Thirsty lips

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Thirsty lips
Original title Last of the Comanches
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1953
length 85 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director André DeToth
script Kenneth Gamet
production Buddy eagle
music George Duning
camera Charles Lawton Jr.
Ray Cory
cut Al Clark
occupation

Thirsty lips (original title: Last of the Comanches , reference title: The long march through the desert ) is an American western from 1953 directed by André De Toth . The leading roles are cast with Broderick Crawford and Barbara Hale .

action

The renegade Comanche chief "Black Cloud" and his warriors attacked the small town of Dry Buttes in the western United States in 1876 and laid it to rubble and ashes. Even soldiers of the cavalry cannot stop them. Sergeant Matt Trainor is among the six soldiers who escaped the massacre . Under his guidance they want to make their way to Fort Macklin, which is 100 miles away, with the added complication that a desert area has to be crossed. On the way they come across a carriage that originally had Dry Buttes as its destination. In addition to the coachman Romany O'Rattigan, the elegant Julia Lanning, sister of the commandant of Fort Macklin, Henry Ruppert, a whiskey dealer from the east, and the prophet Satterlee, a former boy scout and old settler from the west, alight from the vehicle. In Satterlee, Trainor recognizes his former scout. After it is clear that everyone wants to try to get to Fort Macklin together, they continue on the path together. As Trainor had already suspected, the carriage was targeted by hostile Indians as it continued its journey. After a few miles, the small group comes across Denver Kinnaird, in which the soldier Jim Starbuck recognizes the cardsharp and suspected murderer of Corporal Hanks. Although Kinnaird protests, he is kept under guard.

Since the Indians shot the group's water barrel, the supply of the vital elixir is becoming increasingly scarce. The hope of being able to draw water from an old well in the desert region is dashed because it has dried up. Instead, you will find rifles that were probably hidden there. On their way further, "Little Knife", an Indian boy from a peace-loving tribe, joins them, to whom they give the requested sip of water after initial hesitation. He knows that there is a watering hole in the ruins of an old Spanish mission building, and they actually find it there. While that helps for the moment, it's not enough to make it through to Fort Macklin. Through two captured Comanches, who belong to the tribe of "Black Cloud", the troops know that the renegade Indians are also looking for water. Trainor sees a chance to catch the chief, whom one could never get hold of. He sends the Indians back to "Black Cloud" with orders to offer him and the renegade water in return for their weapons. He hopes the Indians will fall into this trap. At the same time, "Little Knife" is instructed to make their way to Fort Macklin and get help. However, the Indians do not respond to Trainor's plan and prefer to fight. The entrenched persons can successfully fend off a first attack. "Black cloud" signals to Trainor that his people are everywhere and that he and the others cannot escape them. It wasn't long before the Indians attacked again. One of them manages to untie the horses that pulled the carriage, which then run away. Ruppert, the whiskey dealer who drank courage, is the first to die. It turns out that Denver Kinnaird supplied the Indians with weapons that are now aimed at Trainor and his associates. When he tries to escape, Starbuck chases after him, but is pierced by two Indian arrows after he was able to fire another shot at Kinnaird. The soldier Rusty Potter has a similar experience. While he is still trying to cheer up his comrade Pete, an arrow kills him.

The situation continues to come to a head, as the number of people surrounded is diminishing and having to fight against an overwhelming majority of Indians who are determined to do anything. They circle the old walls like vultures. Even dynamite, which Trainor blows up to buy time, only helps temporarily. But then, in dire straits, the trumpet sounds of the army soldiers led by Mayor Lanning, who have been notified by “Little Knife”, who has kept their word, despite adverse circumstances.

Later at the fort, Sergeant Trainor is commended, but passes the praise on. It was Julia's family, Prophet Satterley, O'Rattigan, Pete O'Prill, Little Knife and of course the dead, and it began in Dry Buttes, where young Lieutenant Williams and Corporal Floyd and Martinez lost their lives. Then there are Henry Ruppert, Jim Starbuck and Rusty Potter. If there is peace, then they paid for it. He concludes with the words: "I think you would like to hear that you died for something valuable."

Production and Background

It is a film made by Columbia Pictures Corporation and directed by Morris Stoloff . The film was shot between November 27, 1951 and March 3, 1952 in the Old Tucson Studios , in Yuma , in the Mojave Desert and the Sonoran Desert in Arizona , as well as in the Sierra Madre Mountains and in Buttercup Dunes in California .

The theme of the film, the lack of water, thirst in the desert, which becomes a dilemma for the actors, was already the basis for Zoltan Korda's 1943 war film entitled Sahara . Lloyd Bridges was there too. The 1937 Russian adventure film Trinadtsat also includes this theme.

Publication and other titles

In the Federal Republic of Germany Dürstende Lips (TV title: The long march through the desert ) came to the cinema on January 2, 1954, in Austria in October 1954. The English original title is Last of the Comanches . Further start dates:

  • United Kingdom 1953 under the title The Saber and the Arrow
  • Japan January 22, 1953
  • United States (Los Angeles) Premiere on January 28, 1953, generally on February 1, 1953 under the title Last of the Comanches , Spanish title: El Sable y La Flecha , working title a) The Saber and the Arrow b) Trails Westward
  • Denmark on February 9, 1953 under the title Flammende pile
  • Finland on June 12, 1953 under the title Miekka ja nuoli
  • France on January 15, 1954 under the title Le sabre et la flèche
  • Portugal on September 14, 1954

Additional title: Argentina: El Sable y La Flecha ; Australia, Canada and New Zealand: Last of the Comanches ; Belgium (Flemish title): Het zwaard en pijl ; Belgium (French title): Le sabre et la flèche ; Chile: El Sable y La Flecha ; Spain: Los últimos comanches ; Greece: Flogismeno velos and Φλογισμένο βέλος ; Ireland: The Saber and the Arrow ; Italy: Nuvola nera ; Mexico: El Sable y La Flecha ; Netherlands: Het zwaard en pijl ; Poland: Ostatni Komancze ; Portugal: O Saber ea Flecha ; Romania: Ultimii Comansi ; Soviet Union: Posledniy iz komanchey and Последний из команчей , Yugoslavia (Croatian title): Poslednji iz plemena Komanca ; Yugoslavia (Serbian title): Poslednji iz plemena Komanci .

criticism

The lexicon of international films judged: "A modest, but solidly made Western adventure based on a conventional plot."

TV Spielfilm referred to the war film Sahara , which had served this film as a "template for a weak western remake". It was also said that Oscar winner Broderick Crawford filled the role of sergeant “rather moderately”. Conclusion: "The tension will soon fizzle out."

The program magazine Hörzu said: "Solid western adventure."

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Last of the Comanches (1953) - Original Print Information. In: Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved August 3, 2019 .
  2. ^ Last of the Comanches (1953) - Notes. In: Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved August 3, 2019 .
  3. ↑ John M. Miller: Last of the Comanches (1953) - Articles. In: Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved August 3, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Thirsty lips. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed August 3, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  5. ↑ Thirsty lips . In: TV feature film. Archived from the original on June 5, 2016 ; accessed on August 3, 2019 .
  6. ↑ Thirsty lips. In: Listen . Archived from the original on June 5, 2016 ; accessed on August 3, 2019 .