Two Flags West

The second of only two westerns directed by the always interesting Robert Wise. As befits a reunion between two veterans of 'Citizen Kane' (Wise, who edited it, and star Joseph Cotton), 'Two Flags West' boasts pin-sharp black & white photography by Leon Shamroy and roofed sets, as well as impressive skyscapes shot in New Mexico. Backed by a vintage supporting cast, this is a relatively early example of the black & white postwar 'adult' western that occasionally brought gravitas to the genre during the fifties, with a plot that vaguely anticipates 'The Dirty Dozen', with a violent climax to match.

This gritty western is a post-Civil War affair set in New Mexico where soldiers of the Blue and the Gray are obliged to let bygones be bygones and tame the wild frontier for westward expansion. The usual antagonisms are present in abundance, with Union officers reluctant to trust the Confederate troops and question their allegiance to the United States. A top cast is headed by Joseph Cotten and Jeff Chandler, who constantly spar with each other about men, munitions and how to meet the Indian threat. Linda Darnell is the lone femme in the cast and her presence sparks romantic interest and jealousy in equal measure at the army post. The Yank-Rebel forces manage to put their bickering aside to defend against an Indian attack that remains one of the best ever filmed. The black and white lensing is good and enhances director Robert Wise's fine film.