The Command (1954) User Reviews

Standard and conventional Cavalry Western including thrills , action , emotion and a lot of Indian attacks

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 30 May 2019]

When the unit's commanding officer dies , an unexperienced officer doctor (Guy Madison) takes the command a regiment and to lead a wagon train through hostile Indian country . But the Privates believe that experienced Sgt. Elliott (James Withmore) should have been put in temporary command until they reach the Fort . Then , they are ordered by the Colonel in command of a group of infantry to escort a wagon train of settlers (Joan Weldon , among them) moving west . Along the way they must fight off illness , smallpox and rampaging Comanches who are also after them . The Story of the Unconquerable!

Moving and action-packed Western with a simple , standard story that engages the viewer until the last scene , dealing with a cavalry troop escorting a wagon train . An ordinary Cavalry Western in which a officer doctor is saddled with the risked assignment of steering a wagon train through hostile Indian territory . The film packs thrills , noisy action , crossfire , and being enough entertaining . It's a medium budget film with comfortable actors , technicians , functional production values and pleasing results . This was the first Cinemascope Western and the first Scope movie of any kind from Warner Brothers , a studio formerly committed to the 3D process , and not forgetting the Panoramic shots that showed the new process off to its best effect , using Zeiss anamorphic lenses . Decent and pleasant traditional Western with professional direction and flawlessly acted by Guy Madison as Capt. Robert MacClaw , Joan Weldon as Martha Cutting and James Whitmore as Sgt. Elliott . Guy Madison was one of the most popular Western stars at the time , he also performed in the first 3D Western : The charge of Feather River . Guy played leads in a series of programmers before being cast as legendary lawman Wild Bill Hickok in the TV series Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951). Madison had his first major role in "Until the End of Time" a drama directed by Edward Dmytryk, 1946 to then changed in action roles , mainly series B westerns , get some successes with the series . He played Hickok on TV and radio for much of the 1950s, and many of the TV episodes were strung together and released as feature films. Madison managed to squeeze in some more adult-oriented roles during his off-time from the series, but much of this work was also in westerns. After the Hickok series ended Madison found work scarce in the U.S. and traveled to Europe, where he became a popular star of Italian westerns and German adventure films , such as : ¨Duel at Rio Bravo¨ , ¨7 Winchester for a massacre¨ , ¨Bang bang Kid¨, ¨Five for revenge¨ , ¨Il figlio di Django¨ and ¨Reverend Colt¨ . Support cast is pretty well, giving splendidly fortright acting , such as : Carl Benton Reid , Gregg Barton , Harvey Lembeck , Denver Pyle and usual Ray Teal , among others .

It contains an atmospheric and adequate musical score by the classic composer Dimitri Tiomkin . Faded and tarnished cinematography Wilfrid M. Cline with a very bad print , being utterly necessary a perfect remasterizing . Being shot on location in Russell Ranch - Triunfo Canyon Road , Janss Conejo Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Agoura, California, and Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California. This breeze-fresh movie filled with get-up-and-go was professionally directed by David Butler, though drags at times , balancing in ups and downs . Butler was a good craftsman who directed all kinds of genres with special penchant for comedy , musical and drama . As he directed : April in Paris , Tea for two , Playmates , Doubting Thomas , Caught in the draft , The story of Seabiscuit , Lullaby in Broadway , The princess and the pirate , Captain January , The road to Morocco , and Westerns as : San Antonio , Calamity Jane and this The Command . Rating : 5.5/10 . Acceptable and passable .

Guy Madison gets some OJT in cavalry command and tactics.

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 11 April 2011]

After Captain Gregg Barton has been killed before dying he placed his troop of cavalry in the hands of the only officer left, army doctor Guy Madison. Madison is bringing them back to their fort when they meet up with a company of infantry and the wagon train they're escorting through Indian country. The short tempered Colonel Don Shelton, commandeers that same cavalry to help with the escort without knowing that Madison has no military training. The rest of the cavalrymen keep Madison's real army specialty a secret lest they spread some panic among the settlers.

Of course The Command that Madison is stuck with is no milk run. He's got to learn some real military tactics and has to learn them fast. Among the settlers there is an outbreak of what could be smallpox and Madison is hamstrung in giving aid in the profession he is trained in. Out of necessity he has to tell Joan Weldon who is traveling with the wagon train in the wagon where the sickness is starting.

