★ 7 / 10
Gutsy Gusto Oater. Ambush At Tomahawk Gap tells
John Chard
Gutsy Gusto Oater. Ambush At Tomahawk Gap tells the story of four outlaws, McCord (John Hodiak), Egan (David Bryan), Doc (Ray Teal) & Kid (John Derek), who…
Gutsy Gusto Oater.
Ambush At Tomahawk Gap tells the story of four outlaws, McCord (John Hodiak), Egan (David Bryan), Doc (Ray Teal) & Kid (John Derek), who after being released from a five year sentence for robbery at Yuma Territorial Prison, implode from within as they yearn to find the hidden loot from their ill gotten gains. Not only that, but they are in the middle of Indian territory and Apache attacks are frequent and savage in their execution.
Bloody & brutal Western programmer out of Columbia Pictures that's produced by Wallace MacDonald and directed by Fred Sears. Written by David Lang, the principal location shoot is at Corriganville, Simi Valley, California. With Technicolor enhanced cinematography coming from Henry Freulich. Though featuring a pretty weak, and at times nutty story, the film has a high viewing factor on account of its adherence to Western action staples, it helps, too, that Sears directs with an absolutely no nonsense approach.
Running at just shy of 80 minutes, it just doesn't have time to dwell on intricacies, instead choosing more to embrace that this isn't really about redemptive qualities - which since there's barely any on show is a rather good thing! Sears movie is grim and potent enough to warrant a recommendation to the serious Western fan, and it's also very easy on the eye. Bonus plot wise comes with two lovely kickers during the pulsating finale. The cast man up and give it gusto and brawn, with Hodiak particularly standing out, while even the inevitable lady character plot strand (Maria Elena Marques) doesn't cloy or hinder the pace and mood of the piece.
You will not want to ponder too much about it afterwards, but hopefully you will go away thinking that you have been royally entertained by the guns, arrows and fists that have flown and been thrown throughout the movie. 7/10
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★ 7 / 10
No Good Guys in White Hats To Be Found
Henchman_Number1
When four inmates (John Hodiak, David Brian, John Derek, Ray Teal) are released from Yuma Prison they work their way back to what is now the ghost town of…
When four inmates (John Hodiak, David Brian, John Derek, Ray Teal) are released from Yuma Prison they work their way back to what is now the ghost town of Tomahawk Gap to recover the money from the robbery they pulled off years before. Hodiak, who was an innocent bystander in the original heist but was convicted along with the others, decides to cut himself in for a piece of the action since he served the time for a crime he didn't commit. However the road to Tomahawk Gap is not an easy one and the four must cross Apache Territory swarming with renegades to recover the stolen loot.
Directed by low budget veteran Fred Sears, who cut his teeth on the Durango Kid series at Columbia, the film doesn't spend time on meandering plot lines. Tomahawk Gap has a grittier feel than typical for the time period with little in the way of moralizing or romance. Sears definitely knew how to work with a budget and the sole focus of the movie is spent on the foursome recovering the stolen money. Hodiak receives top billing in this adult themed western,
but it really is more of an ensemble cast and a pretty good one at that. By this time Hodiak had been relegated to secondary leads, larger support roles and ensemble work such as this. If Hodiak wasn't happy with the trajectory of his career you wouldn't know it by viewing this film. He comes off pitch perfect as a wrongly convicted man whose only compass in life is being paid back for his years behind bars.
Worthwhile medium budget programmer with good production values and a clever ending. Recommended for those who like their Westerns thin on drama and heavy on action.
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14%
AUDIENCE
5.9/10
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