Wonderful character development!

Too much of everything

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Richard Widmark's costume does indeed show evidence of Comanche Todd being shot in the shoulder at the beginning of the movie: a tear and powder burn. Very clear when watching the movie on an IPad.

I have to admit that I am a huge fan of westerns, which may in part explain why I enjoyed "The Last Wagon" so much. But I think even those who don't watch offerings of the genre that much would enjoy it. Richard Widmark makes for a compelling central figure, convincingly showing a heroic streak while at the same time showing some dark sides to his character. He is aided by a screenplay that gives him ample opportunity to flesh out his character, as well as the other protagonists he helps. The movie moves at a brisk pace, and the outdoor locations are attractive and brightly shot. There are also a few action scenes that are pretty exciting.The movie is not perfect. There are two minor quibbles I have with the movie. The first is that Widmark's character is seen killing an innocent man in front of the other characters early in the movie. Even with what he does to make up for that during the long stretch of the movie, it's kind of hard to believe his eventual fate in the end. Also, while I did often welcome the screenplay's ample dialogue - which fleshes out the characters - there is a little too much. I think had there been a little less dialogue and a bit more action the movie would have worked even better than it does now. But the movie is still very enjoyable despite those two small quibbles.

I caught "The Last Wagon" for the first time on TV many moons ago. All I remember is that it kicked axx from beginning to end. Seeing it again last night, I'm happy to report that this 1956 Western holds up well despite the dated score.THE STORY: Richard Widmark stars as Comanche Todd, a white man raised by Comanches and under arrest for murder. Deep in hostile Apache territory he soon finds himself the leader of a small group of youths from a wagon train. Will they make it out alive? And, even if they do, can Todd escape the sentence of death-by-hanging? First of all, this film is gorgeous to look at -- shot on location in Sedona, Arizona, at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon.Secondly, not only is the plot excellent, so are the characters, cast and everything else. The film successfully takes you back to the late 1800s and gives a good glimpse of what it must have been like to travel out West during that time.Felicia Farr and Susan Kohner stand out in the supporting cast; both are incredibly beautiful. Each youth has his/her issue(s) and grows much as a result of their experiences with Comanche Todd and the dire situation. For instance, Susan (Jolie) is ashamed that she's half-Indian but Todd teaches her to be proud of who and what she is. Others hate Todd for being an "injun lover" but later see the error of their ways. Todd himself is lost in in a fog of bitterness & revenge but a new potential family is thrown in his lap. Can he get over his disillusionment to see the blessing in his current situation? This is just a taste of the character arcs addressed in the story.Stop the presses! Christianity and Christians are actually portrayed in a positive light -- amazing! Yet so are the beliefs/practices of the Natives. The film does an outstanding job of taking the middle road with the settlers and the natives. Not to mention, the Indians are portrayed realistically, unlike many 50's Westerns where you just roll your eyes at their silly depiction.Aside from the dated score (which isn't bad, just dated), the only negative I can cite would be the way in which the conflict with the Apaches is concluded. But the film makes up for it with a powerful end-commentary on the nature of universal justice.The DVD features both the widescreen and fullscreen versions.MY GRADE: A

Comanche Todd (Widmark) must lead a small band of teenage survivors through hostile Apache territory, despite suspicions about his Indian background.It's a great shot when the wheel with Todd shackled to it gets pulled up the rock overhang, with the spectacular Technicolor scenery behind it. The young folks better save him if they want to get through Apache country, but can they trust him. He may be white on the outside, but he's Indian on the inside. Plus, he's already killed four white men, with a white man's court waiting to hang him. And to top it off, he's an ornery cuss even if he does know how to get a rabbit out of its burrow. No doubt about it, the youngsters are in a tight spot.The real star here is the magnificent Sedona scenery, never better filmed or blended into the story. However, two popular themes of the time do emerge—rebellious teens (think the previous year's Rebel Without a Cause) and race prejudice (with Indians standing in for an emerging civil rights movement). There's some tension in the little band's predicament; however, the story is more about human interest than battling Apaches. On the upside are fine performances from Widmark and an unheralded George Mathews's sadistic sheriff. On the downside are shaky turns by Griffin and Kohner as the feuding half-sisters, along with a screenplay that sometimes meanders. Nonetheless, it's all smoothly helmed by writer- director Delmer Daves. Daves is probably best remembered for his 1960 soap-opera smash, A Summer Place. Too bad that he remains an under-rated director of Westerns, starting with Drum Beat (1954) and ending with The Hanging Tree (1959). The best of these is the tense and taut 3:10 to Yuma (1957) , followed closely by the scenic and sprawling Jubal (1956). I mention these because the late 50's was so thick with TV and theatrical Westerns that I'm afraid Daves' contribution has been overlooked. His Westerns may lack the thematic continuity of the celebrated Boetticher-Ranown series, yet he shows a rare ability to handle a wide array of Western themes with both skill and sensitivity, as he does here.