Bugles in the Afternoon (1952) User Reviews

Reasonable film adaptation of respected Little Big Horn novel

[Marlburian · 7/10 · 6 February 2007]

The book "Bugles in the Afternoon" is regarded as one of the better novels relating to Custer's Last Stand, and this film is a reasonable adaptation, not that it devotes much time to the battle itself. Rather it concentrates on a love triangle, with some good cavalry action with the Indians that is almost incidental to the Custer massacre.

I blinked a little at Kern Shafter's appearance on arriving to enlist at Fort Abraham Lincoln; he looked extremely smart, even for the gambler he had become. I assume his motivation in rejoining the colours was nostalgia for army life,though this wasn't completely evident.

The well-known participants in the battle - Custer, Reno, Benteen - don't get much screen time, and the General himself has only a few lines. At least he looks the part, with the short hair he favoured for a hot campaign rather than his trademark long locks. Purists may raise their eyebrows at the cavalry using repeating rifles, when in fact they carried single-shot carbines, and pack-animals rather than the wagons shown supplied the troops in the general battlefield area.

But all in all, it's a reasonable cavalry Western, but not in the same league as those of John Wayne and John Ford.

"OF all the cavalry posts in the world..........."

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 11 June 2005]

Hugh Marlowe must have felt just like Richard Blaine in Casablanca when Sergeant Ray Milland was assigned to the same post. Back in the Civil War they fought it out over a woman with Marlowe getting slashed with a saber and Milland getting busted out of the army.

But Milland's come back as an enlisted man in the 7th cavalry where Captain Marlowe is now assigned and there's Helena Carter to get the boys hormones a going'.

Fortunately this triangle story with the replacement apex is against the background of the fight at Little Big Horn. Lots of nice slam bang action make up for some of the sillier aspects of the romance.

Good Saturday afternoon western for those like me who like them.

Guns, Arrows, Bugles and Revenge.

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 16 November 2013]

Bugles in the Afternoon is directed by Roy Rowland and adapted to screenplay by Daniel Mainaring and Harry Brown from the Ernest Haycox novel. It stars Ray Milland, Helena Carter, Hugh Marlowe, Forrest Tucker, Barton Maclane and George Reeves. A Technicolor production with music by Dimitri Tiomkin and cinematography by Wilfred M. Cline.

Solid enjoyable fare that doesn't push any boundaries. Story finds Milland as Kern Shafter, a cavalryman cashiered out the service for running through Edward Garnett (Marlowe). After drifting for a while, Shafter ends up at Bismarck and joins the Seventh Cavalry at Fort Abraham Lincoln. Unfortunately, his new superior is none other than Captain Edward Garnett! As the two men vie for the same woman, Josephine Russell (Carter), Garnett continually puts Shafter into perilous situations as the Indian War rages. With the arrival of Custer (Sheb Wooley) to lead the men for an attack on the Sioux at Little Big Horn, Garnett and Shafter will each find their day of destiny.

It's all very colourful and muscular, with well staged fights and nifty stunt work. The love triangle core of the story doesn't grate or swamp the film in pointless mush, however, it seems strange to have the massacre at Little Big Horn in your story, yet only have it as a minor side issue to a couple of guys feuding with each other. Milland and Tucker, the latter as an Irish Private who befriends Shafter and welcomes pain as a test of manhood, both score well with engaging turns, while Carter also does good work with what could easily have been a token girl in the middle role. Location photography in Kanab is delightful (Cline would prove to be a dab hand in Westerns for the rest of the decade), and Tiomkin scores the music with verve and vigour.

There's some stereotyping of the Indians, and this even though there are some real Native Americans in the cast, while Marlowe is done no favours as his villainy is poorly written, but a better than average time waster this proves to be on a wintry afternoon by the fire. 6.5/10

Awkward love triangle dominates Cavalry-vs.-Indians western

[BrianDanaCamp · 19 January 2002]

BUGLES IN THE AFTERNOON (1952) uses the stirring saga of Custer's Last Stand as a backdrop for a rather trite story of a love triangle involving two cavalry officers in love with the same woman. Ray Milland plays Kern Shafter, an army Colonel who was stripped of his rank and dishonorably discharged for stabbing another officer, Captain Edward Garnett (Hugh Marlowe), with a saber during the Civil War. Ten years later, Shafter finds himself on a cavalry outpost in the Dakota Territory, under the command of the very same officer. Soon, they come to blows over a new woman, Josephine Russell, played by Helena Carter. Garnett assigns Shafter to increasingly dangerous missions, culminating in the scouting of Indian positions just before the action at Little Big Horn.

