The Stalking Moon

It's supposed to be slow initially, this is the Old West in the 1880s. But the climax and ending are very exciting, the Indian moves through the brush with such speed and determination. First time I saw this in the 70s I was on the edge of my seat. Indian renegades were vengeful at losing their homeland and families to the Whites, they used stealth and native wisdom of plants, the terrain to stay alive whilst the U.S. Army chased them down relentlessly into oblivion. The movie is now on DVD since Aug 26, 2008 and fans can buy it in the DVD format, I am happy to say. Greg Peck, in one of his best, Eva Marie Saint, Robert Forster all have credible roles in this adaptation of the story by Theodore Olsen, I have the book too. In a similar vein, Burt Lancaster played a renegade in the movie Apache,surviving the long journey to Florida and back after the surrender of Geronimo at Skeleton Canyon in 1886. Yes, there was a renegade Apache called Massai, and Massai Point is an area within the Chiricahua National Monument, southeast of Tucson AZ. Check it out for authentic feeling of the Apache environment. Terribly Disappointing writes one reviewer, yet he enthuses over his 10 paragraphs of highlights in the movie. So, viewers can disregard any negatives, this is a first rate Western movie, very memorable, now in my Western collection at the front. Comment from Malcolm in Toronto 5th September 2008

I had seen this movie when I was twenty, and it had lingered somewhere in my mind in a most favorable way. In later years I recalled a good movie and strong acting by two favorites, Gregory Peck and Frank Silvera. Then I saw it again this year at fifty two, and after watching it a second time, I confess that only two of my three favorable impressions remained: Peck and Silvera. The movie is utterly hollow. The premise of the movie is outstanding. An unseen, deadly presence is out there and most definitely coming. It's only a matter of time before the showdown occurs. Armed with the likes of Gregory Peck, Eva Marie Saint, and Frank Silvera, the director had an A team assembled for what could have been a thriller with a ton of suspense. But Eva Marie Saint was relegated to the role of a mute statue, Frank Silvera was used almost grudgingly, and Gregory Peck was left to tote this slow moving, preposterous dud on his back from promising beginning to dismal end. The other characters in the movie are entirely too wooden to even mention. As I have grown older, I have come to believe that the first impression of a movie is the only one that counts. For some reason, the movie impressed me when I was twenty. Then, perhaps, it really was original. I have seen it again after seeing much better creations in the same genre. Second impressions are badly colored. After this disappointing viewing of "Stalking Moon", I have decided not to see another of my favorable lasting impressions of the era, "Vanishing Point" again. The same thing might happen.

I chose to see this film because of the always excellent work of Gregory Peck -- however, this being a relatively unknown film, I wasn't expecting so very much in the way of ingenuity, storyline or overall entertainment. I'm very happy to say that I was very surprised. This is a very very good western. I've seen a lot of westerns and know pretty much what to expect out of your average fare. This is well above average. A couple facets in particular help it excel. One of the things I really enjoyed was the understated mood of the characters and the film as a whole. The plot and the characters don't slap you in the face with standard western conventions saying "HERE I AM!" The characters and storyline unveil themselves slowly, deliberately, and I think, beautifully. Some of the other negative comments site lack of character development and slow-moving story as major drawbacks. While each viewer may see the same thing from a number of different perspectives, I believe that these reviewers failed to recognize the subtleties which make this film stand out above others. True, there is not a lot of dialog. But consider how chatty most of the personalities out in the vast western frontier were likely to be. If you were a lover of social engagements and polite small-talk, this was not exactly your home sweet home. The main characters are an army scout and his half-breed friend who he trained; a captured, abused woman living among Indian tribes for the better part of a decade, and a little Indian boy put in circumstances where he is a fish out of water. The dialog of this film is seen the most by the characters' actions and expressions. Not many films dare to do this, and even then, not many succeed at it. It is a credit to this film that they pulled it off beautifully. In essence, the way the characters in this movie were handled came as a surprise and added a genuine sense of realism to the picture. Also, the cinematography and choice of shooting locations are to be commended. The laconic characters blend seamlessly with the vast landscapes of barren Arizona and the rugged, striking New Mexico ranch. This also added to the realism of the film. While this film does protrude ahead of many others, it is not perfect. I did find the utter, vast destruction supposedly wreaked by the one-man Apache army more than a little unlikely. Also, some of the cat and mouse between the "Stalking" warrior and our protagonists seemed stretched and a bit beneath the supposed cleverness of the characters. However, these things do not condemn the film, nor do they cancel out it's effectiveness. It's a great western, which lived up to much, if not quite all, of its potential. It's a shame this film is not more well known. It is wonderful, however, to have an excellent print available on DVD (albeit an absolute bare bones disc). Give it a try -- you might just be surprised too!

Too much talking, not enough action. A bad injun stalks a family in the mountains. They spent all the film never seeing the indian, but constantly being harried by him. I felt there could have been more drama to this one. It wasn't a bad picture, just slow and mopey.

A beautiful story, and superb tension, especially the last part of the movie. One of the best movies that Gregory Peck was ever cast. Eva-Marie Saint is excellent as the pleading mother, who desperately wants to leave Arizona. Robert Forester, as Gregory Peck's good friend was also very good in this film. The marauding Apache, never seen until the last few minutes of the film, leaves a trail of death behind him everywhere he goes. Great locations, excellent camera work, and a very tight script makes this a very original movie and easy to watch over and over. This is a stand out film that no one knows. Too bad!!

