One of the best films i have seen

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

"Hopalong Cassidy" director Lesley Selander's Cavalry-versus-the-Indians survival saga "Arrow in the Dust" ranks as one of the prolific western helmer's better efforts, and it reunites him with his "Flat-Top" star Sterling Hayden. This above-average, 80-minute Allied Artists outing delivers as much violence as it does budget. Tall, grim, and gruff Sterling Hayden plays an army deserter who redeems himself after a wagon train is attacked by hordes of savage Indians. Eventually, we learn why the Native Americans are so hell-bent to destroy the wagon train. Our hero learns about the settler's dire trouble when he discovers a dying comrade on the trail and decides to masquerade as an officer. It seems that Bart Laish (Sterling Hayden) quit West Point and became a gambler, but now he returns to the fold when his cousin Maj. Andy Pepperis (Carlton Young of "Reefer Madness") persuades him to help the settlers. The cast and the production values stand out, while the redskins are obviously white stuntmen in colorful costumes with blankets draped over their saddles. Nevertheless, there seems to be an endless procession of these villainous Indians. Of course, "Arrow in the Dust" cannot compare with anything that the legendary John Ford did, but it is still worth the time to watch it. Lee Van Cleef has a small supporting role before an Indian clobbers him with a tomahawk. Tom Tully and Keith Larson round out a good cast.

Arrow in the Dust is directed by Lesley Selander and adapted to screenplay by Don Martin from the L. L. Foreman novel. It stars Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Keith Larson, Tom Tully and Tudour Owen. Music is by Marlin Skiles and Technicolor cinematography by Ells W. Carter.Bart Laish (Hayden) is an army deserter, a gambler and a killer, but soon he is going to get a shot at redemption...It's all very formulaic in plotting, yet there's some thought gone into the screenplay, whilst Selander wastes no chances to keep things brisk by inserting another finely constructed action sequence. Laish (a typically robust Hayden) finds himself in command of a wagon train, with soldiers and civilians, all now looking to him to stave off the wave after wave of Indian attacks, which interestingly sees the Pawnee and the Apache teaming up.Naturally there's trouble in the camp, not only via some suspicious business men whose motives will reveal a key narrative thrust, but also by way of Gray's Christella Burke. She wanders in from some Estée Lauder advertisement (we don't care, we love 50s Westerns!), and pulses quicken for protagonist and viewers alike. Thematically the narrative is honourable, with decent amounts of angst and tortured heroics. There's some nifty war tactics, plenty of splendid gun play, and of course there's a human redemptive beat pulsing away - just begging to be found?There's the usual "B" Western issues, such as weakly choreographed fighting between man versus man, dummies being flung over cliffs, and some average acting in support slots (not Lee Van Cleef, though, who is pottering around with menace). However, the Burro Flats location filming is beautifully photographed - in sync with Skiles' genre compliant score, while Hayden does enjoyable stern backed machismo, which plays off of Gray's sensuality perfectly, and Tully does grizzle to actually provide the film's best performance. One for fans of this era of Western genre film making. Not a waste of time. Good show. 6.5/10

I enjoy Sterling Hayden and his gritty and realistic acting style. So, I thought I'd give this one a try even though both reviews for this on IMDb are really poor. I hoped they're wrong and it was worth my time.Hayden plays a guy named Bart Laish. When the film begins, you learn that Bart is a deserter from the Cavalry and is hiding out west. However, as fate would have it, he comes upon a group of dying soldiers that were attacked by Indians. The dying leader just happens to be Bart's cousin and begs Bart to take his place and assume command of the rest of his outfit--which is a few miles away from this massacre! And, the deserter DOES!!! Later, after proving himself against wave after wave of faceless and stupid natives (who seem to just ride by hoping to get shot), all is forgiven with the US Cavalry and Bart is once again allowed to legally wear the uniform. Talk about impossible and ridiculous! In addition to a ridiculous plot and faceless Indians, it's also one of Hayden's relatively flat performances. I guess the other two were right after all....By the way, in one scene it's supposed to be at night but it appears to be daylight! Huh?!

The use of stock footage and uninspired acting and direction make this a very slow, routine western effort. Despite the cast (Hayden, Larson) this one is just too predictable to suffer through. And yet, in spite of it's failings, it often appears on TV while better efforts rot in a can somewhere. Go figure.