Dragoon Wells Massacre(1957) is an engaging effort about two disparate groups of travelers who must band together to fight off savage Indians . As a cavalry officer, Capt. Matt Riordan (Dennis O'Keefe) , the sole survivor of an Indian assault , along with stagecoach passengers (Mona Freeman , Katy Jurado , Max Showalter) and a wagon load of prisoners (Barry Sullivan) travel through hostile Indian country. The column remains under the command of the officer , along with a wagon owned by traitor gunrunner Jonah (Sebastian Cabot) that contains hidden repeating rifles , Winchester rifles , ammunition , supplies and whiskey for the rebellious Indians . As the expedition heading for an Union Fort and along the way suffering rampaging native American attacks commanded by Yellow Claw (John War Eagle) , Jeronimo's follower .
Standard Western set during the Arizona Indian Wars with the rebel upheaval of brave chief Yellow Claw , when fear and violence spread throughout the land . This one shows a campy , amusing and entertaining glimpse in the Wild West . This sharp, well-paced film packs thrills , noisy action , horse pursuits , crossfire , high body-count , and it is fast-moving and quite entertaining . It's a medium/low budget film with passable actors , technicians , functional production values and pleasing results . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shoot'em up or stunts every few minutes . Bursting with appealing characters, interesting themes as the peculiar relationships among the prisoners and soldiers, romance , sub-plots , and with very decent filmmaking and interpretation . There is an odd implementation of shots in the camera work during some particular scenes as the film approaches its climax , as the battles between the besieged people and Indians . Nice production design creating an adequate scenario with luminous outdoors , plains , montains and rocky landscapes under a glimmer sun and atmospheric sets but in B-series style . Here stands out its top-notch main and support cast with plenty of famous actors such as Barry Sullivan , Dennis O'Keefe , Mona Freeman, Katy Jurado , Sebastian Cabot , Max Showalter , Jack Elam , Trevor Bardette and Hank Worden , John Ford's regular . Schuster's western Dragoon Wells Massacre (1957) , despite its potboiler title, has nice writing, a rousing score by Paul Dunlap and Schuster's tight direction raise this several notches above the product normally churned out by its studio, the usually low-grade Allied Artists. As well colorful cinematography by expert cameraman William H. Clothier , though a perfect remastering being really necessary, due to the film copy is faded.
This well-crafted B western was decently directed by veteran programmer man, Harold D. Schuster . A highly regarded editor, in fact he cut the classic Murnau's Sunrise (1927) , Harold D. Schuster started out in films as an actor. It didn't take him long to abandon that career, and he turned to the production side of the business, working his way up to editor and eventually taking the reins as a director. While much of his directorial output is run-of-the-mill , there are some real gems scattered throughout such as My Friend Flicka (1943) . Although typed as an "outdoors" director, Schuster could turn out tough, gritty little thrillers when he wanted to, such as Loophole (1954), about a bank teller who gets framed for an embezzlement; it ranks right up there with the edgy crime dramas of Don Siegel and Phil Karlson. Schuster made all kinds of genres in films as Wings of the morning , South of Karanga , Breakfast in Hollywood , Security Risk , Loophole , Jack Slade , Girl Trouble , The Postman Didn't Ring , Small Town Deb , On the Sunny Side , A Very Young Lady , Zanzibar , Frame , Bomber's Moon , My Friend Flicka . Schuster eventually turned to series television, and finished out his career there , directing episodes of notorious series such as Twilight zone , Legend of Jesse James, U. S. Marshall , Wire Service, Detective McGraw , Zane Grey , Lassie , Tombstone Territory , among others .
