Last of the Comanches (AKA: The Sabre and the Arrow) is directed by Andre De Toth and adapted to the screen by Kenneth Gamet. It stars Broderick Crawford, Barbara Hale, Lloyd Bridges, Mickey Shaughnessy, Johnny Stewart, George Matthews and Hugh Sanders. A Technicolor production with cinematography by Charles Lawton Junior and Ray Cory and music by George Duning.

Safe as a bomb shelter Western. A remake of Zoltan Korda/Humphrey Bogart's war movie "Sahara" from 1943, Last of the Comanches finds Broderick Crawford as the leader of what remains of a massacred cavalry troop. As they make their way across the desert they pick up ragtag group of stagecoach passengers and as water runs low, they must fight for survival against fierce Comanches led by Black Cloud.

In essence it's a survivalist story with some Indian War action dotted around the outskirts of plotting. It's nice and airy, pleasingly performed, easy on the eye with its Technicolor photography, and De Toth once again shows himself to be a good marshall of action scenes. Crawford carries the movie of course, imbuing Sergeant Trainor with fearless bluster that holds the dysfunctional group together. The narrative strength comes from the lack of water, both for the whiteys and the Comanche, where the often forgotten weapons of war, that of food or drink, firmly keeps the story engrossing.

Not as good as "Sahara" but still a safe recommendation to Western and Brod Crawford fans. 7/10

A good remake of Sahara with Broderick Crawford leading the cast of competent if not name performers. Crawford was still in the glow of his two star quality performances in All The King's Men and Born Yesterday.

Broderick Crawford is a cavalry sergeant leading a patrol in the Arizona desert and they're attacked. As in Sahara, the patrol settles in for a siege at a waterhole, where the numerically superior Indians surround them, but are being dehydrated for lack of water. It's a test of wills and if you saw Sahara, you know how it will come out.

Young Johnny Stewart as the Comanche boy Little Knife is in the second of the two feature films he did for Columbia. He had a good screen presence and God only knows why he didn't become a major star.

Good B western with a quality cast.

A little too-standard re-make of the "Cowboys and Indians" western drama ("The Lost Patrol", "Sahara"…). It does update the budget - with scenic location camera-work, and interesting direction by Andre De Toth. Broderick Crawford is fine, but seems a little out of place in western gear. Barbara Hale adds feminine charm. Johnny Stewart is fine as the Indian boy; but, certainly not as mesmerizing as in "Boots Malone" (1952). But, there isn't as much potential in this film's parts. Lloyd Bridges looks similarly under-appreciated.

"Last of the Comanches" shows a formula getting tired, with not enough newness in the storyline. The production is good, though. The film is bracketed by exciting "Cowboys versus Indians" battles, and there is a lively series of line explosions, in-between.

***** Last of the Comanches (1952) Andre De Toth ~ Broderick Crawford, Barbara Hale, Johnny Stewart