There is lots of action, great location photography and numerous enjoyable western scenes of men on horseback fighting Indians and rescuing townsmen and such. Unfortunately the film is badly miscast. Ray Milland is too laidback for a role that required someone a bit younger, tougher and more embittered, like John Payne (who excelled in this kind of role in films like CAPTAIN CHINA, CROSSWINDS and PASSAGE WEST) or a bit more ramrod straight like Randolph Scott, who was making plenty of westerns for the same studio (Warner Bros.) at the time. While she's absolutely gorgeous, Helena Carter has such polished diction and precise finishing school manners that she never appears believable as a settler in this hardscrabble western territory. She never shows emotion and scolds her two would-be lovers with carefully measured words rather than letting loose a little honest fury at them for their ridiculous behavior. Hugh Marlowe excelled at playing smarmy, officious types, but he wasn't much of a tough guy and never poses a sufficiently convincing threat to the hero. Worse, there are three great actors in the supporting cast who excelled at playing heavies-Forrest Tucker, Barton MacLane, and James Millican-yet they all play nice guys here. What a waste! Tucker, in particular, seems to be auditioning for a part in a John Ford western by imitating both Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen.

Luckily, the Sioux and Cheyenne are on hand to menace the cavalry. In one of the best scenes, early in the film, Milland rides alone into a band of armed, hostile Sioux to identify and apprehend two braves wanted for murdering a trio of prospectors. Marlowe hopes the Sioux will kill him, but Milland gets his suspects and rides out unharmed. The Sioux are led by Chief Red Owl, played by Indian actor John War Eagle. The other Sioux are all played by real Indians as well. Later in the film, Sheb Wooley is seen briefly as Custer. George (Superman) Reeves has a small part as one of the cavalry officers. The film was produced by William Cagney (James's brother), directed by Roy Rowland, and written by veteran screenwriters Geoffrey Homes and Harry Brown from a novel by famed western author Ernest Haycox.

"What do you do if he licks you?"

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 5 July 2017]

When the film begins, you see Captain Shafter (Ray Milland) being thrown out of the Cavalry for attacking another officer. The exact circumstances are unknown.

In the next scene, years have passed and Shafter is heading west on a stage coach. He is going to re-enlist in the Cavalry under an assumed name...and wouldn't you know it that the guy he attacked years ago (Hugh Marlow) is there and looking to get revenge on Shafter. All this, by the way, is set during the period in which Crazy Horse is on the rampage and heading to a showdown at the Little Big Horn.

This is a very standard western and Milland is just fine. There is nothing particularly bad nor good about this one...a decent time passer with a satisfying finale.

A Man With a Past

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 22 November 2021]

Ray Milland looks rather too old and polished for the uniform of a cavalry sergeant, and it could have done with less of Dimitri Tiomkin's noisy score.

But the quirky framing employed in the prologue to this good-looking, action-packed Technicolor potboiler co.scripted by Geoffrey Homes (best known for his film noirs), which includes a bargain-basement reenactment of Little Big Horn, hints at the fanciful visuals of director Roy Rowland's very next film, 'The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T'.

And it's always nice to see Barton MacLane play a good guy for a change.

A good Western, but it sure doesn't look like Montana !

[alancmiller · 7/10 · 17 May 2020]

"Bugles in the Afternoon" was filmed in the desert around Kanab, Utah, and because of that arid landscape, many viewers may assume that Fort C.F. Smith and the Custer Battlefield were located somewhere in the American Southwest. Please keep in mind that the actual battlefield is located Southeast of Billings, Montana near what is now the border with Wyoming. The area along the Little Big Horn River, and eastward to the rise of Rose Bud Creek is characterized by rolling hills, which on that fateful morning of June 25, 1876 were probably still covered by green prairie grass, not rocks and sand. Though somewhat muddled geographically, this is still a most entertaining movie !

Another Variation of Little Big Horn!

[bsmith5552 · 7/10 · 6 April 2021]

"Bugles in the Afternoon" was another telling of the Battle at Little Big Horn. This version tells the story from the point of view of two soldiers who hate each other over a previous confrontation.