The Command was one of the first film's done in the wide screen process with some 3D thrown in for good measure. With films on the big screen competing with the free small screen, gimmicks were thought to be needed to get the public out of their living rooms. A good solid cavalry western which The Command is was not enough at times.

James Whitmore as the sergeant who by rights should have been in charge and wisecracking Harvey Lembeck stand out in this cast. With a doctor hero and a cavalry setting, I'm surprised John Ford wasn't brought in for The Command. It seems like just his kind of material.

Column of Twos -- YOO-ooo!

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 21 October 2011]

In this one, the Indians get slaughtered as usual but it's the infantry that rescues the cavalry. There's a novelty for you.

I think I saw this when it was first released, but I only remember two scenes. In one, Guy Madison, as an Army doctor accompanying a cavalry troop must take command and he has to strip off his Captain's epaulets with the black medical background, and sew on new ones with the gold background of the cavalry. It was a learning experience. In the 1870s the US Army used a black background for medical officers and a gold background for cavalry. Later, we learned that a bluish-gray background signifies infantry. I didn't know that. Neither did anyone else in the Mayfair Theater. A kid in Newark would be hard put to recognize a horse if he saw one.

None of us learned much from the second scene. The pretty young Joan Weldon -- a real-life opera singer from San Francisco -- has been exposed to a disease and must be vaccinated, so Guy Madison has her unbutton her blouse and pull it down far enough to bare one arm and a tantalizing expanse of pectoralis major. Exciting, sure, but nothing new there.

Madison and Weldon fall in love all of a sudden. You can tell because every once in a while they interrupt their serious conversation to kiss before drawing apart and going about their business. That's the fault of the director, David Butler, a studio hack who rarely brought much to the party.

Basically, Madison, having been forced into a leadership position by circumstances, is despised as a mere Doc by his two dozen troopers. It gets worse when they run into a wagon train that is menaced by Indians. There are many infantry accompanying the wagons and they despise the cavalry and are despised in return. Furthermore, one wagon load of immigrants from New York may have brought smallpox with them. The infantry's regimental surgeon, filthy and obdurate, dismisses the prodromal symptoms as "the grip" but the superior Doctor Guy Madison suspects it may be worse than that. At the same time, he can't reveal that he's a doctor because then all the soldiers would lose faith in his ability to lead.

It's what's known as a "latent status" movie. The hero has some set of extraordinary skills that conditions prevent him from revealing. Usually he's a doctor ("The Fugitive") but sometimes a gun slinger ("The Fastest Gun In the West"). Guy Madison isn't just a secret medico. He's a crack horseman, a genius at cavalry tactics, and excels at fisticuffs. He has a ski-slope nose that ends in a point and I'm told he is handsome. He was in the Coast Guard. Handsomeness is a requirement for service in the Coast Guard. I was in the Coast Guard.

In this instance, Doctor Madison hastily reads a book on cavalry tactics and then twists them around in such a way as to effect a greater slaughter of attacking Indians and save most of the wagon train and soldiers. "In medicine, we learn that sometimes you have to improvise." One improvisation involves blowing a dozen Indians' heads off with a cannon load of grape shot. The story is by the militaristic James Warner Bellah, who had little sympathy for Indians or anybody else.

Bellah knew the historical setting though. I learned a little about cavalry tactics too. I forgot to mention that at the beginning because I was frankly obsessed with Joan Weldon's left deltoid. And let's not just dismiss the importance of cavalry tactics. In the American Civil War, the North stank. The Confederates bundled their cavalry into independent fighting forces instead of distributing them piecemeal as infantry reconnaissance and support. It was a hard-learned lesson and the professor was J. E. B. Stuart. Then we managed to forget all about it when tanks were introduced in World War I and used strictly as infantry support. It took Guderian and Rommel and the Blitzkrieg to teach us the same thing all over again.

Where was I? Yes, that's right -- Joan Weldon's trapezius. I'll bet she had a great voice too.

Well made Western

[MattyGibbs · 7/10 · 6 August 2014]

This is one of those old Cowboy versus Indian westerns. As a kid growing up the cowboys were the good guys and the Indians the bad guys. Obviously as you grow up you realise that this wasn't the case. As a result the sight of Native Americans being mown down, leaves me slightly peeved. However I did watch the film in the context of the time it was made.

