mark.waltz Covered in mudpacks dried from the sun, the white Burt Lancaster and the black Ossie Davis look exactly alike, ridiculing racists in an era where both the Native American and the black man found themselves fighting for freedom in different ways from the white man. It's the era of slavery, and the era of the American expansion of the west, so for the natives and slaves, it's a fight for survival. Burt Lancaster is amusing as the very determined Joe Bass, a fur trader whose catch is swiped with runaway slave Ossie Davis given to him in exchange. Intending to sell Davis himself as well as get back his furs, he is horrified when he witnesses the scalping of the Indian tribe he's been hunting, and now must switch his tracking of his furs to the ruthless gang led by Telly Savalas. When Davis ends up accidentally captured by Savalas, Lancaster must use his cunning, unaware that Davis is even more cunning than him, using brain, not brawn, to control the situation, even getting in the good favor of the blowzy Shelley Winters (as Savalas's mistress) who longs to settle down "as a lady", something even with her big heart is practically impossible.Even with the violence and blood, there's a huge element of humor in this, and the fun comes in watching the one-upmanship between Davis and Lancaster. Davis, having been a book reading house slave, is the most intelligent character in the film, having preferred bread and water along with freedom over cake and slavery. While involved in an evil and pointless profession, Savalas shows his signs of civility, treating Winters with respect and love, although an edited sequence indicates that at one point, he gives her a black eye. In fact, the only issue I could find with this film is the continuity, obviously because of issues in the editing room, giving details for an upcoming scene that never happens. But, when you've got a western film like this with all the action going on, there's little to quibble about in the way of keeping your interest. Lancaster is like a doberman with a bone when it comes to getting back his furs, and showing his disgust to the scalping of native Americans also indicates that he's got a moral base underneath his seemingly shallow exterior.First seen coming out of a covered wagon clad in a ripped negligee and feather boa, Winters is a sight to behold, and the joy that covers her face when Davis turns cactus leaves into shampoo makes you just want to hug her. It seems that she's making up for her cruelty to Sidney Poitier in "A Patch of Blue" with her humanity to Davis here, and she is the most likable and honest (brutally at times) of all the characters. This is indeed a roller coaster ride of a western, and it grabs you right from the very beginning. There are some cartoon like effects when Lancaster and the fairly passive Davis get into a fight, with the cartoon like bird sound appearing out of nowhere as Lancaster gets slugged. Davis is playing a variation of "Purlie" here (his most famous stage and screen role), and delivers an outstanding, beautiful performance that makes you wish he had been more of a movie star than he was. Even in its violence, it will have you laughing, although the violence towards the Indians is itself no laughing matter.

Uriah43 "Joe Bass" (Burt Lancaster) is a trapper who has just finished his winter occupation and is heading back east to trade in his furs. Unfortunately, he encounters some semi-friendly Kiowa and they demand his furs in exchange for a black slave named "Joseph Lee" (Ossie Davis). Although Joe Bass doesn't want or need a slave, he has no choice but to allow the trade to transpire since the Kiowa outnumber him 12 to 1. But as they ride off he is determined to get his furs back one way or the other. Meanwhile, the Kiowa fall prey to a band of savage scalphunters who end up taking the furs after killing the Kiowa. So Joe Bass now has a different adversary to retrieve his furs from. Anyway, filmed in 1968 this movie has a not-too-subtle "message" about racism the director (Sydney Pollack) felt compelled to impart. No doubt that decision probably delighted the politically-correct critics during this time. However, regardless of how well-intentioned the motives may have been it was a bit too blatant in my opinion and detracted from the entertainment value this movie may have had. Along with that, the humor just wasn't that funny. Additionally, I thought Shelley Winters (as "Kate") was miscast for her part and neither Burt Lancaster nor Telly Savalas (as "Jim Howie") seemed to fulfill their potential. That said, for all of these reasons the movie seemed rather flat and lackluster to me. In short, it could have been better.

bkoganbing The Scalphunters was the first of two films Sydney Pollack directed with Burt Lancaster. In fact according to a recent biography of Lancaster, Burt was literally trying Pollack out on this western before giving him an opportunity to direct the very expensive Castle Keep for him the following year. Personally I think The Scalphunters is a far better film.It's a rollicking good mixture of comedy with some very serious themes involved. It's also the last time Lancaster did any really athletic roles as he was 55 when making The Scalphunters. We all bow to old age at some point.Sydney Pollack actually started his association with Burt Lancaster on the set of The Young Savages where he was an acting coach to some of the street kids who were playing gang members. It was his first introduction into motion pictures, he had previously directed and acted in a number of television productions.Burt is fur trapper Joe Bass who gets an offer from the Kiowa Indians he can't refuse. They'll relieve him of his year's trappings in beaver pelts and he'll get an educated house slave in Ossie Davis. Davis seems born to be a slave, he escapes it from the south, then he's captured by the Comanches who then trade him to the Kiowas and then he's forced on Lancaster. Lancaster is planning to get his pelts back, but a murderous gang of Scalphunters beat him to it and massacre almost the whole band and take Lancaster's furs along with horses and scalps that bring a good bounty. Burt's Joe Bass is not exactly a boy scout, but this crowd truly nauseates him.The Scalphunters are headed by Telly Savalas and his cigar smoking refugee from a bordello of a woman, Shelley Winters. Winters has the best performance in the film, this is her third film with Lancaster with whom she had a self documented fling back in the day. Later on Davis gets captured by The Scalphunters and he has to use his wits to survive among them. But they're going to Mexico where slavery has been abolished.The laughs are mixed in with some serious racial issues all around. Lancaster can't quite accept Davis as an equal, Davis is perfectly willing to go along with The Scalphunters and their genocidal war on the Indians if he'll obtain his freedom through them. And Savalas and his crowd are as mean a bunch as you'll ever see in a film, yet some of the funniest bits in the film involve Winters and Savalas.The Scalphunters is a really funny western that if you think about it teaches some good lessons we could all use.

david_grothier I guess we have to look at these films from a generation view point in what the great Shirley Mclain has recently stated in that they should start to make films for the over 50s age groups.The film of today certainly seem to be targeted for a ' a different generation" as often I have to switch the box over to see if there is something wrong with the stereo settings as all I can hear is music and a very muffled speech.I find the older films, as in this case, to be irreplaceable and standing in support of the old saying "they don't make 'em like that anymore" With taking anything away from the modern ladies of the screen, were can you find another Shelly, warm, funny, voluptuous with a distinctive class she retained to the end. Ossie Davis, irreplaceable and a gutsy person to play his part with the obvious dedication with which he did.(no wonder he won over hearts and minds) I doubt if the is a black actor with such dedication to that role today as Ossie was then.Burt and Telly. as usual, delivered first rate parts in what proved to be good all round entertainment value. Amazingly enough my 13 year old son sat through it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Which cant be a bad achievement from our generation of old timers.