Ambush (1950) User Reviews

A Vanished Western Rekindled.

[jpdoherty · 6/10 · 26 July 2011]

MGM's "Ambush" - a forgotten above average fifties western - has finally turned up thanks to the Warner Bros. Archive label with their release of the picture in a fine DVD transfer that should now set it on the road to some sort of rediscovery. Produced for Metro in 1950 by Armand Deutsch it was directed with a modicum of flair by Sam Wood who himself was something of a stranger when it came to directing westerns. Forgetting his best forgotten 1940 B picture "Rangers Of Fortune" AMBUSH really would be the estimable director's first and, as it turned out, only venture into the genre. From a story by Luke Short it was nicely written for the screen by Marguerite Roberts and was superbly shot in Gallup, New Mexico in black & white by Harold Lipstein. And complimenting the film throughout is a rich score - featuring a spirited cavalry march - by Austrian composer Rudolph Kopp. AMBUSH also was the first "real" western the picture's star Robert Taylor would appear in, if you discount the lamentable and dull "Billy The Kid" which he ill-advisedly did in 1941. AMBUSH would now put the actor on the trail, so to speak, to make something of himself in westerns with the excellent "Devil's Doorway(1950), "Westward The Women" (1951), "Ride Vaquero" (1953) and "The Law & Jake Wade" (1958).

Mescalero Apache leader Diablito (Charles Stephens) is on the warpath. He is raiding and killing whites all along the border. He also captures and enslaves white women. One such woman is Mary Carlyle (Marta Mitrovich) and it falls to the U.S. cavalry at the Fort Gambel outpost to rescue her. With the help of army scout Ward Kinsman (Robert Taylor) officer in charge Capt. Ben Lorrisonn (John Hodiak) leads a large contingent of troops into the hills to engage with and wipe out Diablito once and for all and retrieve the woman. But things don't go too well with internal bickering and disputes between the strait-laced and uncompromising Captain and Kinsman and between the Captain and the young Lt. Linus Delaney (Don Taylor) who is having an affair with an enlisted man's wife (Jean Hagan) back at the fort. They eventually encounter the Apaches and after Kinsman stampedes their horses and they are trapped in a canyon a fierce struggle ensues. Finally with most of the Apaches and troops wiped out (including Lorrison and Diablito) Kinsman does manage to rescue the woman.

It is almost inconceivable that a western with the leading actor who was once named Spangler Arlington Brugh could for a moment be taken seriously. It must surely be a comedy you would ascertain. But you would be quite mistaken for this indeed was Robert Taylor's real name before he changed it and a blessing it is too that he did so. Watching him here in AMBUSH you would find it difficult to associate him with such a name since he turns in an excellent robust performance as the rough and tough army scout. Excellent too is the ill-fated John Hodiak, the likable Don Taylor and Charles Stephens as the fearsome Apache leader in a role he would play many times in westerns of the period. Interestingly Stephens in real life was the grandson of the famous Apache leader Geronimo.

AMBUSH is a neat little western that is well paced well written well played and well directed by Sam Wood who unfortunately never lived to see the release of his finished movie. He died of heart failure soon after the film wrapped.

Footnote: Sharp eyed western fans will notice Fort Gambel as the one and the same location as that for Fort Bravo in "Escape From Fort Bravo" three years later. Both were filmed at the Ray Corrigan Ranch in Simi Valley, California. Also in "Fort Bravo" Charles Stephens had a minor part as an Apache army scout.

People only die when they have something to live for.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 17 April 2015]

Ambush is directed by Sam Wood and adapted to screenplay by Marguerite Roberts from a Luke Short serial story. It stars Robert Taylor, John Hodiak, Arlene Dahl, Jean Hagen, Don Taylor and John McIntire. Music is by Rudolph G. Kopp and cinematography by Harold Lipstein.

"In 1878 the shortest trail West through the territory of Arizona crawled across the foot of Bailey Mountain...

The shortest trail but, the most dangerous. For Bailey Mountain was the stronghold seized by Diablito and his hostile Apaches"

Nice! A Western movie for Western movie lovers to sink their teeth into. It's not exactly wall to wall action on offer here, but there is an adultness to proceedings that hits all the right chords for the discerning audience. The opening scene shows us the aftermath of an Apache raid, then it's introductions to the main characters who will come together to go rescue a kidnapped white woman from Diablito's Apaches.

The build up isn't rushed, we are drawn into the lives of the American Fort residents, their love triangles and frets, while mature themes of adultery and spouse abuse are given some skilled direction and performances. Once traits and peccadilloes are established, the band of not so merry men go off to fight the Apache, the latter of which are thankfully shown as a resourceful foe with some cunning tactics.

