Anthony Mann’s The Last Frontier may not be a picture that is epic in scope, but it is an interesting one and highly entertaining to boot.  It features Victor Mature and Robert Preston at war with themselves and with each other.  It would be fine if these battles were fought amongst themselves yet it finds them in an outpost full of soldiers and what they end up doing is affecting everyone around them and it is not for the better.

Filmed in Cinemascope, the movie looks big and shows off its locales to great effect.  The film is a beautiful one visually and that beauty plays against the love triangle between the aforementioned Preston, Mature and Anne Bancroft which at times, is quite ugly in its dealings.  Mature cannot help falling in love with Bancroft and it was not something that he expected to happen, though when it comes to love that is usually the case.  Mature tries to resist because he knows that she is Preston’s wife, but as Preston deteriorates further and his actions become more erratic, the easier it is for Mature to change his mind and allow himself to feel something.  Preston on the other hand, while he loves his wife, is more concerned with his position in life and just how it is that he has come to this outpost and how quickly he can leave it.  To Preston, everything else is secondary – his wife, the men he commands, even the safety of those who depend on him.  He is so consumed by the worry that somehow he failed and that there might be no way to fix it that those around him are paying for it.

It is an interesting character study that the film presents as the men are so different and yet so alike as well.  Both men are headstrong and prideful and both know what they want in life.  The sad thing is that when they get thrown a curve ball, they do not know how to handle it in the slightest.  And instead of trying to figure out their own problems, it brings them into conflict which on any other given day, you would think they could be the best of friends.  Soon, Bancroft is left to the side as the arguments between the two men continue until finally it comes down to one big blowout.  Preston thinks that attacking and trying to wipe out a group of Native Americans will restore his faded glory and Mature knows that not only will it fail, but it will most likely result in all of them being killed due to being vastly outnumbered.  Also starring in the film is Guy Madison as the fort’s beleaguered captain, James Whitmore, Pat Hogan, Russell Collins and Peter Whitney.

By this point in time, Anthony Mann had directed many films, notably Winchester ’73 and the Naked Spur, so he knew what was needed and what to look for when making a film such as this.  In short, the man was successful as The Last Frontier ended up being a fairly gripping film.  While it was heavy on the drama, there was some good action to break it up so it was not bogged down by the weight of the material.  To say that this film is underrated is a most apt statement when referring to it.  The Last Frontier is a movie that you most likely have never heard of, and it was never one of Mann’s better known films, but it is a solid picture and well worth seeking out if looking for a good western.

3.5 out of 5