Very Cool!!!

Thanks for the memories!

Good movie but grossly overrated

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

After Republic lost both John Wayne and its stable of B Picture cowboys to television the studio that Herbert J. Yates built was only marking time until its close. This particular film Daniel Boone, Trailblazer was produced independently and released by Republic and it was clearly an effort to capitalize on the gold mine in coonskin caps that Walt Disney found in Davy Crockett.Some ten years earlier Bruce Bennett might have been a good choice to play Boone in an A picture about his life. It was certainly a long and colorful one. As it is Bennett lends a certain dignity to the proceedings and fits what has come down to us in legend about Boone. He was a modest man in fact who did apparently think that colonists and Indians could abide in the same country. This film has Bennett trying to protect the new settlement of Boonesborough which he founded in the new frontier of Kentucky in 1775. The chief of the Shawnee Lon Chaney, Jr. is being egged on by Tory renegade Simon Girty played by Kem Dibbs who is in the pay of the notorious British commander of the Detroit garrison Colonel Henry Hamilton. Hamilton paid the Indians well for white settler scalps and he'd pay heavy for the scalp of Daniel Boone.Unfortunately Dibbs goes a bit too far in pursuit of his goals and pays in the end. In real life Simon Girty fled to Canada and lived almost as long as Daniel Boone who died in 1820 at the incredible age of 86 for that time.Country&Western singer Faron Young appears here as suitor for the hand of one of Boone's daughters and sings some songs, none of which gained any popularity. The cinematography was probably good in those lush greens of the forest, but the print I saw is in bad need of restoration. But Republic films are way down on the priority list for such work unless they have John Wayne starring in them.Not a bad adventure film from the early American frontier even if it does take a lot of liberties with the facts.

After hoo-hooing American Indians scalp number one son, frontiersman Bruce Bennett (as Daniel Boone) seems, at first, like he wants to get even; but, he really wants to make friends with the natives. When sad-eyed Indian chief Lon Chaney Jr. (as Blackfish) also loses number one son, it gets more difficult to clear up misunderstandings. Apparently, this was Republic Pictures' attempt to do for their "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" what Disney Studio's had successfully done with "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" (1955).The "Dan'l Boone" song, whistled and sung by a group of children in a wagon, did not follow Fess Parker's "Davy Crockett" up the Hit Parade. Singer Faron Young (as Faron Callaway) doesn't perform the title song (perhaps wisely); he does sing "Long Green Valley", and makes a good impression as a blond boyfriend for Boone's daughter. But, Spanish actor Freddy Fernandez is the film's most valuable player. In a cute scene, Mr. Fernandez reminds Mr. Young the name of the character ("Susannah") he is supposed to be in love with.**** Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer (10/5/56) Ismael Rodríguez ~ Bruce Bennett, Lon Chaney Jr., Faron Young, Freddy Fernandez

**Some Spoilers**Good B western with plenty of action and good acting. Mexican locations standing in for Kentucky are also very pleasing to look at. Bruce Bennett as Daniel Boone is strong and stoic. I especially liked his interplay with his wife and many children. Lon Chaney Jr. is surprisingly good as the Indian Black Fish. The film is a little too short at 76 minutes, but what we get moves at a good clip. Most of the film was shot outdoors which is a definite plus. The final battle scene is well staged and exciting. We don't have a clue how Daniel and his group are going to survive but rest assured Daniel uses his brains to save everyone from a massacre.A good film for western fans ages 8 and older(the younger ones might be a little bothered by some of the killings and occasional scalping). I give it 6 trail blazers out of 10.

This picture is an interesting saga of the struggle of pioneers led by Daniel Boone in the wilderness of Cumberland Gap while being threatened by hostile Indians. A treacherous Frenchman is the cause of all the trouble between the settlers and the red men while Boone tries to convince the Indians that the pioneers only want to build homes and live in peace. The film has a certain appeal because it is not a polished production but there are good action scenes, although somewhat violent for its time. The cast is comprised of B actors but they are all good, especially Lon Chaney as the Indian chief. Bruce Bennett is okay as Boone but is a bit too clean cut and soft spoken to be believable as a frontiersman. The dialogue is rather trite but the scenery lends itself to the realism of the Kentucky backwoods.