JohnHowardReid Director: NATHAN JURAN. Screenplay: John K. Butler, Lawrence Roman. Story: John K. Butler. Photographed in Technicolor by Harold Lipstein. Film editor: Virgil Vogel. Art directors: Bernard Herzbrun and Richard H. Riedel. Set decorators: Russell A. Gausman and Julia Heron. Costumes: Jay Morley. Make-up: Bud Westmore. Hair styles: Joan St Oegger. Assistant director: Tom Shaw. Sound recording: Leslie I. Carey and Richard DeWeese. Producer: Melville Tucker. Copyright 11 May 1954 by Universal Pictures Co, inc. A Universal- International picture. No New York opening. U.S. release: 1 June 1954. U.K. release through G.F.D. on the lower half of a double bill: 2 October 1954. Australian release: 10 December 1954. 6,913 feet. 77 minutes. SYNOPSIS: A villainous white man tries to stir up an Indian war for his own commercial advantage.COMMENT: Very attractively photographed. The studio night scenes particularly appeal. The camera-work reveals a dramatic depth of creative composition not usually associated with the work of Nathan Juran (though the man is a former art director after all). A few other inventive touches like the track ahead to the tree stump and the constantly clever use of pans in establishing shots, lend Mr Juran's direction even added luster and style. The exteriors are equally impressive. In fact, production values generally — even though lumbered with one or two obvious stock shots — are of an unusually high order.Unfortunately, the script and most of the players are something else again. The story is almost an entry in the unusual alliances cycle, except that this device is not over-emphasized in the manner of many later movies. Lyle Bettger, as usual, shines as the smiling heavy. It's also great to find Bob Steele in a meaty role as a bad-favored henchman. But Lisa Gaye makes a ridiculous if well-proportioned heroine, whilst Mara Corday is only slightly more credible as Bettger's moll. Still, neither girl has much of a part."Drums Across the River" boasts enough action to satisfy the fans, even if the doubles do all the work.

bsmith5552 "Drums Across the River" is another of the excellent 80 minute Audie Murphy westerns turned out by Universal in the 1950s. This one has a fine supporting cast filled with recognizable faces.The story in brief has all of the gold mines around Crown City Colorado being played out and the only way to save the town is to cross the river into Ute Indian lands and mine the gold found there. Gary Brannon (Murphy) is conned into helping unscrupulous townsman Frank Walker (Lyle Bettger) convince the town elders to support a trek across the river into Indian lands. Gary's father Sam (Walter Brennan) tries to prevent him.After the group crosses the river Walker along with his two brothers (James Anderson, George Wallace) and the Costa brothers (Bob Steele, Lane Bradford) incite an attack on the Indians sent to stop them. Townsman Nathan Marlowe (Emil Meyer) is captured by the Utes. An Indian brave is also captured by Gary and an exchange is arranged. Sam having been wounded allows Gary to go in his place to the Indian village.Meanwhile Frank Walker sends for all in black gunman Morgan (Hugh O'Brian) to assist him. Later, Walker stages an "Indian attack" on the stage where a gold shipment is stolen. Gary gets blamed for the resulting deaths and ends up being tried for murder. In bargaining for his life, Gary agrees to lead the bad guys to the gold but..............Others appearing in the cast include Lisa Gaye as the good girl, Mara Corday as the bad girl, Morris Ankrum as the dying Chief, Chief Yowlachie as the Ute Medicine Man, Howard McNear as townsman Stillwell, Regis Toomey as the town Sheriff and Robert Bray and Edmund Cobb in other roles.Audie Murphy was a better actor than most give him credit for. His portrayal of the prejudiced Gary is quite good. Brennan has a few good moments in the early part of the film but is tied up for most of the second half. Lyle Bettger was one of the best of the smooth talking villains of the 50s. He would appear with Murphy again in "Destry" the following year. Bob Steele and Lane Bradford, veterans of the "B" westerns of the 40s have hardly any lines although Steele gets to work Brennan over and has a campfire fight with Murphy.One of the better Murphy westerns.

Spikeopath Drums Across the River is directed by Nathan Juran and written by John K. Butler and Lawrence Roman. It stars Audie Murphy, Walter Brennan, Lyle Bettger, Lisa Gaye, Hugh O'Brian, Mara Corday and Jay Silverheels. Music is by Joseph Gershenson and Technicolor cinematography by Harold Lipstein."This is Crown City, born and build on gold mining, but by 1880 about the only gold left was across a near by river in the San Juan Mountains, Ute Indian land. People get desperate when their means of livelihood's cut off, and I was no exception. I'm Gary Brannon, my Dad and me ran a freight outfit."There's a reoccurring saying that often crops up when viewing most of Audie Murphy's Westerns, that of them being unassuming afternoon entertainment. Pour yourself a jug of beer or a glass of wine and enjoy the handsome Murphy going about his Oater business with energy and a straight forward willingness to entertain.Drums Across the River is a goodie in that context, it also boasts some lovely photography by Lipstein out of California locations that include Barton Flats (San Bernardino Mountains), Burro Flats and Red Rock Canyon. The Technicolor is gorgeous (TV print I saw was very good), with the blues and greens very striking, and the story is interesting as Murphy plays a bigoted young man who finds himself trying to avert a war with the Ute's whilst being framed for robbery himself. Bettger (Union Station) is a more than capable villain, as is the black clad O'Brian (The Lawless Breed), Corday and Gaye are underwritten but a treat for the eyes, and Brennan is the class act that he mostly always is.Juran (Gunsmoke) directs without fuss or filler, proving to have a keen eye for action construction as the film is flecked with a number of hand to hand fights, shoot-outs and horse play, and prolific Western scorer Gershenson offers up another in a long line of undervalued genre compliant flavours. The stunt work is also of a high standard, with one particular leap of death truly worthy of high praise, and the story rounds out to put a smile on your face as the last sip of beverage trickles down the throat. Few surprises narratively speaking, and the odd B Western budget error shows its face, but this is a colourful Audie Oater and it's all about enjoying without having to think too hard about it. 7/10

bkoganbing Drums Across the River concerns freighters Walter Brennan and his son Audie Murphy trying very hard to prevent a full scale Indian war which Lyle Bettger and sidekicks seem bound and determined to start.There's some rich mineral deposits on Ute land which is separated by a river boundary. Lyle Bettger plays on the greed of the white folks to invade the Ute treaty land so the government will send in troops to move them.Brennan sees the game for what it is, but it takes Murphy a while to come around. When he does he's the heroic Audie we know in most of his B westerns.Lots of action and a really nice performance by Jay Silverheels as the young Ute chief. Silverheels was on hiatus from the Lone Ranger and he ought to be remembered for more than just playing Tonto. There's also a nice performance by Mara Corday who is Bettger's squeeze and does quite a bit more for him than the usual moll.Despite that the film probably suffered from some poor editing and a script in which the character's motivations in doing certain things are a bit vague.Nevertheless Drums Across the River has enough action to satisfy any western lover.