Devil's Doorway

I have to show my respect to the American movie industries and the people who had the conscience and courage to openly admitted that the Americans whites did so much atrocious, wicked, cruel and heartless deeds to other races in this countries. First was the American Indians, then the African Americans, then during the WWII, to the Japanese Americans. Don't forget this country is a Christian nation and most of the white people are Christians, yet what this country and the white Christians continuously did unbelievable and unimaginable vicious, monstrous things anytime when an excuse or an opportunity arisen, then they would grab it to by passing a law customized to suit and serve their purpose, change their wrongdoings as legal. This film boldly told us a story about what the white Christians did to the American Indians to rob their land and homesteads from them. Now, the American government admitted their wrongdoings to the Indians and allowed them to have Tax-free Casinos on their limited symbolized lands. What a joke. I kept shaking my head when I watched this film, watched those helpless Indians fought a hopeless battle. I couldn't help thinking: If I were one those Indians, what I could have done? If I were one of those white people, could I still claim I am a Christian?

I have to show my respect to the American movie industries and the people who had the conscience and courage to openly admitted that the Americans whites did so much atrocious, wicked, cruel and heartless deeds to other races in this countries. first was the American Indians, then the African Americans, then during the WWII, to the Japanese Americans. Don't forget this country is a Christian nation and most of the white people are Christians, yet what this country and the white Christians continuously did unbelievable and unimaginable vicious, monstrous things anytime when an excuse or an opportunity arisen, then they would grab it to by passing a law customized to suit and serve their purpose, change their wrongdoings as legal. This film boldly told us a story about what the white Christians did to the American Indians to rob their land and homesteads from them. Now, the American government admitted their wrongdoings to the Indians and allowed them to have Tax-free Casinos on their limited symbolized lands. What a joke. I kept shaking my head when I watched this film, watched those helpless Indians fought a hopeless battle. I couldn't help thinking: If I were one those Indians, what I could have done? If I were one of those white people, could I still claim I am a Christian?

Devil's Doorway is an indescribably sad movie. It is directed by Anthony Mann and photographed in Caravaggesque black and white by cinematographer John Alton. The film is a story about war, peace, love and bigotry. At the end of the Civil War, a veteran of the Union Army, Lance Poole, returns to his home in Wyoming. Poole, (Robert Taylor), a Shoshone Indian, has had his fill of fighting and simply wants to live in peace on his family's ancestral acres. The West, however, is changing. Wyoming has become a territory and the railroad is spreading westward. Immigration from the drought ridden states of the Midwest is filling Wyoming with sheepherders who need land and water to survive. New territorial laws are Draconian in respect to Indians—they are not American citizens, but wards of the government. Land that has been in their families for generations is now open to anyone who wants to homestead there. A lawyer named Vern Coolan (Louis Calhern) has moved West for his health. He hates Indians, especially Lance Poole, or Broken Lance, a "rich Indian." Coolan stirs up trouble by encouraging the sheep men to homestead Poole's land. Poole goes to the only lawyer in town other than Coolan, one A. Masters (Paula Raymond). At first horrified that she is a woman, Poole does hire her to help him. Coolan is successful in mobilizing the sheep men. The Indians, led by Broken Lance, must fight to survive. Masters involves the army in a misguided attempt to save the man she now loves. A final battle ensues with the predictable outcome. Broken Lance, a holder of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his war service, surrenders to the cavalry. A sub-theme of the film is the confinement of Indians to the reservations. Their men dead, a small group of women and children is forced to return to a reservation from their shelter on Poole's land. Watching them trudge away to a life of confinement is heart breaking. There are no happy endings here. Robert Taylor is superb as Broken Lance Poole. When offered the role, Mr. Taylor was happy to act in a film that, for once, saw things from the Indian point of view. It is the same year he made another film, Ambush, that saw Indians as villains. Lance Poole gradually morphs into Broken Lance as Taylor is forced to accept that the world only sees the color of his "hide." His manner of dress changes as does his personality. Lance Poole was a happy man looking forward to the future. Broken Lance sees that there is no future for him. The supporting cast of Marshall Thomson, James Mitchell, Edgar Buchanan, Spring Byington and Fritz Lieber, are first rate. The music by Daniele Amfithreatrof is muted and sorrowful, except for the battle scenes. Broken Arrow, with James Stewart and Jeff Chandler, was made after Devil's Doorway but released first. It was a more upbeat and successful take on Indians. Devil's Doorway did make money but, according to the studio, only a net profit of $25,000. Today the film is highly regarded for its hard edged honesty, first-rate acting, subtle direction and superb photography.

