I haven't seen enough Elvis Presley movies to say whether this is one of his better ones as some other reviewers state, but the film being what it is, he does a competent job among a fair contingent of fellow actors in support roles. Interestingly, this is the second film in a row I've seen in which John McIntire figures prominently; he was an evil town boss up against Jimmy Stewart in "The Far Country", while here he's portraying the patriarch of a ranch family, maintaining his integrity as the husband of Kiowa Indian squaw Neddy (Dolores del Rio), who's translated name means 'thin woman who deserted her own people'.
As a half-breed, Presley's character is torn between two races, particularly after new Kiowa chief Buffalo Horn (Rodolfo Acosta) renews his tribe's war against whites with raids on local ranchers, including the Burton homestead. Before it's explained, I thought 'Flaming Star' might have been Pacer's Indian name, but we soon learn that it refers to a dream or vision in which a flaming star signals impending doom or death. Two such instances occur in the story, once for Pacer's mother Neddy, and then again for Pacer himself at the finale.
Most likely in keeping with the general dark tone of the story, Presley's appearance here doesn't bring with it a host of musical numbers. After offering the title song over the opening credits, there's only one more fairly lively number called "A Cane and a High Starched Collar" performed in front of family and friends before the story turns ominous.
Directed by movie veteran Don Siegel, there's probably more graphic violence here than one might expect, particularly given the film's celebrity star in the lead role. A wicked Kiowa hatchet to a settler's forehead caught me by surprise, and Presley himself engaged in a pretty realistic looking tussle with his white brother Clint (Steve Forrest) in the story. I was surprised as well that Presley's character was allowed to die in the picture from mortal wounds suffered in the final battle, a fate generally not considered for entertainers as popular with the ladies as Elvis was.
As a half-breed, Presley's character is torn between two races, particularly after new Kiowa chief Buffalo Horn (Rodolfo Acosta) renews his tribe's war against whites with raids on local ranchers, including the Burton homestead. Before it's explained, I thought 'Flaming Star' might have been Pacer's Indian name, but we soon learn that it refers to a dream or vision in which a flaming star signals impending doom or death. Two such instances occur in the story, once for Pacer's mother Neddy, and then again for Pacer himself at the finale.
Most likely in keeping with the general dark tone of the story, Presley's appearance here doesn't bring with it a host of musical numbers. After offering the title song over the opening credits, there's only one more fairly lively number called "A Cane and a High Starched Collar" performed in front of family and friends before the story turns ominous.
Directed by movie veteran Don Siegel, there's probably more graphic violence here than one might expect, particularly given the film's celebrity star in the lead role. A wicked Kiowa hatchet to a settler's forehead caught me by surprise, and Presley himself engaged in a pretty realistic looking tussle with his white brother Clint (Steve Forrest) in the story. I was surprised as well that Presley's character was allowed to die in the picture from mortal wounds suffered in the final battle, a fate generally not considered for entertainers as popular with the ladies as Elvis was.