Soldier Blue (1970/Ralph Nelson)

One of the best westerns I have seen. Lots of Vietnam references. What are your thoughts on this film?

I have heard a lot of people say this is one of the most violent Westerns ever made; is it?

It's rough, all right, though not all the way through. The uncut version contains dismemberment, bloody shootings... all manner of atrocities.

There's no denying SB is powerful in places, but it's also far too self-conscious as a "message movie". It beats you over the head - violent pun intended - with its arguments, threatening to undermine their validity.

I need to reassess it actually. It's been years since I've watched it. I also need to get a decent DVD version. I understand the touchstone is an uncensored German release.

Altair wrote:

I have heard a lot of people say this is one of the most violent Westerns ever made; is it?

Yes one of them but only near the ending. The rest isn't violent at all.

"Yes one of them but only near the ending. The rest isn't violent at all."

Apart from that scene in which a man gets shot in the face - that's near the beginning, if memory serves...

Yeah well it was just one shot, compared to the final scene it's nothing.

I think it's also worth mentioning that Candice Bergen looks pretty damn hot in this.

I rewatched it recently, and said this about it on SWDB:

[ Had not seen it in ages, but became eager to rewatch it when an somebody from Libanon told me that it's a popular movie among young Arabs (like, for instance, Braveheart). It's not so difficult to see why.

It's a bit of an odd experience to rewatch it after all these years. It's very sixties (although released in '70), very well-meant, very unsubtle - and surprisingly enjoyable (but never really compelling), until the last 15-20 minutes, which remain nearly unwatchable, even if you're familiar with some of today's even more graphic screen violence ]


What young Arabs like about this movie, is of course the sympathy expressed for the Indians, people who want to uphold their culture, and are attacked by the American army. The identify themselves with the Cheyenne, like they identify themselves with the Scots, and the bravest of them all, William Wallace, in the case of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. I know it's a bit daring to draw such parallels, but it's the way those films are experienced.

The violence in this film is very graphic, and very nasty, including hacked limbs and even the beheading of a young indian girl. I found those final 15-20 minutes quite hard to endure; we're probably hardened by movies like Saw or Hostel, but when watching a similar movie (they call it "torture porn"), you can still say to yourself that it's only a movie etc. In the case of Soldier Blue this won't help you.

I think it's not a great, but still a rewarding movie. It's good that people are aware of the atrocities of the past. Of course history lessons are more essential in this aspect than movies, but movies aren't just there for fun and fun alone. Sometimes they have something to say.

Gorch Brother wrote:

I think it's also worth mentioning that Candice Bergen looks pretty damn hot in this.

Indeed!

Great lobby card, btw, lol

scherpschutter wrote:

I rewatched it recently, and said this about it on SWDB:
I found those final 15-20 minutes quite hard to endure; we're probably hardened by movies like Saw or Hostel, but when watching a similar movie (they call it "torture porn"), you can still say to yourself that it's only a movie etc. In the case of Soldier Blue this won't help you.

Actually the exactly same thought have flew through my mind.