Ralph Taeger

Kathie Browne

Michael Rennie

Noah Beery Jr.

Gary Clarke

Randy Boone

Gary Merrill

John Smith

Robert Taylor

Buddy Foster

Michael Pate

Victor Lundin

Jim Davis

Steven Marlo

William Bryant

John Pickard

Hank Worden

Lee H. Katzin

Andrew J. Fenady

Louis L'Amour

Western

Hondo and the Apaches

Batjac Productions

MGM Television

United States of America

A Gift of Cochise.

Hondo and the Apaches is directed by Lee H. Katzin and adapted to screenplay by Andrew J. Fenady, which is based from a work by James Edward Grant, from a story titled A Gift of Cochise written by Louis L'Amour. It stars Ralph Taeger, Noah Beery Jr., Robert Taylor, John Smith, Kathie Brown and Michael Pate. Music is by Richard Markowitz and cinematography by Lester Shorr.

Not released theatrically in America, this is two episodes of the TV show "Hondo" spliced together for a release in Europe. Derived from the John Wayne character that headed up Hondo (1953), the plot pitches Hondo (Taeger) as a frontier scout who has a justifiable affinity with the Native Americans. He is sent to broker peace with the Apaches, but a renegade band want no part of it and Hondo must do all he can to avert a war.

It actually is better than it had right to be, because it's nicely performed, has pleasant scenery, and the characters in the main are not just throw away types. Throw in some decent action, a grumpy canine partner for Hondo and a musical score lifting from Bernstein's Magnificent Seven classic, and yer good to go. Taeger is appealing, the character fun (he punches a lot of people out/the rapport with the dog), whilst Taylor is on hand to add a bit of reassuring quality.

It is what it is really, a safe enough production for Western fans to enjoy while it's on. 6/10

English