Taylor saddles up for a scuzzy portrayal, honourable for sure, but happily dirty and his character is shown to be fallible in one of the many machismo contests that permeate the story. Hodiak offers some elegance, Hagen some emotional punch, while Dahl - costumed to enhance her curvaceous figure - lights up every scene she is in.

The great Harold Lipstein photographs much of the picture through black and white film noir filters, adding the requisite turbulence to the story, while Wood, in what was his last motion picture directorial assignment, directs with assuredness and makes the most of the Simi Valley and Gallup locations.

McIntire is wasted and Bruce Cowling as the violent husband is only just convincing, while the blending of painted backdrops with the gorgeous locales becomes a little distracting in the final quarter. Yet as any hardcore Western fan will tell you, often those sort of things are forgiven if the makers don't insult our intelligence, which is thankfully the case here. 7/10

It's nice to see Taylor in a film when he wasn't all that pretty!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 30 March 2010]

In the 1930s, Robert Taylor was hugely successful playing "pretty boy" roles. This isn't meant to demean his talents, but the idea of him playing a gritty part at that time was about as believable as Marjorie Main playing romantic lead in a Clark Gable film! However, by the mid-late 1940s, Taylor filled out a bit and as he approached his 40s, he was suddenly finding himself in several gritty cop films--but he still was a bit on the pretty side. However, with "Ambush", Taylor makes a break with this matinée idol image, as the film finds him dirty and unshaven through eh first 20 minutes. And, instead of begin well dressed and sexy, he was a frontiersman who was used to fighting Indians and roughing it. I liked the new Robert Taylor look and style--he was grittier and more believable and seemed to grow older quite well.

The story is pretty typical of many westerns of the day. There is a renegade Indian, Diablito ("Little Devil"), who has killed a group of settlers and took the women and children prisoners. While Indians did sometimes take women and children into their tribe this way, the notion of "renegades" is a bit of a misnomer, as this sort of thing was pretty rare in the west--despite what you see in films. As for Taylor, he is asked to guide the cavalry to find the prisoners, but he's less than thrilled with the idea, as he thinks it's pretty useless. Ultimately, however, he relents and leads a small group of soldiers to Diablito's camp. In a couple scenes he's shown conversing with the natives in their language. While I assume he's speaking gibberish, it did sound pretty good and I'd love to know if he's actually saying anything.

Aside from this plot, there are subplots that give the film some depth. In other words, it's not just a film about killing Indians. there is a subplot involving a drunk brute named Conovan who amuses his long-suffering wife and goes so far as tries to kill the commanding officer! Acting commanding officer John Hodiak is a tough-as-nails guy who is awfully rigid--and not the sort to work out the Indian problem with any finesse. So, as you can see, it's not just a Robert Taylor film but it's more complex than that. Plus, in one scene where Taylor and Hodiak get in a fist-fight, it's interesting to see Taylor (the once pretty-boy) lose! This certainly isn't the Taylor film of old! Overall, there's nothing that unique about this western, though it still is very good and definitely better than the typical film of the genre (and frankly, I think there have been way too many westerns over the years). I also appreciated how the natives actually looked like they were American-Indians--not the white guys in paint like many films. And, I liked how they had intelligent battle plans--not the usual riding right into the whithering gunfire of the "good guys" or riding in circles around a wagon train (which didn't actually occur) while they get shot!!

By the way, I agree with the review by bkoganbing. While John Ford made quite a few cavalry and western films, this sort of film isn't his style at all and can't be confused for one of his films. Sam Wood's style and direction is much more direct--and this film lacks the overt sentiment of a Ford film. It is simple, unflinching and well made--the final film of an accomplished but mostly overlooked director now in the 21st century.

Standard fare but very well done

[jxm4687 · 7/10 · 22 May 2003]

This is pretty standard cavalry outpost versus the Apaches fare, but it's well acted and directed, moves along at a good clip and boasts an intelligent script that develops its stock characters effectively. Robert Taylor is at his best in this kind of stalwart but human role. And the rest of the cast delivers strongly. (Arlene Dahl has great chemistry with both Taylor and John Hodiak, rivals for her affections.)

This was director Sam Wood's last film. The many action scenes are well staged and exciting, although color would have enhanced them. This is an example of big-budget Hollywood westerns from the late 40's and early 50's (many better known than this, e.g., "Red River) which--for some reason--were filmed in black and white.