In the opening, Capt. Kern Shafter (Ray Milland) is being stripped of his rank and dishonorably discharged over a disagreement with fellow officer Capt. Edward Garnett (Hugh Marlowe) in which Garnett was "run through". Shafter then travels west to Fort Lincoln, Nebraska the headquarters of General George Custer (Sheb Wooley). On the way west Shafter strikes up an amicable friendship with the comely Josephine Russell (Helena Carter).

On his arrival at the fort, Shafter re-enlists as a private (I don't know how this was possible since he had been drummed out of the army back east). Shafter discovers that Garnett is also at the post. An old acquaintance Capt. Myles Moylan (Barton MacLane) arranges with S/Maj. Hines (James Millican) to have Shafter assigned to him. Hines hands Sergeant's stripes formerly belonging to the high spirited Irishman Donavan (Forrest Tucker) Donovan challenges Shafter to a fight and comes to respect him.

Later, much to Shafter's chagrin, he discovers that Garnett is also interested in Josephine. Garnett manages to have Shafter assigned to him and sends him on dangerous life threatening missions in the hope that he will not return. Garnett and Shafter are a part of a scouting mission preceding the Little Big Horn battle. Garnett sends Shafter, Donovan and McDermott (John Pickard) on a suicidal mission. Garnett fails to prevent their ambush and both Donovan and McDermott are killed.

Shafter discovers the Little Big Horn massacre of Custer's command. Back in camp, Shafter confronts Garrett and.............................................................

Director Roy Rowland gives us plenty of action and beautiful scenery. There is a couple of well staged battles with the Sioux, however the main battle involving Custer is not shown. There are also a couple of fights, the first between Tucker and Milland and the second between Marlowe and Milland and their respective stunt doubles.

In addition to those mentioned above, there are several recognizable western vets in the cast. Look for Hugh Beaumont, Walter Coy, John Doucette, Harry Lauter, Bud Osborne and Bob Steele in smaller roles.

Debatable

[jromanbaker · 4/10 · 12 June 2021]

I am not American, and have no right to comment on the rights and wrongs of Custer's Last Stand at the Little Big Horn River. It is I would have thought a debatable issue, and this film is watchable thanks to Roy Rowland's direction. It moves at a swift pace and there is ( despite Tiomkin's heavy handed music ) a lot going for it visually. I watched it out of curiosity but was baffled by the trivial framework of this appalling event. Ray Milland is disgraced in the Cavalry, but rejoins another division and meets the person responsible for his disgrace. Battle ensues between them, and most trivial of all is the battle over a woman who seems to have divided attentions for both Milland and his enemy/rival played by Hugh Marlowe. Helena Carter plays the role of the woman. This trio of actors are lack lustre in their performances, and in my opinion this story should have been pared to the minimum. That said audiences of the time would have enjoyed all this on the big screens and no doubt they thought they had value for money. Two men after the same woman, and both Cavalrymen and Native Americans slaughtered fed into, sadly, what audiences like - entertainment despite the gravity of the subject matter. Watchable but it is Custer and the Native Americans who count.

On the same side, but bitter enemies.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 25 September 2023]

A colorful historical western culminating in the battle of Little Big Horn, this focuses on two men who just can't find it in their patriotism to get along. Ray Milland and Hugh Marlowe had a falling out years ago as calvary officers, with Milland coming out the loser. Years later, they are reunited with Milland now an enlisted man and the two finding themselves ruvals again, this time over feisty Helena Carter.

Based on the 1943 novel by Ernest Haycox, this has memorable supporting performances by Forrest Tucker (in the type of role that Warners would usually cast one of the two Alan Hales in), Barton MacLane and George Reeves. Colorful and action packed, dealing with believable human conflict and showing Milland changing greatly throughout as he realizes what's really important. The lead up to the big battle features singer Sheb Wooley as Custer in a cameo. Definitely one worth seeking out, with the performances all top notch, greatly aided by an enthusiastic script.

Much ado about futility, Milland looks too frail for fisticuffs

[adrianovasconcelos · 5/10 · 12 October 2023]

A strikingly resplendent Milland opens the film in full Union garb, but all his brass and stripes are immediately removed as he is dishonorably discharged from military service - why, the film fails to explain, setting the tone of incomplete and poorly presented information that pervades it to the end, with a Milland-Carter-Marlowe love entanglement, General Custer and Little Big Horn thrown in for spice. Sadly, dialogue suffers from inanities and more than once did I wrestle with a desire to just stop it after some 40 minutes.

