Yellowstone Kelly (1959) Reviews

• This actioner Western packs emotion , adventures, fights , crossfire and gorgeous outdoors

  ma-cortes2018-05-04

  Set in 1870s , it deals with Yellowstone Kelly, Clint Walker , a mountain man and explorer , he lives in the Sioux territory South of Missouri . Kelly has a particular code of survival and lives in a brutal land of isolated woods and mountains and hostile Indians , he becomes part of the wilderness , eventually taking on responsability a boy and acting as a protector . He is hired by a Cavalry Major : Rhodes Reason from the army at Fort Butford .Kelly reluctantly takes on responsability as preceptor and helper an obstinate young : Edd Byrnes , but both of them run into problems with the Sioux led by two tough warriors : John Russell and Ray Danton . Troubles emerge when Kelly and the boy fall in love with the same woman, the beautiful Indian Arapahoe , Andre Martin , and the Sioux warriors arrive ro reclaim her. It is a very nice film that could become another western worthy of any anthology . Interesting and moving screenplay by the notorious Burt Kennedy who wrote and directed several westerns .Being based on a true role , a historic figure who became a know scout and trapper in Wyoming territory. This agreeable and charming flick displays a colorful and brilliant cinematography by Carl Guthrie , adding an impressive production design by William Wallace .And pretty good musical score by Howard Jackson , full of thrilling and attractive sound . Enjoyable Indian western with adventures , thrills , noisy action , a love story , battles , and wonderful landscapes. Well developed story in leaps and bounds , strong energy , attractive roles , abundant action scenes , elegant camera movements , special dramatic pace and including a dialectic about racism .Stars Clint Walker as a trapper and Indian scout who saved the life of a Sioux chief and gives shelter to a runaway Arapahoe Indian played by the gorgeous Andre Martin and then problems emerge. The tall Clint does his own stunts and performed a lot of westerns and Tv series as Cheyenne , Yuma, White Buffalo , None but the brave, Pancho Villa, The bounty man, and Night of Grizzly also directed by Gordon Douglas .He is accompanied by the young tenderfoot Edd Byrnes who was a beefcake who made various Westerns and Spaghetti. Support cast is frankly excellent such as Claude Akins , Rhodes Reason , Warren Oates , Ray Danton and John Russell . The motion picture was well directed by GordonDouglas, at his best , though It was supposed to be shot by the great John Ford , later on , he turned down the direction to film The horse riders , instead. Gordon was expert on adventure genre as Black arrow , Fortunes of captain Blood , both starred by Louis Hayward ; and Western , as he proved in the movies starred by Clint Walker as Fort Dobbs , Gold of Seven Saints , Yellowstone Kelly ; Gregory Peck as Only the valiant ; Rod Taylor in Chuka and Rio Conchos with Richard Boone deemed the best and upon legendary bandits as Doolins of Oklahoma , Great Missouri raid , among others.

• Yellowstone Kelly

  Scarecrow-882013-09-10

  A well-reputed fur-trapper, Apache-scout, and frontiersman, Luther "Yellowstone" Kelly, decides to "hire on" a teenaged Anse Harper (teen idol, Edd Byrnes) against his better judgment but grows fond of the boy. Always a loner, Kelly felt (up until he meets Anse, and later Arapaho beauty, Wahleeah (Andra Martin)) he was best on his own, but Anse is a gentle-voiced, non-combative, polite young man who does what he's told to the best of his abilities. Soon, Kelly and Anse run up on the Sioux (led by Gall (John Russell) and his fiery, antagonistic nephew, Sayapi (Ray Danton)), while journeying back to Kelly's cabin (traveling through "the snake" into the "high country" of Montana (where the "springs get quite green")). Saving Gall's "woman", Wahleeah (who wishes to return to her own people), from certain death, Kelly earns brownie points and is allowed to leave (along with Anse). The Calvary (with the likes of Claude Akins and debuting Warren Oates, as well as, Rhodes Reason and Gary Vinson) want to drive out the Sioux by taking an accompaniment of soldiers through "the snake", but Kelly warns against such foolishness. Kelly, though, understands that the White Man will eventually take the land due to strength in numbers. Clint Walker is hired for his screen presence and build (the camera of director Gordon Douglas shoots Walker's Kelly as if he were a towering legend, with the expected close-ups of his non-violent, peace-desiring, conflict-weary face) more than any serious acting chops, but I never felt he wasn't adequate in the part. It isn't like Kelly needed the "method touch" or anything. Edd was probably casted to secure the teen-youth market; he is the moral compass that questions the choice of Kelly to allow Wahleeah to return to the Sioux as she clearly is held by them against her will. Kelly has that dilemma upon him…Wahleeah escapes from the Sioux, stealing one of their ponies in the night, successfully making it to Kelly's cabin. Kelly makes a stance towards Gall regarding Wahleeah; because she's still in bad health due to her past injuries, Kelly refuses to allow Gall to escort her away when Wahleeah is in no shape to travel. Sayapi is the main heavy of the film as the prideful, aggressive, hostile Sioux warrior questioning Gall's judgment and bravery, soon responsible for tragedy involving Anse (who intends to take Wahleeah to her people despite Kelly's orders to keep her in the cabin), earning Kelly's vengeance. Of course, there's the battle at the end (as expected by these kinds of western adventures) where the Sioux engage Kelly and the remaining survivors left of the Calvary with guns firing, dust kicked up, and bodies hitting the ground. "Yellowstone Kelly" is surprisingly violent, with plenty of knife and gun violence, especially when Kelly goes after Sayapi and the Sioux in his company. This wouldn't be complete without fisticuffs so Walker tolerates the heckling of Akins and Oates up to a point until he has no choice but to lay the smack to them (yep, a water trough and window are used to subdue the rude soldiers who mocked Kelly by calling him an Indian; Kelly respects Native American tribes, and he doesn't even make much of a fuss when the soldiers first rib him in a bar, but a stagecoach dust up pushes him too far). The script doesn't actually bang the patriot drum, with some sympathy towards tribes affected by White Man's colonization of their land. Russell, as Gall, follows the lead of many Caucasian actors "dressed in red face" as he carries a "man-of-few-words, pillar of strength" approach to the Sioux leader not to be disrespected and not quick to rush into anything without thinking of the consequences. There's a great scene where Sayapi seems ready to approach Kelly (against Gall's wishes) when Gall grabs him by the throat in a clinch and makes the kid fall to the ground…this tells you that Gall is in charge for a reason. Gall's built for it while Sayapi goes too far and winds up just as he does by film's end. There's something that stayed with me regarding how Kelly tells Gall to take his men and go because the land no longer treats them well…the script has a lot of this (saying that the former occupants of a land that had been there's for ages is taken from them, with White Man telling them to find somewhere else to call home).