An Above-Average Cavalry Western

[zardoz-13 · 7/10 · 19 March 2016]

Robert Taylor's second western, director Sam Wood's final film "Ambush," finds him on the right side of the law after playing the eponymous outlaw in "Billy the Kid" (1941). Taylor is cast as rugged, left-handed, Army scout Ward Kinsman in this black & white MGM horse opera about the desperate search for a woman captured by the Apaches. "Ambush" is a stark looking oater with some good visual effects for its day. Scenarist Marguerite Roberts' adaptation of Luke Short's short story is frankly adult for its day. The primary plot concerns the Army's search for Mary Carlyle and the pursuit of a dangerous Apache chieftain Diablito (Charles Stevens of "The Black Pirate") who took Mary hostage.

The daring opening gambit finds Kinsman and another Army Scout Frank Holly (John McIntire of "Backlash") trying to escape from a band of Apaches. They stampede their horses and hide among the rocks while the mounted warriors swarm in pursuit of their horses. The main party of braves vanishes into a narrow pass, and our heroes challenge three warriors, blow all of them off their horses, and steal those horses. Our heroes not only escape with their scalps but also their lives. Wood does a good job of staging this fracas. The next day they arrive at the cavalry fort. The fort turns out to be a hotbed of adultery as an cruel enlisted man Tom Conovan (Bruce Cowling of "Battleground") likes to beat his wife, Martha Conovan (Jean Hagen of "The Asphalt Jungle"), while she has an affair with Lieutenant Linus Delaney (Don Taylor of Stalag 17") who knows he is in trouble. Later, Conovan assaults Fort Commandant Major C.E. Breverly (Leon Ames of The Postman Always Rings Twice") with a pitchfork and punctures his lungs. As a result, Breverly turns over command of the fort to Captain Ben Lorrison (John Hodiak of "Lifeboat") who has warned Delaney of his adulterous ways. Somehow, Lorrison persuades Kinsman to scout for him as he sets out to capture Diablito and recover Mary Carlyle (Marta Mitrovich). Lorrison recruits an Apache prisoner to help him find Diablito, but Kinsman doesn't trust the brave. Predictably, the treacherous brave sneaks out of Lorrison's camp to warn Diablito, but Kinsman manages to kill him before he can alert the elusive Apache chieftain. Throughout this 89 minute western, Ann Duverall (Arlene Dahl of "Land Raiders"), is stuck at the army post where Lorrison romances her and later suggests a proposal of marriage. Kinsman takes a similar interest in Ann, but nothing happens between them. Tragically, Lorrison dies during a clever Apache ambush, which is no doubt the source of the film's title. The wily savages leave an obvious trail for Lorrison and his men to follow into the open flatlands, and these sagacious brave bury themselves just beneath the surface of the earth so that the troopers enter this crescent of warriors who burst from the ground and mow them down. Delaney and his men ride to the rescue, but they are too late to help Lorrison. The sneaky Diablito plays possum in the hope of catching Kinsman with his guard down, but our hero drills him three times, ultimately killing the chieftain.

"Ambush" is no great shakes, but it is an efficiently helmed oater with a strong cast and good performances.

Ambush review

[JoeytheBrit · 7/10 · 15 May 2020]

Rugged Robert Taylor is a scout on the hunt for a white woman kidnapped by renegade Indians in this better than average Western from Sam Wood, whose last film this would be. The story takes time to fill out a number of characters, providing a depth and frankness that was unusual for the time while still serving up some decent action amongst some impressive scenery. A strong supporting cast also helps.

Well-acted standard western fare has its stars eclipsed by supporting players

[ccmiller1492 · 7/10 · 12 June 2004]

Standard western fare, "Ambush" is a well-acted oater but it has its stars eclipsed by the supporting players, notably Don Taylor as likable Lt. Delaney and Jean Hagen as the abused Mrs.Conovan, wife to a brutal enlisted man and the company's laundress. These two players make the most lasting impression by their very adroit portrayals of two kindred spirits irrevocably drawn to each other under impossible circumstances. Oddly, everyone else on the base (including the other Mr. Taylor-Robert, the star) seem to fade into the background, not evoking anywhere near the empathy that Don Taylor and Ms. Hagen manage. Thanks to them, this film rises above the average level it otherwise would have sustained.

Robert Taylor is the quintessential cowboy, and he proves it in this authentic western.

