another King of the Wild Frontier

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 31 August 2009]

After hoo-hooing American Indians scalp number one son, frontiersman Bruce Bennett (as Daniel Boone) seems, at first, like he wants to get even; but, he really wants to make friends with the natives. When sad-eyed Indian chief Lon Chaney Jr. (as Blackfish) also loses number one son, it gets more difficult to clear up misunderstandings. Apparently, this was Republic Pictures' attempt to do for their "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" what Disney Studio's had successfully done with "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" (1955).

The "Dan'l Boone" song, whistled and sung by a group of children in a wagon, did not follow Fess Parker's "Davy Crockett" up the Hit Parade. Singer Faron Young (as Faron Callaway) doesn't perform the title song (perhaps wisely); he does sing "Long Green Valley", and makes a good impression as a blond boyfriend for Boone's daughter. But, Spanish actor Freddy Fernandez is the film's most valuable player. In a cute scene, Mr. Fernandez reminds Mr. Young the name of the character ("Susannah") he is supposed to be in love with.

**** Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer (10/5/56) Ismael Rodríguez ~ Bruce Bennett, Lon Chaney Jr., Faron Young, Freddy Fernandez

Trying to cash in on Disney's success...but not very well.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 26 April 2021]

It's hardly surprising that Republic Studios would bring out "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" when they did. After all, Disney brought out "Davy Crockett: KIng of the Wild Frontier" the year before and it caused a major sensation. Kids all over America went Davy Crockett crazy...demanding 1001 different products emblazoned with his name on them and endorsed by him. But what is surprising is how bad this Republic film was when compared with the Disney film. Instead of just doing a knock-off of the film, someone got the bright idea of making it more like a musical or singing cowboy movie...which was NOT what the public apparently wanted. Additionally, the film just looks cheap by comparison...not terrible...but obviously made on the cheap compared to the Disney film.

The basic plot is that the settlers in the west (really, the Ohio/Kentucky area of the eastern portion of the Midwest) were having trouble with the local Indian tribes. Those dastardly Indians apparently thought Boone and his friends were coming to take away their land and dispossess them...which, history has taught us was 100% true. While Boone himself might have wanted to co-exist (and who knows if this is true or not), the 'bad Indians' in the film were actually right. I know back in the 1950s people didn't think this way...but the tribes were right to suspect that the settlers wanted more than just a place to raise a family.

Throughout the film, Boone is shown trying to convince the local tribesmen that he meant them no harm. The leader (Lon Chaney Jr.) is torn...and many of his men favor war, though he personally seemed to like Boone and trust him. At the same time, some of the Indians were doing much to stir up war and a few of the settlers (one in particular) seemed more than happy to fight them. And, oddly, throughout this ordeal, folks kept taking time to sing! The singing was not good like that of Gene Autry or Roy Rogers...more just annoying and pointless.

If it sounds like I didn't like this movie, you are generally right. I thought historically speaking it was quite naive and the singing drove me batty. Additionally, the acting was only fair and it was obvious Republic was doing this on the cheap. Worth seeing if you adore B-westerns but otherwise, just watch the Davy Crockett films on Disney+ or see if you can find the old Fess Parker "Daniel Boone" television show.

Daniel Boone the musical?

[oscar-35 · 8 June 2009]

I was looking forward to seeing this film due to Lon Chaney being featured as a member of the cast. I also am a fan of such films dealing with colonial expansion in the 1700's. The film was shot in beautiful locations. And it featured a signing son of Daniel Boone. That part of the film was odd and hard to take seriously. After I saw more of this film, I began to realize I had seen this same story line in an "A" film with a more famous cast. This was clearly a "B" film cast. It was somewhat enjoyable to watch. The lead actor was well cast and actually looked like red-haired Daniel Boone. That was a nice bonus to this film's credibility.

Fighting Over Peace in the Valley.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 30 March 2013]

The battle for territory in the wilds of the old west gets a hand from settlers who obviously want to wipe the natives out, not smoke the peace pipe with them. The Shawnee tribe has gotten to the point here where they attack before they can be attacked, and even the peace-loving Daniel Boone (Bruce Bennett, best remembered for his role as Mildred Pierce's estranged husband) can't stop them, even though he tries desperately.

