Column South

Taking place just prior to the start of the civil war, Audie Murphy plays a junior army officer who is sympathetic to the plight of the local Navajo Indians and is a good friend of Navajo chief Menquito. A new commanding officer who is from the south is appointed to the post who convinced by Confederate agitators to stir up trouble with the Navajo Indians and send Audie and large column troops out on wild goose chase so the Confederates can gain control of the western territories. Of course Audie gets wind of nefarious plot and prevents further bloodshed.

This film would be an otherwise routine "Indians unjustly forced to go on the warpath by scheming white men" story, had it not been for the Confederate conspiracy angle. Audie Murphy is well... Audie Murphy. If you like Audie Murphy (I do) you will like him here. If you don"t there is no reason why you should like him here. Robert Stirling and Joan Evans are unconvincing as Southerners. Their Southern accents vary through out the film. Film buffs will enjoy seeing many familiar faces in the cast (Bob Steele, Greg Palmer, Russell Johnson, Dennis Weaver and Ray Collins.)

This movie's would have been much better in black and white.All of the canvas painting of backgrounds would have looked a little bit real... maybe? It had to be tough on Murphy playing a fake soldier. I imagine the actors were in awe standing beside of the most decorated soldier in War World Two. Murphy's baby face always made it difficult for him to be taken serious as an actor. A real life liberal who was playing mostly conservative characters. This film is just a simple western in which the studios used Murphy to draw an audience. John Wayne was always in demand but I never could see why he, Wayne, who, to the surprise of many, avoided the draft while Murphy volunteered and was only 19 years old when he was given medals for his valor. Murphy died broke in a plane crash without ever reaching the stardom he deserved.

Column South is directed by Frederick de Cordova and written by William Sackheim. It stars Audie Murphy, Joan Evans, Robert Sterling, Dennis Weaver and Ray Collins. Music is scored by Joseph Gershenson and photography by Charles P. Boyle.

The Breach Between The North And South Was Rapidly Widening. A Grim Spectre Of Civil War Hovered Over The Land. It Was A Time of Crisis. . .A Time For Choosing Sides.

Story essentially involves Jed Sayre (Murphy), a friend to the local Navajo Indians, relinquishing his command of Fort Union to Captain Lee Whitlock (Sterling), who after arriving with his sister Marcy (Evans), demands changes to how the Fort is run and expects Jed to end his friendship with the Navajo. When a prospector is discovered murdered it is presumed the Navajo are the guilty party, so setting in wheels in motion for Jed to try and quell the impending war with the Indians and thus having to fight his friend Menguito (Weaver) In the mixer is the impending Civil War, with deserters, traitors and political shenanigans at HQ also taking a hand in proceedings. While Jed and Marcy dance around the inevitable with their love/hate relationship.

In spite of dangling some interesting narrative threads, Column South sadly doesn't rise above being a routine Cavalry Vs Indians Western. But it's never dull and Murphy fans get the usual committed performance. What is of most interest here is the location for the shoot, shot in Apple Valley, California, it's an appealing Oater location with its surrounding hills and craggy rocks that are formed down in the valley. To my knowledge, Apple Valley was only used in one other Western film, Richard Carlson's Four Guns to the Border in 1954, which is a shame because as I say, it's both a looker and carries a harsh edge that some of the great Western movie photographers really could have done great work with.

As it is, Column South is better than average, and certainly an easy film to while away the time with. But the running time doesn't allow the interesting factors in the story to get expanded, thus leaving the film with unfulfilled potential. 6/10

An Audie Murphy Western from 1953. Murphy plays a cavalry officer stationed at a fort just before the outset of the Civil War. He is adept w/dealing w/the Navajos particularly the leader named Menguito, played by Dennis Weaver of TV's McCloud fame, but he continues to butt heads w/his superior officer, a transplant from the old South who has recently been joined by his self-righteous sister who has an axe to grind w/any natives (a telling episode occurs when the scout of the base is seen at her window & she raises holy hell). The noose is tightened when a shipment of rifles goes missing & the military higher-ups suspect the Navajos of the theft so Murphy dejectedly conducts an investigation, finds the missing arms & orders Menguito & his tribe to a reservation but Murphy suspects foul play & as his suspicions are deepened, a more insidious plot asserts itself putting all parties on the road to an inevitable clash. More heft is given to this particular story-line then the majority of Murphy's oater output & this one ranks as one of his best which deftly fuses action, drama & racism in a well told package. Along for the ride are Russell Johnson & James Best as Murphy's subordinates & a special mention should go to Joan Evans who's portrayal of an uptight bigot who changes her ways is very vivid & telling.

Column South finds Audie Murphy as an army lieutenant in acting command at Fort Union in New Mexico. The new commander Captain Robert Sterling with his sister Joan Evans arrives to take over and he's a spit and polish short and his disposition ain't helped when he comes into the fort and sees a brawl going about politics. It's 1860 and the country is getting ready to divide sectionally.

But it's still one army with a mission to keep the peace with the Navajo represented by Chief Dennis Weaver. But the growing divide may let the Indians conquer and Weaver is one smart and courageous warrior.

In fact Weaver is the best one in the cast, the one who steals the film in every scene he's in. There's also a good performance by Ray Collins who is a visiting general with a big agenda all his own.

Column South is a well done western with a good cast and a good story for this cast to perform. Definitely one of Audie Murphy's better westerns.