[mamalv · 8/10 · 24 February 2005]

Robert Taylor was always the most amazing looking man in a western. He sat a horse like no one else in movies ever did or has since. This is a truly good western about an Indian scout, Ward Kinsman, played by Taylor. He is pursued by the army to scout a journey to find the sister of Ann Duverall (Arlene Dahl)who has been kidnapped by a renegade Apache. At first he says no, but is attracted to Dahl, and alienates her from her romantic Army Captain, Ben Lorrison, played by John Hodiak, who co-stared with Taylor on several occasions, including the Bribe. The other romances are center stage with a young Don Taylor pursuing the wife of an enlisted man who is an wife beater. Jean Hagen plays the wife with great apprehension, knowing she is love with Don Taylor but staying because it is her religion. None of the romance can however outshine the great outdoors, the Indian fights, the bravery of the soldiers, and Robert Taylor, who when he starts the film, is unshaven, dirty and just as real as I am sure Luke Short wrote the part. A wonderful western with all the elements of gritty realism of the book. A must see.

mission to rescue the general's daughter

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 13 January 2023]

When the apache indians kidnap the daughter of a military man, a party goes out to bring her back. If they can. The native american tribal leader diablito is known to be violent, and running out of places to go. It won't be easy. Stars robert taylor and john hodiak, with their own issues to be worked out. Of course. Gotta have that subplot. Beautiful locations of the west. Lupton is right on the border with new mexico. And "corriganville movie ranch" is now a los angeles park. Check out the interesting history in wikipedia dot org....it was owned by a hollywood stunt man, and later by comedian bob hope. Victor thunderclound is here as tana, an apache. Thundercloud may or may not actually have been native american, according to wikipedia. He was also tonto in "the lone ranger"! In the film, the group catches up to diablito about an hour into the film... the first part is all setup. Then the big confrontation. Which is over pretty quickly. It's okay, but i can see why it didn't win any oscars. Directed by sam wood. Based on a story by luke short. Many of his works were made into film.

One too many love triangles

[westerner357 · 5/10 · 22 June 2003]

Story involves the Army's rescue of a General's daughter, captured by the Apaches when the surveying team she was with, was wiped out by a war party. Ward Kinsman (Robert Taylor), a former Army scout now gold prospector, is called upon by local Army commander (Leon Ames) to save her.

Arlene Dahl is her worried sister who (as we guessed) falls in love with Taylor. Of course there's a love triangle between those two and Army Capt. Ben Lorrison (John Hodiak) to make this film more steamy than necessary. And of course Robert Taylor reluctantly agrees to help find the woman since he is falling in love with Dahl and really can't refuse her.

What complicates things even further is another love triangle between Lt. Delaney (Don Taylor), Jean Hagen and her no-good enlisted husband played by Bruce Cowling. I guess director Sam Wood didn't think ONE steamy love triangle was enough so he had to have two. It's too bad all this nonsense chews up too much of the film because this oater had a lot of potential.

What saves this from being a total soap opera is the decent battle scenes at the end of the film. The Calvary knows where the Apaches are massing and ambush them inside a canyon. The second ambush involves those Apaches who have escaped this first battle, led by their chief Diablito (Charles Stevens), who hide in holes on the vast plain and ambush John Hodiak's patrol. They hide in their covered holes and wait until they are on top of them.

All but the master Sgt. Mack (Pat Moriarity) are killed in the ensuing gun battle, thereby freeing Robert Taylor to hook up with Dahl, and Don Taylor to hook up with the now widowed Hagen. No more Hodiak. No more Cowling. A little too convenient, I think.

And all this lovey-dovey stuff brings what would otherwise have been an exciting western, down a couple of notches. So I'm gonna only give it a 5 out of 10 for complicating things more than need be.

Not A Kid In A Cowboy Suit Any More

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 15 February 2008]

Ambush was the second western Robert Taylor made in his career. The first was Billy the Kid eight years earlier. At the time a critic said that Robert Taylor looked like a kid in his new cowboy suit as Billy. Truth be told that was in Taylor's heartthrob days and he did look somewhat callow in the part.

No one would ever say that about Ambush. When we first meet Taylor he's with sidekick scout John McIntire with several days growth, dirty and unkempt, and on the dodge from Apaches. Of course he and McIntire escape and return to the fort they're assigned to and find a new spit and polish second in command in John Hodiak.

Even after a shave and a bath Taylor looks gritty and tough and starts to get interested in Arlene Dahl who is the daughter of a general and who's getting the army to go after her sister who's been captured by the same band of Apaches that Taylor just escaped from. Even though he knows it will cost lives Taylor scouts for the mission. He also wants to tweak Hodiak a bit who also is interested in Dahl.

There's another romantic triangle going at the post. Young lieutenant Don Taylor is interested in Jean Hagen the post laundress who's married to a wife beating enlisted man, Bruce Cowling.