Not even listed as one of Gregory Peck's better films, I consider this to be one of the most exciting Westerns I have ever seen. The Stalking Moon, Jeremiah Johnson, High Noon,.. all three are Western Classics. The movie begins slowly but the sense of foreboding builds throughout the film as Sam and his adopted family wait for the inevitable. Eva Marie Saint portrays an abused woman with spare dignity and understated grace, the little boy is great and Gregory Peck is a formidable presence, growing stronger in character and determination as his feelings for the woman and her son develop. Nathaniel Narsisco, as the Stalker is realistically and excruciatingly frightening as he silently tracks his prey. Although almost 40 years old the movie holds up well even when compared to films like Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.I have just read Roger Ebert's condemnation of this film and cannot believe that he and I differ so greatly as to its relative merits. How ever this is the man who loved "over the top" Donald Pleasance in "Will Penny" so one should not be surprised.

From the same folks who brought you To Kill a Mockingbird, a good western thriller The Stalking Moon blends old west action with Alfred Hitchcock type suspense. Gregory Peck is an old army scout who helped rescue captive white woman Eva Marie Saint and her son Noland Clay by one of the Apache chiefs. The father isn't about to give up his son and he pursues Peck all the way to his ranch after he quit the cavalry. The last 40% of the film deals with Peck and his ranch guests being stalked by a clever and dangerous Indian opponent. The film itself touches on themes used in both The Searchers and Two Rode Together by John Ford and the fine Joel McCrea-Barbara Stanwyck western, Trooper Hook. But director Robert J. Mulligan took his style cues from Alfred Hitchcock. We don't ever see the opponent except in long shot right up to the very end. We only know him from what is said about Nathaniel Narciso from what is said and the death and destruction in his wake. The anticipation is all the more terrifying. Western and suspense, The Stalking Moon is a nice blend of film genres and fans of Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint will be pleased.

This is almost a perfect western, flawed only by uninspired acting by Robert Forster. The strength comes from the inevitable nature of the collision with the force, Salvaje. It is the ONLY time in a movie that an Apache warrior has been shown as what he was - a resourceful, effective and incredibly dangerous adversary. Sure, lots of movies say it. This movie shows it. From the beginning, you are warned that Salvaje is one-man army and you know he will come after Greg Peck. Greg knows it too, but he is trapped by his basic goodness and has to do what he can to help Eva Marie Saint. Watch the main characters and try to ignore the Forster character. All-in-all, I like the movie better than High Noon, Stage Coach and many other highly rated Westerns. This one is the sleeper and in my view, could well be the all-time best.

I found this to be a taut and exciting western. The film builds scene by scene to give the characters depth and to instill a sense of unknown dread. The music soundtrack is superb in enhancing this sense of dread. The film puts to good use the concept that what cannot be seen is sometimes more frightening than what can be seen. This concept is used for terrific effect with the psychotic Indian who is the stalker. Peck, Saint and Forster give outstanding performances and create realistic characters that we can care about. I believe this to be one of the finest westerns made and consider it be a very underappreciated film by critics.

THE STALKING MOON is one of the great "later" Hollywood westerns! Produced in 1968 it came at a time when westerns were losing something of their appeal. The picture had mixed reviews when it was first released but since then it has gained a sort of cult status and is now generally well praised by fans of the genre. I personally think more of it than that! I find it to be one of the finest westerns ever made and rate it among my top ten. So for me this release of the movie on DVD is more than welcome. From a splendid screenplay by Alvin Sargent and tight direction by Robert Mulligan "The Stalking Moon" is a highly charged suspense drama set in the west. Gregory Peck arguably gives his best performance in a western as the Arizona cavalry scout of 20 years who is now retiring to his newly acquired ranch in New Mexico. To keep house for him at the ranch he reluctantly takes on a woman (Eve Maria Saint) who has just been rescued from the Apaches along with her son - an Indian boy. The Indians had abducted her and was their prisoner for ten years. Peck feels for her plight and offers to hire her unaware that the boy's father, an infamous and murderous Apache by the name of Salvaje, wants his son back and leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake has tracked them to the ranch. Edge of the seat tension and excitement then ensues as the Apache makes effort after effort to retrieve the boy with Peck just about deterring him at every turn but not before the deaths of any help he had mobilized. A game of cat and mouse develops between the two antagonists and excitement reaches fever pitch when finally alone Peck takes on his slippery foe in a fierce and climactic hand to hand fight to the death. It is all extremely well done especially never seeing what the fearsome Apache really looks like throughout the picture. Phantom-like he is only seen in fleeting glimpses now and then. Nathaniel Narcisco gives a superb performance of authenticity as the tireless Apache as does Noland Clay as the boy. The entire picture has a marvellous authentic thrust to it from its wonderful locations to the great characterisations of the cast. Excellent is Eve Maria Saint who's role is that of a browbeaten, tortured and sorrowful figure. Her performance is heartfelt and sincere! Also playing a good part is Robert Forster (never better) as the ill-fated half-breed friend of Peck who joins forces with him against the Apache and Russell Thorson as the caretaker of the ranch. This is a nail-biting thrill packed western thanks to a great cast, Mulligan's taut direction, Charles Lang's stylish Panavision/Color cinematography and an excellent atmospheric score by the underrated Fred Karlin who also provides a traditional and haunting whistled theme tune. A winner alright!