The film opens with a truly brutal massacre of several scouts, resulting in scalping, and has an intense scene where Bennett must prove his worthiness to Shawnee chief Lon Chaney by running through two rows of Indians and survive as they attack him. Peace rules briefly, but a scheming Frenchman desperately wants to prevent this from continuing, causing more conflict by poisoning Chaney's mind against the Americans moving westward.

This rather cloudy color western is an enjoyable action film with a few songs thrown in. The script tries to soften the brutality of the Shawnees by showing us their motivations behind the attacks.

Brave Settlers

[StrictlyConfidential · 4/10 · 23 October 2021]

"Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" was originally released back in 1956.

Anyway - As the story goes - Daniel Boone leads a group of brave settlers into the untamed territory of the Cumberland Gap, establishing Fort Boonesborough in the heart of hostile Shawnee land. A scheming Frenchman named Simon Girty convinces the local tribes that the settlers are out to steal their lands and foments a conflict aimed at stopping the pioneers' westward progress.

An extremely violent film!

[JohnHowardReid · 5/10 · 20 December 2017]

Yes, an extremely violent outing and not one that I would recommend, even though it is now available on a DVD of really excellent quality.

Indeed the very excellence of the DVD, drives home the terror the early settlers faced from marauding Indians who had no desire to live in peace with the white man but were determined to wipe him out.

Fortunately, the acting is none too convincing. I say "fortunately" because some of the events are so blood thirsty, they would be hard to take if their surroundings were too real.

It's also fortunate that Bruce Bennett is only moderately convincing as Daniel Boone and that Lon Chaney is even less acceptable as the Indian chief.

The movie has two directors. I imagine that one of them did the ho-hum studio scenes and the other all the frisky on-location, action footage.

Pioneers and Indians

[NewEnglandPat · 7/10 · 12 July 2003]

This picture is an interesting saga of the struggle of pioneers led by Daniel Boone in the wilderness of Cumberland Gap while being threatened by hostile Indians. A treacherous Frenchman is the cause of all the trouble between the settlers and the red men while Boone tries to convince the Indians that the pioneers only want to build homes and live in peace. The film has a certain appeal because it is not a polished production but there are good action scenes, although somewhat violent for its time. The cast is comprised of B actors but they are all good, especially Lon Chaney as the Indian chief. Bruce Bennett is okay as Boone but is a bit too clean cut and soft spoken to be believable as a frontiersman. The dialogue is rather trite but the scenery lends itself to the realism of the Kentucky backwoods.

Good Western

[Rainey-Dawn · 8/10 · 30 March 2016]

I'm not a big fan of the western genre - meaning I watch some of them but not a lot of them. So this review is coming from one that watches westerns on occasions - depending on who is in the film, recommendations and/or what the movie is about. It was Lon Chaney that attracted my attention to this film mainly but I am also interested in film biographies and histories.

While this film maybe not be perfectly accurate it is a good film that gives us a fairly decent idea of what might have took place during the real Daniel Boone's life. I enjoyed the movie.

There are 3 songs in the film - although it's not exactly a musical those scenes are like a musical. They could have left them out of the film but it did not take away from the film to me.

Anyway - I liked this film and would watch it again.

8/10

Lon Chaney as Shawnee Chief Blackfish

[kevinolzak · 6/10 · 12 November 2023]

1955's "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" was the second straight US production for Mexican director Ismael Rodriguez, filming south of the border like the preceding "The Beast of Hollow Mountain," unlike Burt Lancaster's "The Kentuckian," which was actually shot in Kentucky (working titles included "Adventures of Daniel Boone," "Attack on Boonesboro," and "Dan'l Boone"). Trucolor was a cheap outdoor process but it did add some gloss to the shopworn material, an aging Bruce Bennett almost too frail at age 49 to convincingly play the title role (rugged George O'Brien fit the bill in the 1936 "Daniel Boone"), while it's reassuring to find Boone's main nemesis Simon Girty again up to his fiendish old tricks, even if Kem Dibbs can't hold a candle to John Carradine's 1936 version. The slow pacing is further weakened by the nonacting presence of singer Faron Young, performing the same duties as in his feature debut for codirector Albert Gannaway, the still unreleased "Hidden Guns" pitting him against the ever ubiquitous Carradine, who could also be seen in "The Kentuckian!" This film's greatest asset is the solid presence of second billed Lon Chaney as Shawnee Chief Blackfish, blood brother to Daniel Boone, no stranger to sympathetic Native Americans since 1952's "Battles of Chief Pontiac," in which he played a dignified Ottawa chief (this may have had some bearing on his winning the part of Chingachgook in the Canadian-filmed TV series THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS). Blackfish spends much of the picture in thrall to Girty's deceptions, but a spectacular climax finds Boone finally proving himself in the eyes of his blood brother by using his murdered son's corpse. Claudio Brook would go on to a lengthy career in such cult items as "Samson in the Wax Museum," "The Bees," and the James Bond thriller "Licence to Kill."