This was the last film of director Sam Wood who possibly because of his right wing political views is not as well remembered today as a lot of his contemporaries. He received three nominations for Best Director for Kitty Foyle, Goodbye Mr. Chips, and King's Row. He did such other classics as Pride of the Yankees, A Day At the Races, A Night at the Opera and Our Town. That's a pretty good resume.

This maybe a cavalry picture, but it's not like one that John Ford would have directed. It's got some lean and mean characters and I don't mean just the standard villains. Ford would never have had anything as frank as out and out adultery in one of his films.

Ambush is a great western for fans of the genre and others. And after this no one was going to give Robert Taylor a review like the one he got for Billy the Kid.

True to its title this western ends in a big ambush.

[cgvsluis · 6/10 · 4 March 2022]

This was a gritty western that show cases Robert Taylor well. Robert Taylor plays Ward Kinsman a prospector and Indian scout. Ward is persuaded to help the U. S. Cavalry rescue a woman who has been kidnapped by El Diabolito and his tribe during a raid in which her husband was killed.

Initially Ward is resistant to helping as he thinks it is a lost cause that will just get more soldiers and Indians killed...but after meeting her sister, Anne Duverall, he eventually warms to the idea.

Meanwhile there is a side story going on with a soldier and friend of Ward's, Lt. Linus Delaney. You see Linus is in love with a married woman who is working as a laundress in their camp and being abused by her drunk of a husband who just happens to be a lower ranking soldier. DRAMA!

Wonderful scenes shot in the desert with great rock formations and as mention this is a wonderful showcase for Robert Taylor who gets to be rugged, smart and a good friend.

The one storyline not mentioned is the superior officer, Captain Ben Lorrison, who is in love with Anne and determined to do what it takes to get her sister back...according to Linus he is a by the book soldier and Ward's other friend describes him as the kind of guy who is perfect so he doesn't understand the mistakes of others. Well, let's just say pride goes before the fall.

This was a decent western and told a good story. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of westerns or the desert.

Adheres to a specific formula

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 18 October 2022]

After the second world war, Robert Taylor returned to work at MGM. He was promptly cast in a few crime films but noir didn't exactly suit his personality and musicals were out of the question. So the studio decided to remold his image as a western hero. AMBUSH would be the first in a series of westerns for Taylor in the 1950s.

MGM was not entirely proficient in this genre. I suspect the execs started to green-light these projects in order to keep up with the competition. Republic had done strong business in the B-western market for many years and recently increased budgets to produce 'A' western pictures. Other studios like Paramount, Columbia and RKO also embraced this trend. MGM was somewhat slow to adapt to these industry changes.

The studio assigned veteran director Sam Wood to the project. It would be the last motion picture Mr. Wood helmed, in a Hollywood career that stretched back to 1920. Wood was no John Ford, and he didn't exactly have a natural feel for these stories the way Anthony Mann did, or the way Sam Peckinpah would. In fact, Wood had only made one silent western, THE MINE WITH THE IRON DOOR, in 1924. And he had only made one western in the sound era, a Paramount title called RANGERS OF FORTUNE starring Fred MacMurray.

AMBUSH adheres to a specific formula. There is the requisite Cavalry versus the Indians theme; a civilian scout (Taylor's character); a love triangle-- two of them, actually; a standoff with Apaches; oh and a stampede thrown in for good measure to prevent the audience from getting bored.

The original story had been published in The Saturday Evening Post and was written by Luke Short. Not Luke Short the famous gunslinger from the 1800s, but a pulp writer using Short's name as a pseudonym.

AMBUSH was filmed on location in California and New Mexico; some scenes in the film were shot at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Harold Lipstein's camera gives us a few panoramic glimpses of the mountainous terrain during a climactic action sequence.

I had no problem with Taylor, costar John Hodiak or female lead Arlene Dahl whom they both love. The three stars all make valiant attempts to infuse the story with meaningful motivation and nuance. Mr. Hodiak is probably the best actor in the picture, and he has a stirring death scene during the titular ambush near the end.

Supporting player Leon Ames does well as an army major, and so does John McIntire who plays a mountain guide. We also have Don Taylor cast as a well-liked lieutenant who falls for another man's wife.

The wife is Jean Hagen, in only her second film role. She's a laundress at the base with adultery on her mind. I was interested in this character and wanted to see her escape a physically abusive husband (Bruce Cowling). Though we are meant to sympathize with her plight, the production code prevents her from being with the man she truly desires. The subplot doesn't have a proper resolution.

