The Battle of Rogue River
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Rogue River is a 1954 Technicolor
Western
film starring George Montgomery, Martha Hyer
, and Richard Denning
, directed by William Castle
and produced by Sam Katzman
. The screenplay is written by Douglas Heyes
. It is set during the Rogue River Wars
in the Oregon Territory
but features the standard costumes of a post American Civil War western and was filmed on the Newhall Ranch in Valencia, California
.
) is replaced by Major Archer (Montgomery). On the way to the fort, Major Archer's troop of cavalry accompanied by two field gun
s spot an ambush by Chief Mike's Indians. Major Archer orders one of the guns to fire knocking down a tree and panicking the "braves" who suffer no casualties.
On arrival at the Fort, Major Wallach has allowed the use of his barracks to recruit more Irregulars
for Stacey Wyatt who accompany the regulars on their military expeditions. As the recruiting involves free alcohol and kisses by women to the volunteers (and to their Regular comrades-in-arms) Major Archer is furious and immediately takes command of the post to reinstall military discipline, retrain the men and plan another expedition. No one is more outraged than Sergeant Major
McClain's (Emory Parnell) daughter Brett (Hyer) who thinks Archer inhuman.
An emissary of Chief Mike comes to arrange a meeting between the new commander to discuss peace but Major Archer initially refuses until orders come for him to negotiate with the Indians. The Major and Chief meet with each respecting each other and arranging a thirty day truce with the Indians and whites not crossing either side of the Rogue River
.
Wyatt is secretly employed to keep the Indian wars going by a consortium of the territory's business community (mining, ranching, lumber, fur trade) who oppose Statehood that would ruin their profits. Wyatt tricks Sgt Major McClain into breaking the treaty by telling him the Indians have attacked a white settlement leading to all but McClain killed after they attack an Indian settlement.
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
film starring George Montgomery, Martha Hyer
Martha Hyer
Martha Hyer is an American actress.She attended Northwestern University and was a member of Pi Beta Phi fraternity. After completing her education, she next appeared in The Locket in 1946...
, and Richard Denning
Richard Denning
Richard Denning , was an American actor who starred in such movies as Creature from the Black Lagoon and An Affair to Remember , and on radio with Lucille Ball as her husband George Cooper in My Favorite Husband , the forerunner of television's I Love Lucy, for which Denning was replaced by Ball's...
, directed by William Castle
William Castle
William Castle was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Castle was known for directing films with many gimmicks which were ambitiously promoted, despite being reasonably low budget B-movies....
and produced by Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman was an American film producer and director. Born into a poor Jewish family, Katzman went to work as a stage laborer at the age of 13 in the fledgling East Coast film industry...
. The screenplay is written by Douglas Heyes
Douglas Heyes
Douglas Heyes was an American film and television writer, director, producer, actor, and composer with a long list of accomplishments.He was the father of actor Douglas Heyes, Jr..He died in Beverly Hills, California....
. It is set during the Rogue River Wars
Rogue River Wars
The Rogue River Wars was an armed conflict between the US Army, local militias and volunteers, and the Native American tribes commonly grouped under the designation of Rogue River Indians, in the Rogue River Valley area of what today is southern Oregon in 1855–56...
in the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
but features the standard costumes of a post American Civil War western and was filmed on the Newhall Ranch in Valencia, California
Newhall Ranch in Valencia, California
Newhall Ranch is a proposed large scale master-planned community, by Lennar Corporation, a national home builder. The land proposed to be developed is located west of Santa Clarita, California, adjacent to the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park on currently rugged open space land along the Santa...
.
Plot
In the Oregon Territory prior to the American Civil War, Chief Mike (Michael Granger) has fought the US Army and the white settlers to a standstill. As a result the post commander Major Wallach (Willis BoucheyWillis Bouchey
Willis Ben Bouchey was an American character actor who appeared in almost 150 films and television shows. He was born in Vernon, Michigan, but reared by his mother and stepfather in Washington State....
) is replaced by Major Archer (Montgomery). On the way to the fort, Major Archer's troop of cavalry accompanied by two field gun
Field gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
s spot an ambush by Chief Mike's Indians. Major Archer orders one of the guns to fire knocking down a tree and panicking the "braves" who suffer no casualties.
On arrival at the Fort, Major Wallach has allowed the use of his barracks to recruit more Irregulars
Irregular military
Irregular military refers to any non-standard military. Being defined by exclusion, there is significant variance in what comes under the term. It can refer to the type of military organization, or to the type of tactics used....
for Stacey Wyatt who accompany the regulars on their military expeditions. As the recruiting involves free alcohol and kisses by women to the volunteers (and to their Regular comrades-in-arms) Major Archer is furious and immediately takes command of the post to reinstall military discipline, retrain the men and plan another expedition. No one is more outraged than Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
McClain's (Emory Parnell) daughter Brett (Hyer) who thinks Archer inhuman.
An emissary of Chief Mike comes to arrange a meeting between the new commander to discuss peace but Major Archer initially refuses until orders come for him to negotiate with the Indians. The Major and Chief meet with each respecting each other and arranging a thirty day truce with the Indians and whites not crossing either side of the Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
.
Wyatt is secretly employed to keep the Indian wars going by a consortium of the territory's business community (mining, ranching, lumber, fur trade) who oppose Statehood that would ruin their profits. Wyatt tricks Sgt Major McClain into breaking the treaty by telling him the Indians have attacked a white settlement leading to all but McClain killed after they attack an Indian settlement.