Although it does drag in parts towards the middle, in the main this is a very well made western with some great action scenes as the cavalry do battle with the Indians. The final battle scenes were excellently done. Guy Madison does a good job as the charismatic doctor finding himself in charge of a troop when the commanding officer is killed. There is a bit of humour thrown in now and again and of course the the obligatory romance with the love interest being played by the beautiful Joan Weldon.

Although not a truly great Western it's certainly an above average one and well worth watching for fans of this genre.

Surprisingly fun western

[KimB-3 · 6/10 · 26 February 1999]

This surprisingly fun western stars Guy Madison as a Doctor Robert MacClaw who finds himself in charge of his cavalry troup as a result of his commanding officer's dying order. Needless to say, the men aren't thrilled, but he wins them over with his unorthodox, yet effective, tactics against the bands of hostile Indians who stand between them and safety. Along the way his command grows to include a wagon train of settlers and two units of inexperienced infantry. Naturally, there's a romantic subplot involving one of the settlers, and a breakout of smallpox that calls upon his medical skills. The romance seems tepid and formulaic, but MacClaw's relationship with his senior officer, Sgt Elliott, is believable and strong. Despite a disturbingly high body count of Indians, the good doctor doesn't show much remorse about the slaughter. Ironically, he seems much more worried that they'll be decimated by smallpox contracted from the wagon train. Don't look for any kind of message here, however, it's just good clean fun (if you can overlook the dead Indians), with an exciting high-speed wagon chase at the end!

A Commanding Western

[gary-444 · 6/10 · 20 October 2014]

I was brought up as a child watching Westerns. As a middle aged adult it is interesting to revisit the genre.

The Command is routine and conservative in its content. A waggon train needs to reach its destination and the pesky injuns are getting restless again. Cue the US cavalry to see them there safe and sound. What sets this above the average though is a strong performance from lead Guy Madison as Captain McClaw, a surgeon elevated to command when the cavalry officer in charge is killed in a skirmish. The screenplay has the chance to examine the nature of command as his cavalry men shudder at the thought of becoming "nurses". Of course McClaw rises to the challenge and ends up using his lack of formal training to triumph using unorthodox tactics to prevail.

A sub plot of smallpox amongst the waggon train, and illness amongst the Indians, adds extra drama and variety to proceedings. Director David Butler died with 89 productions , mainly for Fox, to his credit including numerous Western TV episodes. His grasp of the genre and a story are well evidenced here.

The action scenes are well handled, the appearance of smoke signals and Indian scouts on the ridge of a hill are always bad news and Joan Weldon is suitably sultry as Martha Cutting, the Captain's love interest. Although short of classic status, it passes its one and a half hour running time with pace and very agreeably.

Solid Western; Strong Situations; Has Fine Production Values

[silverscreen888 · 8/10 · 9 July 2005]

This is a very good story that was made into a very compelling western by director David Butler from James Warner Bellah's novel "rear guard". Samule Fuller and Russell S. Hughes get credit for the tau and only occasionally glossy screenplay. Star Guy Madion made several estimable and well-remembered westerns in the 1950s, in which decade he also starred in the "Wild Bill Hickick" TV series along with Andy Devine. The intriguing part of this standard story-line which concerns a ranking officer having to assume leadership of a cavalry outfit after the death of its senior officer is that this man happens to be a medical Captain, not a field commander. They fall in with a wagon train during Indian troubles, and end up meeting infantry as well, whom his second, powerfully played by James Whitmore, refers to as "stinkin' beetle crushers". Madson assumes command of both groups, romances lovely and talented Joan Weldon, and nurses the wagon train through sickness and danger; then, at the last, he gets the inspiration to mount cannon onto the wagons, form a hollow square, and draw the Indians into an ambush. Thus, he uses his imagination to defeat the Indian's long-delayed final attack. Madison gets Weldon, Whitmore's honor as a cavalrymen is served, and all ends well; but there are good dialogue confrontations and strong situations along the way, plenty of battle action and unusually strong character revelations. Music was supplied for this film by veteran Dimitri Tiomkin, costumes by Moss Mabry. The fine cinematography was the work of Wilfrid M. Cline. In the professional cast along with Madison, Whitmore and Weldon were Carl Benton Reid, Harvey Lembeck, Ray Teal, Robert Nichols, Gregg Barton, Renata Vanni, Zacharias Yaconelli, Jim Bannon and others. This is a quality production and a very strong story line which has to do with being true to values as its general themes. It is exceptionally well- carried-out, I suggest and thoughtful, not just for a western but for any genre of film.