As for the Apaches, they seem realistically violent. The main plot predates THE SEARCHERS in that Miss Dahl's sister has been kidnapped by the tribe. The army has been asked to track the woman down and bring her back to safety.

Regarding the big ambush, I feel that a more thoughtful and more artistic director would have shown us how it happened from two distinct vantage points. Both sides were ambushing each other.

Off screen, Sam Wood was a staunch anti-communist. Any leftish, liberal-leaning member of the cast or crew would've been ambushed by him and kept off the set. A recent war had just taken place. And already new battles were being waged over America and its political ideals.

Robert Taylor and John Hodiak

[marthawilcox1831 · 3/10 · 31 July 2014]

It's good to see John Hodiak face off against Robert Taylor and winning, although I would have thought that Taylor being the bigger star would have won. Although Hodiak is a good actor he wouldn't go on to anything significant except a premature death. He's probably most remembered for his part in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Lifeboat', but that was in the early part of his career. You don't have that much time at the top.

As for the film itself it's a bit pedestrian. It lacks a good script and storyline. The characters are one-dimensional, but the performances by both Taylor and Hodiak are good. The direction is not that good, but if you haven't got a good script then there isn't much you can do.

Just when you think it's over, it ain't over.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 9 September 2020]

Good performances and interesting characterizations by Robert Taylor and John Hodiak raise the bar on this western dealing with the kidnapping of a general's daughter by the Apache's and the mission to rescue her. It's apparent that Indian scout Taylor and Army captain Hodiak hate each other, and the first half of the film deals with their determination to settle things before heading out. In fact, they get into a big brawl just to get it out of their system, and it's apparent although they still can't stand each other that they are willing to work together even though they are both attracted to as a pretty Arlene Dahl, the General's other daughter.

Thanks to the MGM gloss, it's rises above your basic B Western, featuring Don Taylor, Jean Hagen and Leon Ames in other important parts. The battle scene are viciously violence and the Apaches are presented as bloodthirsty. Good photography and fast paced direction and editing helps alleviate the issues with cliched characters. This is a different type of role for the pretty Arlene Dahl, but the lack of color for her beautiful red hair and gorgeous skin makes her seem to fade into the black and white film. Taylor and Hodiak thus give the most memorable performance wise. Chief Thunderground doesn't say a word as main Apache, but watching him to pretend to be dead among a field of dead Apaches is very haunting.

A Black and White Horse Opera That Should Have Been In Color And Free Of Ratings!

[wgie · 6/10 · 21 March 2009]

I am of the opinion that "Ambush" comes off as a standard black and white horse opera for two reason. First off, as I was watching the film I couldn't help but wonder as to how much better of a film it could have been if it had been filmed in gorgeous Technocolor which would have emphasized the beautiful Monument Valley type of surroundings. Secondly, the film being a product of it's time (1949), was limited to the morality and the censorship that most assuredly was imposed on it. In other words, various organizations such as Catholic Legion Of Decency played a big part in what could be portrayed during the context of the film's plot and what was presented on the screen i.e., if any studio violated their code of ethics that appeared in the good old "Sunday Visitor", a Catholic publication, the Legion of Decency would give it a "C" for Condemned or a "MO" for Morally Objectionable to discourage patrons from going to theaters to see the film. The plot of this film has Lt. Linus Delaney (Don Taylor) falling for an enlisted man's wife Martha Conovan (Jean Hagen). The woman's husband Tom Conovan (Bruce Cowling) is an abusive drunk that continuously beats his wife and eventually becomes an army deserter. Rest assured that their is no hope for this star struck couple ever to find happiness! Obviously, there is only one way for a "taken" woman to get the other man....and that is for the out of luck husband or fiancé to die. Enter Captain Ben Lorrison (John Hodiak), a fool hardy Officer reminiscent of Henry Fonda in "Fort Apache". In other words, a man who will not listen to someone that has been there and knows what and when to do it as exemplified by a scout, Ward Kinsman (Robert Taylor). Taylor inadvertently falls for Hodiak's girl Ann Duverall (Arlene Dahl) but he has two things going for him that the other Taylor doesn't have; 1)Dahl is not married to Hodiak and 2)Hodiak is a prideful by the book officer and his stubbornness to attack the Indians when he has been heeded not to eventually gets him killed. Alas! Robert Taylor gets Dahl while Don Taylor and Jean Hagen sadly stare at each expressing a tearful, wordless "Goodbye" while humoring the good old Catholic Legion of Decency. I don't know about you guys out there...but I always looked at my good old Sunday Visitor to check out the movies I wanted to see, and I didn't let those darn old "Condemned" or "Morally Objectionable" get in my way of my entertainment.