Robert Taylor plays an unconvincing Indian in this film as he sounds the same and wears dark make-up and dresses in traditional Indian costume. He has strength of character in confrontations which is why he is interesting watching, although I think the scriptwriter is on his side writing situations that are in his favour. Louis Calhern is interesting as an antagonist, but he's all talk and no substance. He talks at Taylor rather than to him. It's interesting seeing Taylor subjected to prejudices against Indians, especially as he has his own prejudice against women at the beginning. The prejudice against Indians could be used in any context in any time period which has crossover appeal.

In Wyoming, Native American Indian and Civil War hero Robert Taylor (as Broken Lance Poole) faces discrimination. When his father appears ready for the "happy hunting ground," Mr. Taylor can't get a doctor because he's an "Injun". White lawyer Louis Calhern (as Verne Coolan) wants to take away the land Taylor inherits. Taylor hires female attorney Paula Raymond (as Orrie Masters) to help and they are mutually attracted. Taylor learns that, as an Indian, he is not a United States citizen and has no right to his own land. Sheepherding homesteader Marshall Thompson (as Rod MacDougall) moves in, and the conflict gets violent... "Devil's Doorway" opens with some serious reservations about Taylor's portrayal of a Native American. It doesn't help that his make-up shades up inconsistently in different scenes. But, after about thirty minutes, when he's in full "red-skin" dress, Taylor creates an appealing and believable character. Taylor's stoic mid-life screen persona matches the role perfectly, and he responds with one of his best performances. Also lifting this film from the doldrums is director Anthony Mann, who gets photographer John Alton under your skin with some beautifully framed and staged scenes. The "pro-Indian" theme was not new, but had become rare. ******* Devil's Doorway (9/15/50) Anthony Mann ~ Robert Taylor, Paula Raymond, Louis Calhern, Marshall Thompson

Civil War hero Robert Taylor returns to his people to Wyoming, only to find his valley ranch fair game for white homesteaders and himself, as an Indian, ineligible to claim his own land, leading to a violent confrontation. An unusual (and unusually grim) western, here the Indians are the cowboys and the villains sheep-farmers, the nemesis of cowboys everywhere. Although the ending is painfully obvious early on, getting there is compelling and heartbreaking, with the film perfectly capturing the anger and despair of not just native people, but anyone who plays by the rules and finds himself ground under the wheels of progress. Although not as well known as Anthony Mann's western collaborations with star James Stewart, this one also knows what buttons to push and delivers an action-packed climax, as well as good performances from Taylor and Paula Raymond, as a lady attorney who takes up his case.

I just finished watching the VHS tape of the movie, "Devil's DOOR" and loved it. I was struck by how sympathetic to Native Americans it was being 1950. When judged against its contemporaries, it would certainly have raised a few eyebrows. Also, I immediately saw parallels between the protagonist (Robert Taylor) having to fight racism against Indians on the home front after fighting for the USA gallantly in the Civil War, and African Americans who fought in WWII having to deal with the same in post war America. Again, another eye-brow raiser for its time. Well paced, well acted, and uncompromising. I have a new favorite to add to my list.