Sub par cavalry movie

[jordondave-28085 · 4/10 · 26 September 2023]

(1954) The Command WESTERN

Adapted from the novel by James Warner Bellah with a simplistic story line centering on a trained doctor, Robert MacClaw (Guy Madison) becoming captain next in line, successfully leads a cavalry and settlers through hostile Indian territory. The bright 'technicolor', the look of the locales is excellent, but very predictable that involves a sappy love story theme we've seen many times before, and could be seen a mile away way before the two stars between actor Guy Madison and actress Joan Weldon even make their first kiss. The film does dwell little interest on cavalry strategy, but not enough for me to even care.

Another that needs to be on DVD

[maddutchy · 9/10 · 8 April 2006]

A great Western that entertains well. It is a movie, along with "Charge at Feather River", where Guy Madison plays a character that though having to fight the Indians, also understands their situation.

The chemistry between Madison's and Whitmore's characters was very well played. It is well paced with story moments and action moments fitting together well.

As a historical note, the Winchesters used by the troopers were incorrect as props but then this was a 1950s Western when no one cared about those details. Spencer Carbines would have been correct but unavailable. The one interesting gun prop is in the scene where the scouts are chased back to the column and meet up with the Capt. and others. One of the troopers is obviously holding a Schofield revolver which though quite unusual, were used by the U.S. Cavalry in small numbers.

I really hope that this movie is released on DVD someday soon.

The Square Peg and the Round Hole.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 16 May 2014]

The Command is directed by David Butler and adapted by Samuel Fuller and Russell Hughes from the novel "Rear Guard" written by James Warner Bellah. It stars Guy Madison, James Whitmore, Joan Weldon, Carl Benton Reid and Harvey Lembeck. A CinemaScope production in Warnercolor, music is by Dimitri Tiomkin and cinematography by Wilfred M. Cline.

When the commanding officer of his Cavalry patrol is killed, the army doctor is tasked with taking the reins and leading the men.

It deserves to be better known. Warner Brother's first CinemaScope release and the first Western to be filmed in that widescreen format, The Command is far better than what the routine synopsis suggests it is. For sure the Cavalry versus Indians theme is the steady heartbeat ticking away in the piece, but the writers have inserted other points of worth to expand the level of interest throughout the hour and half running time.

Madison is Captain MacClaw, the Cavalry doctor who is entrusted with command of the troop by his dying superior. The men aren't happy with this, more so when they find themselves involved in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Indian hordes. Not only that but they are charged with escorting a civilian wagon train to safety, the residents of which may be transporting smallpox! When the troop are joined by an infantry regiment, this only complicates matters because there's no love lost between the two army forces. Where the Indians have a united front, the various tribes fighting as one force, the American military are at odds with each other on tactics and manoeuvres.

Tactics are a big issue in The Command, the story tosses up the argument about doing things by the book or breaking free of code restrictions and throwing caution to the wind. There's also opposing issues on the medical front, two doctors at odds with diagnoses which quite literally could be the end of them all if they can't get it right. Some critics have said Butler's direction is ponderous, but I'd argue strongly that that is not the case. It's true that the first hour involves a lot of talking, squabbling and sarcasm, but the director is juggling many thematic balls in readiness for the grand last third of the piece. Besides, he does insert action scenes along the way, including one blood and thunder sequence that is capped off by a surprising turn of events.

Then that last half hour comes, and it is superb. The tactics issue comes to a head, and everyone wonders if this is going to be another General Custer piece of history. Pic then explodes into all out action, with weaponry combat supplemented by hand to hand sequences. Chases are electrifying, the fires do rage and the wagons do hurtle and fall, the stunt work here is excellent, as is Butler's fluid camera work. We even have time for some fun in the mix, as one of the "special" tactics involves drag artistry. Tiomkin layers a boisterous score over proceedings, mixing marching beats with thunderclap percussion, and Cline in the Scope format brings the various California locations (pic is mostly set outdoors) bursting out of the screen. Cast are just dandy, with Whitmore the class act on show, but both Madison and Weldon make for a colourful and appealingly interesting pair.