ambush

[mossgrymk · 6/10 · 21 January 2023]

For those who may have wondered what "Fort Apache" and, to a lesser extent, "The Searchers" might have looked like had they been directed by someone with roughly half the talent of John Ford, you now have your answer. In other words, "Ambush" is a too slow paced western with occasional flashes of interest that you cease to think about almost as soon as it is done. Its good points can be rather quickly summarized: sardonically intelligent dialogue by Marguerite Roberts, one of the better western scribes and one of the only women doing it, well executed battle scenes from director Sam Wood, whose last film this is (guy had a fatal coronary less than a year later, obviously worn out by decades of red baiting and commie hunting), and a good, hard bitten, low key performance from Rat Fink Bob. Its flaws, centered around an under developed love triangle between Taylor, Arlene Dahl and John Hodiak, as well as the standard racist depiction of Apaches, are too many to mention, although I feel I must single out the really dull sub plot involving a lieutenant played by Don Taylor, one of late 40s Hollywood's duller young actors, and an enlisted man's wife, played by the usually good, but not here, Jean Hagen. Oh and the cinematography is so dark that you feel you're watching an exercise in how not to shoot western noir. C plus.

old style western

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 14 February 2022]

It's 1878. The shortest trail west through Arizona crawls across the foot of Bailey Mountain, an Apache stronghold. Ward Kinsman (Robert Taylor) barely escapes Apache warriors as he is called to the fort. He is recruited to scout for a rescue expedition. Mary Carlyle, a general's daughter, was kidnapped by Diablito and his Apache warriors who ran away from their reservation.

I would get rid of the romantic melodrama although that's the movie. It's old style in that way. I expected more action but there is enough. The Apaches are the villains in this one. At least, the lead actor has some connection to the Apache. What that is is somewhat in question. At least, he's not some white Irishman painted up to look tan. The locations are epic although the paneling can be seen in some of the studio interior background. It's interesting to see old studio for outdoors work. I would be fooled if not for the seams between the panels. The other giveaway is that the clouds don't move. This is an old style western. It's fine.

Powerhouse Western!

[oldblackandwhite · 9/10 · 23 November 2012]

Ambush is a gripping, authentic, action-packed, dramatically compelling picture of the United States Cavalry in the 1870's Arizona territory. It was producer/director Sam Wood's final movie, filmed shortly before his sudden death in September 1949 and released in January 1950. For top star Robert Taylor, now in his early forties, weathered but gracefully aged, it was an auspicious beginning to what would be a close association with the Western genre for the rest of his career.

While there is plenty of action in Ambush, its intense, nuanced character studies are what sets this dynamic Western apart from the crowd. Taylor plays a tough, savvy civilian scout at odds with by the book Army captain John Hodiack, both over campaign strategy and the affections of gorgeous Arlene Dahl, a late general's daughter hoping the cavalry can rescue her sister from Apache captivity. As if one love triangle were not enough for a dusty, little Army post, the first lieutenant Don Taylor is madly and hopelessly in love with the beautiful Irish laundress (Jean Hagen), the loyal Catholic wife to a drunken lout of an enlisted man (Bruce Cowling), who frequently socks her around. When a disabling injury to the major in command of the post (Leon Ames) puts the spit-and-polish captain temporarily in charge, everything comes to a boil. Not as soapy as it sounds but sensitively directed by Wood and perfectly acted by all concerned. The scenes of poignant longing tinged with guilt between Don Taylor and Ms. Hagen nearly steal the show. The rich supporting cast includes, as well as Ames and Cowling, John McIntire as an older scout, Pat Moriarity as the top sergeant, and also Charles Stevens, who claimed descent from Geronimo, as the vicious, resourceful Apache leader Diablito.

The script by Marguerite Roberts from a Luke Short story is intelligent and engaging with clever, brisk, colorful dialog. Harold Lipstein's moody black and white cinematography and Rudolph G. Kopp's textured score enhance the gritty, realistic, yet slightly nostalgic ambiance. Editing is silky smooth, as in almost any big studio picture of this era. The all important pacing is perfect. The compact 89-minute running time moves along at a brisk pace, building suspense, never dragging, but taking enough breathers to build character and create atmosphere. Costumes and sets are first-rate and authentic. Real-life western Army forts during the Indian War era did not have palisade walls, and, refreshingly, neither does the one in this handsomely turned out Western. More importantly, the characters act like nineteenth century people, with the social attitudes of the time, yet without seeming stiff.

