The Last Wagon (1956) is a gem which deserves rediscovery. Newly out on DVD from Fox Home Entertainment, this Richard Widmark western boasts an intriguing story, compelling characters, good acting, a fine score, and spectacular scenery. Widmark stars as "Comanche Todd," a white man who was raised mostly by Indians. Following an exciting opening shootout, a sheriff (George Mathews) starts to bring him in for murder when they cross paths with some peaceful settlers. The settlers don't much care for the sheriff's brutal ways, and frankly, neither do we. Suffice it to say, without giving away too much of the plot, that Widmark soon finds himself leading a handful of young settlers through dangerous Indian territory. Among them are a brother and sister played by Tommy Rettig and Felicia Farr, half sisters played by Susan Kohner and Stephanie Griffin, and two other young men. As they learn to trust Widmark, he and Farr fall in love. But will they make it to civilization? And if they do, what about Widmark's wanted status?

The direction by Delmer Daves and the screenplay by Daves, James Edward Grant, and Gwen Bagni Gielgud keep us riveted. It is a testament to their skill that the movie contains barely any dialogue for the first ten minutes, instead using images to tell the story. Widmark himself doesn't speak for even longer, even though he's in every scene. This helps intrigue the audience, as we aren't sure at this point whether he's a vicious murderer or somehow falsely accused. We want to hear what he has to say for himself. It may be that the finest test of a movie actor's ability is his skill at conveying thought and emotion when silent. Widmark passes with flying colors.

The Last Wagon has some edge, with several scenes of shocking violence that is always kept just offscreen. One character, for example, gets an axe tossed in his face. At another point, we see just glimpses of the aftermath of a brutal Indian attack. Our imagination fills in the rest. Through it all, director Daves doesn't shy away from composing shots to show off the jaw-dropping landscapes around Sedona, Ariz., where the picture was filmed.

The young supporting cast backs up Widmark well. Felicia Farr is lovely, even if she does seem a bit young for Widmark. The actress would later marry Jack Lemmon. Susan Kohner, best-remembered for Imitation of Life (1955), in which she played Juanita Moore's light-skinned black daughter who passes for white (and was Oscar-nominated), is effective as a half-Indian whose sister, Stephanie Griffin, hates her for it. And child actor Tommy Rettig is fine as the young teen who looks up to Widmark as a father. Rettig played little "Jeff" on the Lassie TV series and also appeared in The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953) and other movies. His wholesome on-screen image was just that, an image, and as he had trouble getting adult roles he fell into drug and financial problems. Toward the end of his life, however, he found some success as a software designer.

Also in the cast, George Mathews makes a vivid impression as the brutal sheriff, and Douglas Kennedy registers strongly as the settlers' leader, Col. Normand, despite limited screen time. The powerful-looking Kennedy had over 150 credits in movies and television over his career, working right up to his death at age 57 from cancer.

The Last Wagon is presented by Fox on a flipper disc, with one side letterboxed and the other pan-and-scan. Do yourself a favor and watch the letterboxed version so you can see the entire image as it was meant to be seen. Extras include three photo galleries and trailers for this and other Fox pictures. The trailer for The Last Wagon features a bizarre tagline which doesn't make much sense and has nothing to do with the movie, but it's amusing enough: "The Last Wagon. You lived in it. You fought in it. You loved in it. And sometimes, you died in it."

For more information about The Last Wagon, visit Fox Home Entertainment. To order The Last Wagon, go to TCM Shopping.

by Jeremy Arnold