Historically speaking, "The Last Outpost" is a dumb mess. And, logically speaking, it's not a lot better. It's a film best enjoyed with your brain completely turned off--otherwise your pesky mind will balk at the writing and silly plot.
This film is set during the Civil War. One brother (the dull one) fights for the North, the other (the duller one) fights for the South. And, it just so happens that BOTH are out West when 99.9% of their compatriots are fighting well to the East...what are the odds?! Anyway, the Southern soldier is on a secret mission to contact the Indians and be sure they stay out of the war. The one fighting for the North has been ordered to help the Indian agent from Washington--but the agent has an insane plan to get the Indians to fight for the Union and take Confederate scalps (though HOW you tell it's a Southern and Northern scalp is beyond me). This Northern officer HATES this and later catches his brother in a Union uniform--acting as a spy! The Southern brother escapes and soon the Indians attack. Just as it looks as if all the civilians and Union soldiers will be massacred, the Southern Cavalry arrives to save the say and all are happy friends (that is, aside from all the Natives who were just killed) and have a pizza party (I added this final part but who would notice?!).
As a retired American history teacher, I just don't know where to start. ALL of this is complete fiction--all of it. None of this happened, nor would Southern soldiers swoop in to save the day. And, if they did (which they wouldn't), they wouldn't have all left good friends!! This brainless plot wasn't even especially entertaining and overall it's one of Ronald Reagan's dullest films. Even the presence of the incredibly pretty Rhonda Fleming wasn't enough to breath any life into this dumb film.
This film is set during the Civil War. One brother (the dull one) fights for the North, the other (the duller one) fights for the South. And, it just so happens that BOTH are out West when 99.9% of their compatriots are fighting well to the East...what are the odds?! Anyway, the Southern soldier is on a secret mission to contact the Indians and be sure they stay out of the war. The one fighting for the North has been ordered to help the Indian agent from Washington--but the agent has an insane plan to get the Indians to fight for the Union and take Confederate scalps (though HOW you tell it's a Southern and Northern scalp is beyond me). This Northern officer HATES this and later catches his brother in a Union uniform--acting as a spy! The Southern brother escapes and soon the Indians attack. Just as it looks as if all the civilians and Union soldiers will be massacred, the Southern Cavalry arrives to save the say and all are happy friends (that is, aside from all the Natives who were just killed) and have a pizza party (I added this final part but who would notice?!).
As a retired American history teacher, I just don't know where to start. ALL of this is complete fiction--all of it. None of this happened, nor would Southern soldiers swoop in to save the day. And, if they did (which they wouldn't), they wouldn't have all left good friends!! This brainless plot wasn't even especially entertaining and overall it's one of Ronald Reagan's dullest films. Even the presence of the incredibly pretty Rhonda Fleming wasn't enough to breath any life into this dumb film.