With apologies to John Ford fans, which includes yours truly, Ambush is the best of its type. Whereas Ford, who liked to portray everything bigger than life, tended to make the cavalry too grand and romantic, Wood gives us the real Old West Army -- long-service soldiers serving loyally but thanklessly at dusty, out of the way posts neither finding nor expecting much in the way of comfort or glory.

Ambush is a thrilling, dramatic, atmospheric, authentic adult Western, engaging, charming, and entertaining from beginning to end. The opening and closing scenes of this picture are both real knockouts! This is an unappreciated classic. Top-notch entertainment from Old Hollywood's Golden Era.

no character was properly built with enough background

[rightwingisevil · 6 March 2013]

to me, this is one of the boring semi-western movies that never wowed me in the least. all the characters in this screenplay were all half baked without any clear background check, nor future development. r.t.'s performance was just okay since the weak storyline could not allow him to show more but a formulaic vague person, not even a great person at all. the storyline also made him become a lamer who didn't even know how to fight with both hands. the scene when he was knocked out in the stable without even had any chance to lay a fist against his opponent just further weakened his image in this quite lame film. the storyline involved a white woman who was caught by the injuns and her younger sister tried to rescue her also felt flat. too much scenes showed the chalvary, the early American army or marines, mounted on or off the horses, further distant the film away from a real "western" but somewhat early American military activities and they were just bored me to death. the lousy screenplay also created some no background build-up romances, the skin-deep affairs for one vague and shallow triangle romance and the other goofy, groundless sneaky relationship between a drunken soldier's wife and the soldier's immediate superior officer, that was also such a lame, pointless, going nowhere one that i could not care less. this is a very disappointing semi-western film that never gave any chance to any one in it to perform well or develop enough, but enough to become forgetful.

R.H.I.P.

[boblipton · 7/10 · 14 March 2024]

It's 1878 in Arizona Territory. General's daughter Marta Mitrovich has been kidnapped by renegade Apaches, and bedridden Major Leon Ames orders Captain John Hodiak to take troops and rescue her. Scout Robert Taylor at first refuses to help, but when he falls in love with Miss Mitrovich's sister, Arlene Dahl, he agrees, although Miss Dahl is engaged to Hodiak.

Sam Wood's last movie features some breathtaking camerawork by Harold Lipstein, although he seems to be more interested in the rocks in the open country than the people. Still, he gets in some fine portrait shots of the principals. Marguerite Roberts' script is frank and dirty, and Taylor is very good in the role, speaking what is uppermost in his mind and allowing the audience to infer what else is going on. With Jean Hagen, Don Taylor, and Ray Teal.

We Were Ambushed *1/2

[edwagreen · 3/10 · 10 May 2012]

The black and white cinematography does nothing for this dreary, very dull movie.

In Mel Brooks's "Blazing Saddles," of 1974, it was stated that never in the history of motion pictures has the cavalry ever come late. Even being on time can't help save this mess of a film with choppy dialogue, and a story-line that could almost bring one to tears due to the complete lack of cohesion.

Despite a wonderful cast, the film is largely done in by the writing. Diablito, the Apache renegade runs rampart causing death and destruction wherever he goes. Robert Taylor, as a guide joins the army in searching for this devil.

At the fort, Don Taylor, an army man, is carrying on with the married Jean Hagen. Taylor, who was Susan Hayward's first husband in the memorable "I'll Cry Tomorrow," could have begun crying when this misery of a film came out. Arlene Dahl loves John Hodiak, but then Taylor comes on the scene.

The film is cliché ridden. You will not be disappointed by the disappointed experienced by the women at film's end. You will just wonder why Sam Wood ever made such a film.

Very Good Western with Robert Taylor

[lsda-80381 · 9/10 · 14 January 2023]

This is a well acted Western that would have been even better if it was in color. The scenery is just awesome. Of course, it is a classic story with the Indians as the bad guys. There are also romance aspects to keep the ladies interested. There is a very good adult interaction between the two principle male actors, Robert Taylor and John Hodiak, plus a bit of male cheesecake, to boot. I thought this movie portrayed the Indians as more than just antagonists. The film also showed their very intelligent strategic planning as they wrestled with our usual "heroes". For Robert Taylor fans this is a great opportunity to acknowledge how far he had come in his career. He was a very good actor who was able to easily morph from one genre to the next without missing a beat. He has not been given enough credit for his abilities.

Routine

[martin-fennell · 4/10 · 1 June 2021]

Routine western with Taylor doing his usual hero bit.