Trouble erupts for the U. S. Cavalry in director Lesley Selander "Revolt at Fort Laramie" when the troopers therein learn the American Civil War has begun and half of the garrison's soldiers quit the cavalry for the long ride home to the Southern Confederacy. Matters are aggravated considerably because Chief Red Cloud (Eddie Little Sky of "Apache Warrior") and his Sioux tribe are expecting to receive a gold payment from the government to the tribe. Fort Commandant Major Seth Bradner (John Dehner of "The "Chapman Report") has been worrying about the imminent outbreak of civil war while trying to maintain the peace in a remote cavalry outpost surrounded by a tribe of pugnacious Native Americans who are demanding their tribute from the government. Indeed, the major has suppressed news of the rebellion, but an inquisitive Cavalry Scout Jean Salignac (Don Gordon of "Bullitt") leaks the news of the war to the Confederate sympathizers. Once they learn about the impending rebellion, they plan to launch their attack on the fort and appropriate arms and ammunition. Before this happens, the Southern sympathizers send a three-man legation to Major Bradner at Headquarters and inform the Virginia-born West Point officer about their plans. Later, about the same time this happens, one of the Southern sympathizers sneaks away to warn Capt. James 'Jamie' Tenslip (Gregg Palmer of "Big Jake") about the conspiracy and Bradner's role in it. Predictably, Tenslip is incredulous, but he realizes his worst fears later after Bradner receives a message from the War Department authorizing any soldier who wishes to resign to join the Confederacy may do so without retribution. Naturally, Tenslip is alarmed when he learns Bradner has allied himself with the Southerners. Mind you, these revelations throw a wringer into Tenslip's plans to marry Bradner's Melissa daughter, (Frances Helm of "The Ugly American"), who wants to marry him.
Initially, the Confederates wanted to steal the gold that had recently arrived at the fort, but Bradner refuses to take it with the Southerners and they leave the fort to embark on their journey. Predictably, they cross paths with Red Cloud and his bloodthirsty warriors. When Salignac explains to Red Cloud that the men with Bradner are no longer Union cavalrymen and are leaving the territory, the chief refuses to believe him. Instead, he asks Bradner to surrender to him and the Sioux will take him as a hostage in good faith until Tenslip is prepared to exchange the major for the gold slated for the Sioux. The hostiles trap Bradner and his men in the middle of nowhere, but the major and his troopers drive them off after two attacks. Bradner dispatches Salignac to ride back to the fort and warn Tenslip. At first, Tenslip suspects Salignac is up to no good. Nevertheless, he organizes a patrol, and the ride out to rendezvous with Bradner. The Native Americans launch another attack on the troopers, but Tenslip and his men arrive in time to save the day. Sadly, Major Bradner doesn't fare as lucky as some of the other men in his command. Tenslip finds his former superior officer dead from wounds incurred by the Sioux during a second attack.
Clocking in at 73-minutes, this lean and mean military western doesn't beat around the boulder. There is one exceptional scene when the cavalrymen are forced to float down a stream on rafts while the Native Americans hurls lances and shoot arrows from the banks. Selander and scenarist Robert C. Dennis of "Crime Against Joe") have created a fairly routine cavalry versus the Native Americans on a low budget. "Revolt in the Big House" lenser William Margulies captures the gritty action in blazing color. Those blue uniforms stand out against the brown background of the mountains. Although it is a B-grade western, "Revolt at Fort Laramie" was shot on location in Kanab, Utah, where John Ford shot some of his classic westerns. However, despite its intriguing premise, "Revolt at For Laramie" qualifies as strictly average and does little with its provocative premise. Incidentally, Tenslip never gets to marry the Major's daughter.
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