"Pillars of the Sky" is an entertaining cavalry vs. the Indians western. First Sgt. Emmett Bell (Jeff Chandler) is in charge of a group of Indian Scouts who provide policing at a settlement run by Dr. Joseph Holden (Ward Bond), a missionary who has been converting the local tribes to Christianity. One day Col. Stedlow (Willis Bouchey) arrives with columns of raw rookies. His orders are to build a road through Indian lands and erect a fort along the way.
The Indians see this as a violation of their treaty with the white man. One of their chiefs, Kamiakin (Michael Ansara) is prepared to go to war over the matter. Gradually he convinces the other chiefs to join him. Bell meanwhile, has rescued two white women from the Indian camp. One is Calla Gaxton (Dorothy Malone) who is married to Captain Tom Gaxton (Keith Andes). Calla and Bell have a past and she has come west to join him. The other woman is Mrs. Avery (Olive Carey) whose prospector husband was killed by the Indians.
As the column proceeds through Indian lands, Kamiakin leads attacks on the troopers. Multiple casualties occur on both sides but the tide is turning in favor of the Indians. Holden sneaks away to talk to the Chiefs but is shot by Kamiakin. And then...........................................................................................
There are several familiar faces playing various roles in the story. First there are whiskey swilling Sergeants Carracart (Lee Marvin) and Dutch Williams (Charles Horvath), Chief Indian Scout Timothy (Sydney Chaplin in a surprisingly good performance), Kamiakin's son Malachi (Orlando Rodriguez) who remains with the settlement, Walter Coy as Major Donahue and Paul Smith Martin Milner and Robert Ellis as raw recruits. Richard Hale and Frank DeKova play two of the Indian Chiefs who have been converted to Christianity.
Jeff Chandler plays Bell as a tough hard drinking veteran who has the respect of the Indians. The love triangle between him, Malone and Andes is distracting. Bond is good as the preacher but I was impressed by the performance of Willis Bouchey as the commander in a type of role he seldom was given.
The ending after Bond's character has been brought to the little church is a little hokey given the character of Emmett Bell.
The Indians see this as a violation of their treaty with the white man. One of their chiefs, Kamiakin (Michael Ansara) is prepared to go to war over the matter. Gradually he convinces the other chiefs to join him. Bell meanwhile, has rescued two white women from the Indian camp. One is Calla Gaxton (Dorothy Malone) who is married to Captain Tom Gaxton (Keith Andes). Calla and Bell have a past and she has come west to join him. The other woman is Mrs. Avery (Olive Carey) whose prospector husband was killed by the Indians.
As the column proceeds through Indian lands, Kamiakin leads attacks on the troopers. Multiple casualties occur on both sides but the tide is turning in favor of the Indians. Holden sneaks away to talk to the Chiefs but is shot by Kamiakin. And then...........................................................................................
There are several familiar faces playing various roles in the story. First there are whiskey swilling Sergeants Carracart (Lee Marvin) and Dutch Williams (Charles Horvath), Chief Indian Scout Timothy (Sydney Chaplin in a surprisingly good performance), Kamiakin's son Malachi (Orlando Rodriguez) who remains with the settlement, Walter Coy as Major Donahue and Paul Smith Martin Milner and Robert Ellis as raw recruits. Richard Hale and Frank DeKova play two of the Indian Chiefs who have been converted to Christianity.
Jeff Chandler plays Bell as a tough hard drinking veteran who has the respect of the Indians. The love triangle between him, Malone and Andes is distracting. Bond is good as the preacher but I was impressed by the performance of Willis Bouchey as the commander in a type of role he seldom was given.
The ending after Bond's character has been brought to the little church is a little hokey given the character of Emmett Bell.