FLAMING STAR (1960)

Envisioned as a prestige item for Marlon Brando, this Settlers vs. Indians Western caught a break when writer Nunnally Johnson opted out of directing and these major players were replaced with Elvis Presley and Don Siegel.  I know, sounds unpromising: a Pop music sensation and an action oriented/tough-minded B-pic helmer.  But maybe the gods were smiling or maybe the dramatic possibilities of Presley/Siegel were underrated.  In any event, hard to imagine Brando & Johnson doing as well with this material at the time.  (Brando directing himself in the navel-gazing Western ONE-EYED JACKS soon after helps make the point (https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2018/01/one-eyed-jacks-1961.html); while Johnson, only an occasional director, never did have much of a visual identity.)  No doubt, many script changes (by whom?) were made to help fit Presley into the role (he’s shockingly good), but Johnson’s basic set-up remains very strong with Presley’s half-breed (White dad/Indian mom) having to choose sides between Kiowas and Settlers; nicely complicated by his White half-brother (a very good Steve Forrest) who’s all but engaged to the White gal (Barbara Eden) whom Elvis has long secretly loved. Siegel’s direction is almost frighteningly assured, his ability to place people to let us follow events uncanny.  Much helped by cinematographer Charles Clarke, pulling in the scrubby landscape as a major character.  Siegel fought to keep the songs down to two, and even these are placed into a fake-out prologue before the film pivots to uncompromising action drama.*  Yet Presley manager Col. Parker only had to compare grosses with the money-churning song-fest travelogue feature films and it was VIVA LAS VEGAS/’64 from then on out.*

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY (I & II):  *Alas, uncompromising does not include Native Americans of any tribe cast in speaking roles.  Instead, the usual ringers, here, mostly actors of Italian descent.  *On the other hand, easy to imagine other actors in this excellent role, but impossible to think of any one of them blasting out ‘Viva, Viva, Viva Las Vegas.’  No small thing!

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID:  This really is a tough little (resolution-free) story; more people die than you’ll find at the end of HAMLET.