• unpretentious, good western

  tmwest2013-06-25

  When the Clint Walker westerns showed up in the late fifties, they had to compete with the traditional actors like John Wayne, James Stewart, Randolph Scott, Audie Murphy, etc... No doubt it was hard to be a newcomer, with those guys there. That's why I missed his films, but the long wait gave me the thrill of seeing "Yellowstone Kelly" now, when westerns are so few, and we have seen most of the old ones. An unpretentious film, but with a top director, Gordon Douglas, an excellent script by Burt Kennedy, good actors like Edd Byrnes, Ray Danton, Andra Martin, Claude Atkins, and a great performance by John Russel as the chief Gall. It is a plain western story, with a sensual romance between Clint and Andra Martin, where they barely touch each other, but Wahleeah (Andra Martin) is very specific about " who looked at her" and "who she looked at" (guess!). The scenery, the music, and the action scenes, also help to place what would otherwise be a conventional routine western, one step higher.

• Colorful western is a hidden gem

  NewEnglandPat2003-12-08

  Warner Brothers came up with a winner in this film of a fur trader who finds himself caught in the middle of a cavalry-Indian just wants to run his trap lines in Montana high country but proposed treaty-breaking by the government poses the threat of an Indian uprising. The film dwells a bit on a sub plot that has Kelly saving an Indian maiden's life as well as playing wet nurse to a tenderfoot who seeks to win the trapper's friendship and respect. There is a fine battle scene between the soldiers and the Indians, one of the best of its type and is the film's high point. John Russell, Ray Danton and Claude Akins are among the cast names that contribute greatly to fine story. Andra Martin is striking as the Arapahoe girl and a point of contention between Kelly and the Sioux warriors. Edd Byrnes is okay as Kelly's young helper. Outstanding camera work and music score make this forgotten western one of the genre's best pictures.

• Tough-Minded "B" western Transcends Its Budget' Well-Liked.

  silverscreen8882005-07-13

  This unpretentious and well-paced film min my judgment almost redefines the 'B' movie. It uses the talents of solid-plot novelist Clay Fisher, action director Gordon Douglas's skills, script additions by Burt Kennedy, lucid cinematography by Carl Guthrie, costumes by Marjorie Best, set decorations by William Wallace and a good cast of supporting actors. The storyline is a very simple one. Luther Kelloey has saved the life of a Sioux chief, Gall. Because of this during the troubles in their country, he is still allowed to set his traplines. After some trouble with toughs at a fort, he enlists young tenderfoot Anse Harper as his helper--before discovering he is hopeless at everything; then Kelley heads upcountry. Once there, they save an Arapaho woman fleeing her enemies. Answe worships her; she falls in love with Kelley, but he fights the urge as he nurses her back to health. Then all discover that it is the Sioux chief who wants her back. Anse dies; and finally he has to lead soldiers against the Sioux to save the ill-led patrol; and he kills Gall's nephew, the real troublemaker in the situation, in battle. He then advises the Sioux chief to leave the Yellowstone country, telling him it no longer smiles on them; and they follow his advice. The film stars popular and very large Clint Walker, in the best of several western he was allowed to make in the 1950s, as who did not; Anse is well-done by Edd Byrnes, John Russell is the Sioux chief, Ray Danton the deadly nephew and Andra Martin the lovely Arapaho woman. Claude Akins as a skeptical sergeant, Rex Reason, Gary Vinson and Warren Oates are also featured. This is a very authentic western, physically-beautiful. The viewer learns a lot about what it takes to survive in the West through the very Eastern eyes of Anse; also, Kelley's very sound advice is doubted, not heeded or contradicted by soldiers, with the result that they need him to save their hides. This is not a great picture; but I suggest as a writer its authors gave it clear motivations, a solid story line for its under-budgeted producers to realize. The dialogue is above average, terse, never show; and Douglas's camera has quite a bit to work with in the way of interior dialogue exchanges, action scenes and angry confrontations. The highlight comes when Martin tells Walker, "You have LOOKED AT ME." From that moment, we know he likes her, she wants him--and all they have to do is fight a major battle against angry Sioux warriors to win their future...Many viewers have found this to be a very unpretentious and entertaining 'B' effort.