Cheyenne Autumn (Warner Bros.) (1964)

The Synopsis (Not For Publication) On a wretched Oklahoma reservation in 1878, where they have been dying of disease and starvation, the few Cheyenne remaining of an original band of 1000 decide to escape to their old homelands in Wyoming rather than wait further for the illusory benefits promised by the U. S. government when they surrendered the year before. Accompanied by Deborah Wright (CARROLL BAKER), the beautiful and earnest Quaker school-teacher who has been trying to help them, and led by Chief Dull Knife (GILBERT ROLAND), Chief Little Wolf (RICARDO MONTALBAN) and elder Chief Tail Tree (VICTOR JORY), the Cheyenne start trekking north to the Yellowstone country. They hope to avoid warfare if at all possible. But Captain Thomas Archer (RICHARD WIDMARK) is compelled to pursue them with a cavalry troop though he sympathizes with the Indians and loves Deborah. Red Shirt (SAL MINEO), the brash and arrogant son of Dull Knife who has lately been flirting with the young wife of Little Wolf, precipitates a battle in which the U. S. soldiers are trounced. As news of the defeat spreads eastward, the casualties are increasingly exaggerated and the public comes to believe that “blood-thirsty, murdering savages” are on the loose. More troops are rushed west to pursue the ragged little band of Cheyenne whom starvation and snow are decimating. When Chief Tall Tree dies on the trail, leadership is divided between Dull Knife and Little Wolf. His reinforcements have not yet reached Captain Archer when he sights the Cheyenne encamped on a bluff. He sends an advance party to negotiate a capture without bloodshed. His efforts are thwarted, however, by an Indian-hating young lieutenant who sets off another battle and brings a second defeat to the U. S. soldiers. News of the nearing Cheyenne reaches Dodge City. Panic overtakes everyone except Marshal Wyatt Earp (JAMES STEWART) and his pal, Doc Holliday (ARTHUR KENNEDY). They are too engrossed in a serious poker game with professional gambler Jeff Blair (JOHN CARRADINE). But when a citizens’ army forms to fight the “savages”, Earp agrees to take command, assisted by Holliday. The two lead the “army” against the “‘sayages” in such a way that the panic is eased but no one at all is hurt. The fugitive Indians make many daring crossings of settled territory and are now in the Great Plains. Captain Archer has managed to get word to them offering good terms for surrender. A council among the Cheyenne results in a divided decision. One group led by Little Wolf chooses to continue into the Bad Lands. The other group under Dull! Knife accepts internment at Fort Robinson, where Captain Wessels (KARL MALDEN), a brutal Army man, is in charge. Archer goes to Fort Robinson, too, but his reunion with Deborah is net happy. As a Quaker, she cannot condone his military activities against the miserable Cheyenne. Archer is further discomfitted when he learns that Wessels intends to force the Indians back to Oklahoma very shortly. In despair, Archer goes to Washington to seek the help of Carl Schurz, U. S. Secretary of the Interior (EDWARD G. ROBINSON), a man known to be friendly to the cause of the Indians generally. Confined in bleak and frozen barracks, given little food, the Cheyenne under Dull Knife realize they are worse off than ever. On a bitter night, they break out, take on the white soldiers, kill Wessels and rejoin the group led by Little Wolf. Together, this handful mean to die where they are rather than go back to any reservation anywhere. Schurz and Archer reach the area where the Cheyenne are cornered within range of Army artillery. With Archer's assistance, Schurz suggests a truce that will let him get the Indians to their old homeland. Dull Knife and Little Wolf agree. In the spring, the Cheyenne are at last back in the Yellowstone country they love, and now the time has come for personal matters. Red Shirt, who stole away the wife of Little Wolf, faces him. Both fire their guns. Red Shirt dies immediately. Because he took the life of another Cheyenne, Little Wolf must exile himself. And he does. Archer and Deborah, united, remain with the Indians who managed to live through the great, historic, 1500-mile trek. Running Time: 156 Minutes PAGE 2 The Cast RICHARD WIDMARK CARROLL BAKER Capt. Thomas Archer Deborah Wright Capt. Wessels Red Shirt Spanish Woman RICARDO MONTALBAN Little Wolf GILBERT ROLAND Dull Knife ARTHUR KENNEDY Doc Holliday PATRICK WAYNE 2nd Lt. Secor ELIZABETH ALLEN Miss Plantagenet JOHN CARRADINE Jeff Blair VICTORY JORY Tall Tree JAMES STEWART EDWARD G. ROBINSON Secretary of the Interior Mike Mazurki uhh eke George O'Brien Maj. Braden Sean McClory Dr. O'Carberry Judson Pratt Mayor Dog Kelly Carmen DiAntenie .. <teres.aeeene....28s Pawnee Woman Ken Curtis The Credits Produced by Bernard Smith Directed by John Ford Screenplay by Suggested by ''Cheyenne Autumn" by Director of Photography William Clothier Art Director Richard Day Set Decorator Darryl Silvera Film Editor Otho Levering Francis E. Stahl Associate Director Ray Kellogg Music Composed and Conducted by Alex North Assistant Div@Cigpeme rea... ....... Wingate Smith, Russ Saunders A John Ford-Bernard Smith Production The Billing Warner Bros. 25% Pictures Presents 5% John Ford's 50% "CHEYENNE AUTUMN" 100% Starring RICHARD WIDMARK 100% CARROLL BAKER 100% KARL MALDEN 100% SAL MINEO 100% RICARDO MONTALBAN 100% DOLORES DEL RIO 100% GILBERT ROLAND 100% and ARTHUR KENNEDY 100% Co-Starring PATRICK WAYNE ELIZABETH ALLEN | JOHN CARRADINE 20% and ( VICTOR JORY and JAMES STEWART 100% as Wyatt Earp I5% EDWARD G. ROBINSON 100% as the Secretary of the Interior 15% Technicolor® 15% Panavision® 20% Music: Alex North 5% Screenplay by James R. Webb 25% Produced by Bernard Smith 25% Directed by John Ford 25% © 1965, Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.