While some might balk at the idea of Robert Taylor playing an American Indian, such casting was pretty typical of this era--with folks like Rock Hudson and Paul Newman cast as Indians as well! Plus, while the casting is poor, the film does have a lot in its favor. The biggest plus is that the American Indian is portrayed VERY sympathetically here and is a film about intolerance and prejudice--and makes some excellent points to counter the prevailing "evil and stupid Indian" image many films of the day. Plus, although Taylor is an Anglo with an aquiline nose and blue eyes, the film manages to have him appear rather Indian-like--and his craggy middle-aged good looks helped--along with gobs of skin paint! I cannot speak for American Indians, but I assume most would appreciate the film's message and overlook the casting--as there simply wasn't any better sort of film about them made at the time--and very, very few since. The film begins with Taylor returning home after several years absence serving in the Union army during the Civil War. Along the way, he developed a bit of naiveté and assumes his being a sergeant in the military and living out the White American dream that he'd be accorded respect and equal treatment at home. However, there's an ill-will brewing and instead of receiving honor for his service (which had earned him the Medal of Honor--the nation's highest military award), he will face a lot of unreasoning hate. At the heart of this is a scum-bag lawyer (imagine that!) who is bent on stirring up the Whites against the Indians--mostly so he man make himself rich in the process. I could say more to the plot, as there is quite a bit more to the film, but I really don't want to spoil the film. Suffice to say that it is very well written--mostly because it is NOT a movie with a clear message that the settlers were all evil and the Shoshone were perfect and noble. I liked this, as both sides had a point--though the Natives clearly were having their rights cast aside in the process. The characters, as a result, were multidimensional and interesting. Overall, if you are a bit tired of cookie-cutter westerns and are looking for something a bit different, "Devil's Doorway" is a pretty good bet.

I made a copy of this movie when I saw it online. It was NOT, however, in black/white (as someone said); it was originally made in color, and has not been colorized. Robert Taylor was remarkable as Lance Poole; the only thing that bothered me were his incredibly beautiful blue eyes; he should have been wearing BROWN contacts! Paula Raymond was just perfect as the young lawyer who tried to help Lance keep his land, and Louis Calhern was so good that I still hate him! The movie was historically accurate, not the story line, but the way things occurred at the time that these events took place -- shortly after the Civil War! I don't think the fate of our Native American population can be compared in any way to that of the African/Americans, since they have come a long way and do take part in things happening here, both culturally and politically. Whereas the Indians have made little, if any progress, and even today the state of the reservations are disgraceful, and among the young men there is an unusually high rate of alcoholism and suicide. The movie was beautifully, and sensitively written and acted, and showed no bias whatsoever -- only the truth. I treasure my copy of Devil's Doorway and have looked for it on DVD, but so far, no luck. This is a marvelous western and ranks with the best! It seems strange it was only up for ONE nomination,which of course it never got! I am sure that anyone seeing it would not be able to forget it!

This is one of the most underrated of all the westerns of the decade. Much before its time in the realm of bigotry and racism, it is truly a masterpiece. The black and white photography is magnificent, the scenery amazing, and Robert Taylor with very little makeup, is truly the Shoshone he plays, his features perfect for the part. Lance Poole comes back from the war fighting side by side with whites in the Union forces and winning the Congressional Medal of Honor. He has changed, thinking that the world has changed with him. He returns to Sweet Meadows, the land of his father, and only wants to build upon the land a cattle ranch. He does so successfully for 5 years until the white settlers come to homestead and he finds that because he is an Indian, he is not entitled to his own land. He hires a lawyer, played well by Paula Raymond, but she is also unable to change the laws which lead to bloody battles over the land, headed by another lawyer, Louis Calhern, a total bigot and instigator. Calhern is convincing as the lawyer who hates the success of the Indian, and plans his demise. As time goes along Lance realizes that nothing has changed and that he must make a last stand. Raymond tries to stop him, because she is drawn to him, and I suspect loves him, but the times would never allow her to be with him. She goes to him at the burned out ranch, and he embraces her telling her that she could never be with him, but maybe 100 years from now it would have been possible. The film was much ahead of its time, and I consider it to be one of the finest westerns ever made, and Taylor's performance one of sensitivity and strength. So overlooked it is a crime.