Apache Ambush (1955)

Fred Sears does what he can with this, but armed as he is with a pretty lacklustre cast, it really does little more than plod along towards a pretty inevitable conclusion. The gist of the story involves a cattle drive, under the orders of President Lincoln himself, from Texas to cattle starved Kansas. This is a risky venture subject to attacks from marauding Apache and some opportunist Mexican banditos. "Kingston" (Bill Williams) and his sidekick sergeant "O'Roarke" (James Griffith) must work with the untrustworthy "McGuire" (Don Harvey) - a former Confederate officer who might just help them navigate the territory. To further complicate matters, we soon realise that their convoy also has a secret cargo bound for the unscrupulous bandit leader "Jironza" (Alex Montoya) - who is trying to get the Apache to join in his attacks on the ill-protected wagon train. The story is all pretty run of the mill. It could have been better - there is enough meat on the bones, had the acting talent been of a better calibre. As it is, everyone just comes across as if they are doing a day's work - and, aside from an early appearance from Richard Jaeckel this is largely unmemorable, drive-in, fodder.