IN THE GLADES WITH COOP & THE SEMINOLES


Saw this film in the 50s when I was growing up and just had to have the DVD. Just finished watching it again for the umpteenth time and it seems that it gets better with each watching.

The technicolor is still very good and the acting is equally good. Coop was at least middle aged in this one but he holds up well, and Arthur Hunnicutt does his normal great job. I give the movie a full 5-stars as I do not recall any other movie ever dealing with the 1840s and the Seminole War. Leave it to Roaul Walsh to do something such as this. This is not the typical western, not even set in the west, but in Florida.

If you have never seen this one, might want to watch it. Gary Cooper was always a fine actor and made any movie better just by being in it. Though the movie is a B-movie from Republic and distributed by Warner Bros. it has a certain ambience after all these years and yet remains quite enjoyable.

Semper Fi.

Vigorous historical adventure yarn
This is a loose remake of Objective Burma-also directed by Raoul Walsh -with Florida and the Seminole Indians standing in for Burma and the Japanese respectively.Gary Cooper plays Captain Wyatt who at the behest of General Zachary Taylor leads a punitive expedition against the Seminoles .En route they encounter gun runners plying their trade with the Indians and after destroying their fortress liberate their captives,including an attractive young woman played by former ballerina Mari Aldon.They seek to make it back to base under constant attack and ambush from the tribe .
The heart of the movie is its superbly staged action scenes including an underwater knife fight and numerous exchages of rifle fire .The relationship between Cooper and Aldon is sensitively written and played but for the most part action is the thing and it is staged with customary Walsh-ian vigour .Good performances -including a scene stealing cameo from the ever dependable Arthur Hunnicutt-are a plus point as is a rousing Max Steiner score

This is better than its patchy reputation suggests and is a satisfying slice of period adventure that should have quite a wide appeal

Distant Drums
A great Gary Cooper movie.It has lots of action.The coloring control on my player had to be adjusted, but other wise the print was just fine.If you want a film just to watch and relax with I would reccomend this one.very good Saturday Matinee film.
Ken Barrett.Mooroolbark Victoria Australia

Distant Drums
It was very good but it was billed as a western but my limited definition pre-revolutionary war does not classify as a western. I still liked it and would watch it again.

lost in the everglades
Let me first say this is a very good film,my complaint is with the quality of the film/disc.The film can stand with any of the action/westerns out of the 50's .Gary Cooper as always is in great form and the supporting cast is good.The film though has a grainy look to it and the disc quality is fair to low.I guess for the price you can't be to picky. Some extras or behind the scenes look would be nice.A plus with the film is the locations that were used, a great look at the wilds of Florida.