Tomahawk
Directed by George Sherman
Written by Sylvia Richards, Maurice Geraghty
Starring: Van Heflin, Yvonne De Carlo, Preston Foster, Jack Drake, Tom Tully, John War Eagle
Runtime: 82 Minutes
Now Available on Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber

by Kirk Stevens, Contributor

Synopsis From Letterboxd:

In 1866, a new gold discovery and an inconclusive conference force the U.S. Army to build a road and fort in territory ceded by previous treaty to the Sioux…to the disgust of frontier scout Jim Bridger, whose Cheyenne wife led him to see the conflict from both sides. The powder-keg situation needs only a spark to bring war, and violent bigots like Lieut. Rob Dancy are all too likely to provide this. Meanwhile, Bridger’s chance of preventing catastrophe is dimmed by equally wrenching personal conflicts. 

In the opening moments of George Sherman’s Tomahawk, a terrific score by Hans J. Salter transitions into a voiceover that tells us we’re in Wyoming territory in 1866. The U.S. government is trying to build a wagon route towards Montana, where there’s gold. The route crosses directly into Sioux Native American territory and the U.S. soldiers and First Nations people are in conflict over it, as past treaties between the U.S. and Sioux have not been honored. At the center of it all is mountain man and Native American sympathizer, Jim Bridger (a real life figure given the name “Tomahawk” by the Sioux, played phenomenally by Van Heflin), who has a history with the Sioux Chief Red Cloud (John War Eagle). Things are made more complicated as a traveling sideshow, led by Julie Madden (Yvonne De Carlo), is being escorted through Sioux territory by the bloodthirsty Lt. Rob Dancy (Alex Nicol), who murders a boy from the tribe. Attacks are made from both sides and Bridger tries to keep the peace, believing the land belongs to everyone. 

Tomahawk has multiple merits that should be taken into consideration when viewing. According to the commentary track, screenwriter Silvia Richards was an outspoken progressive whose career was interrupted due to being blacklisted and being called as a witness for the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). She went along with the testimony out of fear for the well-being of her children and she continued to write for another decade after this film. It was important for Richards to portray the Sioux accurately and with a level of sympathy, and that shows. The Sioux are cast almost entirely by First Nations actors, who speak in their Native language without subtitles. However, the screenplay falls short in that they have very little dialogue and screen time compared to the rest of the almost entirely white cast. Also, the character of Monaseetah, a young Sioux woman, is played by Susan Cabot, a white woman wearing makeup to darken her skin. The Sioux characters are handled with a notable amount of respect, but not enough agency.

There are plenty of historical liberties taken, and perhaps all of this could be viewed as middle-of-the-road, well intentioned liberal Hollywood western. Most of the film’s strength is filtered through Jim Bridger’s dialogue. There is a scene late in the film where Bridger describes his background and his personal relationship with the Sioux and the very people that the U.S. Cavalry are trying to do business with (typically by way of battle). The writing and performance in that scene are unforgettable, and while they are from a voice and point of view we wouldn’t necessarily spotlight today, and First Nations people are in the position they are in all because of colonialism, the bridging of a gap between two different worlds is felt and acknowledged. As it should be. 

What Features Make It Special:

• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Critic/Author Lee Gambin

• Theatrical Trailer

• Optional English Subtitles

Why you need to add it to your video library:

I often have a tough time being pulled into western films; they’ve never excited me much. However, I was intrigued to hear that Tomahawk was a more progressive effort for the genre, and it is. Beautiful, sweeping Technicolor terrain is the backdrop for the bloodshed of this picture that is attempting to accurately grapple with history. Ultimately, while the film is certainly flawed, it comes down to Heflin’s powerhouse performance and Bridger’s character and point of view -  which I imagine felt radical in 1951 (and in some ways, still does in 2023) - that make this film worth seeing. It’s not perfectly handled, but it is ripe with ideas and aptly made. Whether you’re a die hard western fan or struggle with them as I do, this film (and disc) is very much worth a look.