Protecting Boonesborough

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 13 April 2012]

After Republic lost both John Wayne and its stable of B Picture cowboys to television the studio that Herbert J. Yates built was only marking time until its close. This particular film Daniel Boone, Trailblazer was produced independently and released by Republic and it was clearly an effort to capitalize on the gold mine in coonskin caps that Walt Disney found in Davy Crockett.

Some ten years earlier Bruce Bennett might have been a good choice to play Boone in an A picture about his life. It was certainly a long and colorful one. As it is Bennett lends a certain dignity to the proceedings and fits what has come down to us in legend about Boone. He was a modest man in fact who did apparently think that colonists and Indians could abide in the same country.

This film has Bennett trying to protect the new settlement of Boonesborough which he founded in the new frontier of Kentucky in 1775. The chief of the Shawnee Lon Chaney, Jr. is being egged on by Tory renegade Simon Girty played by Kem Dibbs who is in the pay of the notorious British commander of the Detroit garrison Colonel Henry Hamilton. Hamilton paid the Indians well for white settler scalps and he'd pay heavy for the scalp of Daniel Boone.

Unfortunately Dibbs goes a bit too far in pursuit of his goals and pays in the end. In real life Simon Girty fled to Canada and lived almost as long as Daniel Boone who died in 1820 at the incredible age of 86 for that time.

Country&Western singer Faron Young appears here as suitor for the hand of one of Boone's daughters and sings some songs, none of which gained any popularity. The cinematography was probably good in those lush greens of the forest, but the print I saw is in bad need of restoration. But Republic films are way down on the priority list for such work unless they have John Wayne starring in them.

Not a bad adventure film from the early American frontier even if it does take a lot of liberties with the facts.

Tears Of Dismay When I Was Not Allowed To See The Film As A Child

[andyrobert · 8/10 · 15 December 2020]

Going to the cinema was the highlight of a child's life during the 1950's and films about "Cowboys and Indians" were always very popular. None of us children were really bothered what the film was all about, just as long as there was lots of fighting, shooting, horses galloping and other sorts of action in the film.

I did not even know what the title of the film was. I remember giving the film my own title. I simply called it "The Indian Fighter".

I was attracted by the poster outside the cinema. It had a yellow and red background and had a black and white image of a man in a "Davy Crockett style", coonskin cap, fighting a ferocious, Mohican-like Indian. The poster excited me so much that I could not wait to get home from school to ask my mother to take me to see the film.

My mother agreed to take me to see it and as we walked down to the cinema, I could not contain my excitement.

However, my aura of excitement soon changed to tears of dismay. The man on the door said that it was not a children's film. He said that many nasty things happened in the film that an innocent child should not see - I cried all the way home. I think my mother had to buy me a colouring book to make me feel better.

I have just managed to track down the film and managed to match it against the poster that I remembered getting excited about as a child. The man, who had spoken to my mother at the door of the cinema, was right. Many "nasty things" did happen in this film that "an innocent child should not see".

However, having watched the film on YouTube, to my mind, the film was not as exciting as the poster that I saw outside the cinema depicted it to be; and not as brutal as the doorman at the cinema, who would not let me in to see it, said it was going to be.

If I had have seen it as a child, I would not have known whether it was a "sugar coated" family film that was trying to be a musical, or a comic adventure that was trying to be a violent history lesson about early frontier life in America.

So, after sixty years of searching for the film that I was never allowed to see, with only a childhood memory of the poster to go on, I will give it 8 out of 10.