One of my favorite westerns, really for the cast, as you have great character actors who really believed in the westerns of yesteryear. They felt like they were the cowboys and cowgirls, and riding the horses and shooting the guns was more natural to them, then having to spend 3 months training with arms specialists. I also like the screenplay, but there I am prejudice as it was written by my father, Michel M. Grilikhes, who loved westerns also. Its very hard to see James Garner in a western movie and not remember him in his giant role on television as Bret Maverick on Maverick, If my memory is correct I think he lasted for 2 or 3 years, then had a fight for more money lost and moved on, too bad because the show really turned into his show, not the Brothers Maverick show. I don't think as a child I missed an episode.Another cast member was Sidney Poitier, not with a giant part but he was a giant actor at this time already with an Academy award in his pocket and many nominations and great roles like Porgy and Bess. Actually, he was nominated for Top Male Action Performance for Duel at DiabloThe film was shot in the beautiful state of Utah with some of the most wonderful scenery in the world, perfect for the frontier days, as thats where the Mormons traveled through, some staying and some continuing on their wagon train! Great all round film!

Mrs Grange is a distant relative of Christa,the heroine of Nelson's "soldier blue" ;both lived among an Indian tribe ,Mrs Grange had even a child from an Indian man:it's not surprising that the character who welcomes the baby of mixed race with warmth and tenderness is Sidney Poitier's.Besides,both Bibi Anderson and Candice Bergen are blond;it's all the more bewildering to see Anderson in a western since she is primarily an intellectual actress, famous for her roles in Bergman's works.That said ,one can prefer the way John Ford told us about the fate of the white "squaws".In spite of this minor quibble,"duel at Diablo" is an exciting western ,with a lot of subplots and even an unexpected twist (which makes sense),notably concerning Garner's late wife ;violence and cruelty (Indian tortures) are present and predict the final slaughter in the 1971 effort.A great scene shows Garner giving his revolver to a suffering dying man so as to he can finish HIMSELF off.Many interesting supporting parts.

For western fans who enjoy plenty of shootouts against eye-filling western locations, DUEL AT DIABLO fills the bill. It's got several strands of sub-plots going but spends most of its time featuring some action packed shootouts that don't leave much time for character development among the cast.JAMES GARNER is a scout who saves a young woman who is being pursued by Indians. That's how the story starts, against brilliantly used Utah location shots. As the plot deepens, we find that she'd been captured by the Indians and was making her escape when he came to her aid. Meanwhile, back at Fort Creel, her husband (DENNIS WEAVER) is upset about her dalliance with Indians and the fact that she has a baby fathered by an Indian.A hardly recognizable JOHN HOYT (in full Indian make-up) is Chatah, the Apache chief with the full-sized army of fighters who wants the woman and the baby back. Another story thread has JAMES GARNER seeking revenge for the man who killed his Indian wife. With all of these sub-plots merging, there's even more story element tying in SIDNEY POITIER and BILL TRAVERS, both of whom look out of place in this western saga.If it's action you want, you get plenty of it here. Along with scenes of almost graphic torture and lots of arrows hitting their mark along with bullets and falling horses. It's not for the squeamish.Too bad the film really never builds up enough tension to sustain its running time, even with a new battle breaking out every fifteen minutes or so. By the time the final skirmish is reached, the viewer will feel almost as exhausted as the players must have been.Gritty all the way with a natural performance by Garner and good support from the others. Last but not least, a good score by Neal Hefti rises to the occasion with some nice flourishes.

A bloody, brutal Western where the action never stops. First, the Bad (let's get that out of the way). Like all Westerns, the plot has its flaws -- with an Indian war party off the reservation they would not have sent a shipment of ammunition through a narrow canyon guarded by only one squad of green recruits on unbroken/partly saddle broken horses. But so what? In the classic Western Stagecoach the Indians would have shot the horses pulling the stage and then finished off the passengers as opposed to shooting at the people in the coach. Also, Sidney Poitier's silver vest remains immaculate throughout the long desert journey and several pitched battles.However, the movie moves so fast that you never really have time to stop and remind yourself that you have to "suspend disbelief" to watch it.Next, the Good. On one level, it's a classic cavalry vs. Indians story. But viewed through a different lens than in earlier Westerns; the Indians are shown with some perspective, if not total sympathy, which probably makes this one of the first Westerns to get beyond a one dimensional view of them. There are a variety of interesting subplots which flesh out the major characters and keep things twisting, turning, and moving along between the combat scenes. In fact, almost every one of the characters is angry about something, creating lots of tension between them. James Garner's character is looking for the men who raped and killed his (Indian) wife, Dennis Weaver's Will Grange is angry about almost everything, including that his wife was held captive by the Indians, Sidney Poitier's Toller (now a civilian) is mad that circumstances forced him to accompany the cavalry on this mission ....Garner and Poitier give excellent performances and the other actors rise to the occasion, helping us forget that they are, in fact, Scottish or Danish.At the end of the movie the various subplots are tied up and the issues are resolved with (in one case) a very surprising twist.On top of that, you have a wonderful (almost superb, for this movie) Neal Hefti score, which always seems to correctly reflect the mood of the scene. It fits the movie even better because it makes heavy use of Western/military instruments: guitars, horns, drums, ....Finally, the Ugly. There are some fairly graphic scenes here (although not exactly like in the Wild Bunch or Saving Private Ryan). The Apaches could torture with the best of them and some of that appears in this movie, although we're spared the close-ups.All in all, I must say that this is one of my long time favorites. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!