BUT!... 40 minutes is a massive investment so at that point I upped from the sofa and raided the fridge, felt better and made a massive effort to see it to the end. Which I did. I wish I had a bugle to sound for every idiotic scene, line and facial expression, and I would have put any military parade to shame. I even thought of Peter Sellers blowing his horn at the start of THE PARTY (1967) in a send-up on GUNGA DIN (1939).

When Captain Garnett (Marlowe) decides to take a shot at Milland in the middle of an Indian attack, apparently to avoid blame while removing the Milland side to the abovementioned love triangle, I had enough.

What a waste of talent, and of my time! Carter and some competent landscape photography earn this dud 5 stars - and I am being generous.

Enjoyable, Underrated 'B' Western

[alanrhobson · 9/10 · 31 July 2013]

This is one of my favourite 'B' Westerns. It is highly enjoyable and very underrated (for example, in Halliwell's Film Guide, it gets no stars at all!).

The cinematography and location filming are very impressive and evocative. The action scenes are exciting and well staged. The scene compositions are particularly well done. For example, in the confrontations and battles between cavalry and Indians, we often see both sides at once, in one shot, making it a lot more realistic and engrossing than cross-cutting between one side and the other.

Sometimes there are moments that are gripping and even spine-tingling, such as the remorseless advance of the Indians up the cliff towards Forrest Tucker as he makes his heroic last stand.

Some of the other reviewers complained about character actor heavies such as Tucker, Barton MacLane and James Millican playing good guys, but actually it is a pleasant change seeing them in sympathetic roles.

There are many effective moments, even in brief shots, such as the ironic one when General Custer, on his way to the Little Big Horn, gives a sweeping, nonchalant bow to the woman who asks him to bring all the men home alive.

I've seen this film about five times over the last few decades, and it is still just as good!

Love triangle to the sound of trumpets

[greenheart · 8/10 · 9 February 2012]

An interesting variation on the story of Custer's last stand. It deals with the same battle with the Sioux, but at a site a few miles away from where Custer and his men were massacred. This premise is a nice angle to focus on although I'm not sure that any part of this has any historical battle. The scenery is breathtaking and we were treated to arrows in the back, Indians flying off horses, hand to hand combat and fisticuffs between soldiers. Ray Milland looks alarmingly like John Wayne, but I enjoyed his performance. Too much of the movie concentrates on a love triangle between Milland, his boss and seemingly the only female in the whole area. Quite frankly, both men needed their heads banging together and told to get on with the job in hand. But where would the drama be in that? Despite this whole feud becoming a little tiresome, this was an interesting piece and is well worth a view.

Lively cavalry actioner

[coltras35 · 9/10 · 18 March 2021]

Another childhood favourite which was a staple on BBC. Ray Milland stars in this cavalry western packed with well-staged action scenes that captures both sides of clash. A love triangle between Milland, who had been previously stripped of his rank, and Hugh Marlowe and Helena Carter, keep this plot boiling when there's no action scenes. Cavalry life is depicted quite well- usually that's skimmed over. The cinematography is impressive.

Best of the Ray Milland westerns and a pretty darn good flick!

[skirner · 8/10 · 13 March 2021]

Surprised by the rather large production values displayed in this Ray Milland western. Big time film score by Dimitri Tiomkin, great cast of actors, nice sets and large cast of extras in pretty extravagant battle scenes between Calvary and Indians. While some reviews criticized the plot I found the love triangle main theme engaging and interesting and thought it dove tailed nicely with the epic canvas of the battle of the little big horn.

I enjoyed seeing George Reeves in a nice supporting role along with Barton McClain being cast as a good guy rather than his usual bad guy role. I particularly loved Forrest Tucker playing the role of an endearingly jovial Irish cavalryman. He steals the movie in many ways. I'm a fan of Ray Milland so I'm naturally going to like his trike in this film one of the best in the latter part of his career.

The movie is not "They Died With Their Boots On" but it is a well made big budget western for its time deserving to be seen and celebrated. Hope it comes out on a deluxe Blu-Ray I would buy it on day one!

Good action packed western but nothing special

[searchanddestroy-1 · 8/10 · 12 July 2022]

I won't remind this film in ten years, for sure. It is made by Roy Rowland, a good director, but who gives here some standard stuff, classic, but with many exciting moments. However nothing to do with Budd Boetticher at Columbia, nor Universal westerns or even 20th Century Fox ones. A Warner material in the pure efficient way. Nothing bad but nothing exceptional either, except the jaw dropping action scenes.