It's guilty of being rooted in those Westerns of the era who just put the Indians up as a savage force whooping, hollering, firing arrows and flinging axes. Even though Whitmore's Sergeant Elliot is given some lines that recognise the Indians as not being dumb Howitzer fodder. So this obviously isn't in the league of those great psychological Westerns that afforded the Indians great respect. This is firmly in the realm of action for entertainments sake, with some other delicate thematics that garnish the spectacle on the cinematic plate. 8/10

Good calvary movie

[segstef · 10/10 · 27 May 2001]

The good thing about this movie is the sympathy toward Native Americans. The Native Americans had no immunity to smallpox or chicken pox and no medicine to treat diseases. The main character played by Guy Madison constantly showed concern toward the Native Americans although he had to fight them. Although this movie had this social issue,it still had all the rousing entertainment of most calvary movies. The movie had a lot of saluting, which sometimes became a distraction. James Whitmore was great as the seasoned veteran just as he was in "Battleground". This movie had me wanting both sides to win.

A Great Western

[januszlvii · 10/10 · 23 November 2018]

I just watched this movie on the GRIT Network, and I loved it. To be honest, I had never heard of it before ( and I am a fan of Westerns), so it does not surprise me there are only 14 reviews of it. One thing I noticed, is Guy Madison ( Doctor Robert MacClaw who is a medical doctor put in command of troops by the deceased Captain Garrett) is in almost scene and the ones he is not in have either Martha Cutting ( Joan Weldon), or Sgt. Elliott ( James Whitmore). What really makes this movie ( besides the action), is.the relationship that MacClaw has with Martha.and Sgt. Elliott, as well as the fact that MacClaw relied on intelligence and trickery to defeat the Indians. He and Elliott both.knew there was not a military tactic in the book that the Indians were unaware of " The Indians are not dumb." ( Elliott), so( spoilers ahead) MacClaw invented some new ways of fighting (including using wagons on offense instead of simply on defense). Once again a great western.

David Butler's best movie for me

[searchanddestroy-1 · 28 January 2024]

David Butler was the Warner Bros handyman director, as Robert Z Leonard was for Metro Goldwyn Mayer, or even Sidney Landfield for Twentieth Century Fox, directors more known for musicals, comedies, light hearted dramas, forgettable and lousy stuff, but once in a while a good, solid war drama, thriller or western. Leonard gave us THE BRIBE, starring Robert Taylor, Landfield HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLE, whilst David Butler made this excellent powerful western, plus KING RICHARD AND THE CRUSADERS, JUMP INTO HELL and SAN ANTONIO. Please forget the rest. Strange that in this western, you have a B movie cast, such as Guy Madison or Jim Withmore. The first Cinemascope western which looks like a blown up B picture. As also was CHARGE AT FEATHER RIVER, from thiis time a western specialist: Gordon Douglas. But taut and excellent.

ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT WESTERNS

[RONSBLUE · 9/10 · 30 August 2002]

A great example of Guy Madison's talent. This movie has always been one of my favorite westerns. I only wish I could obtain it on either VHS or DVD. I always loved the fact that the success or failure of his mission depended on his mens faith in his rank, not knowing he was a surgeon and had no combat experience. I thought it hilarious that both his commanding and fellow officers had no knowledge of the lack of experience in the man they willingly submitted their destinies too.

Cinemascope Cinematography

[pgruendler-1 · 3 April 2006]

Although I have never seen this movie, I am studying widescreen movies of the fifties and their influence on an audience beginning to be sated with the small screen, i.e. hypnotized by the cathode ray, i.e. tainted by TV!....This one has to be one of the first westerns to use this photographic process, later to be called Panavision. According to the Widescreenmuseum website, ''Broken Lance'' was made in '54, along with the "western" "& Brides for 7 Brothers"; ''Chief Crazy Horse'' was filmed in in '55, along with ''The Kentuckian'' and ''The Man from Laramie'' .... So I am gonna call it like I see it for now - All hail Sam Fuller!

An officer and a doctor

[dbdumonteil · 22 September 2010]

It was the first Cinemascope western ,shortly after the first one ("the robe" 1953) and oddly it did not feature big stars .It could have been the umpteenth Cavalry vs Indians plot with the usual wagon train which must brought through perilous country;of course there is a lovely girl ready to fall in love with the commanding officer -who is also fortunately a doctor.On the plus side ,there might be a smallpox epidemic ,which gives the movie more substance .All in all this is a pleasant western,the ending of which is not unlike that of " war of the worlds" (1953): the victor of the Indians is not really man but something much smaller than him.