BROKEN SABRE

US, 1966, 89 minutes, Colour.
Chuck Connors, John Carradine, Peter Breck, Wendell Corey.
Directed by Bernard Mc Eveety.

Broken Sabre is a small-budget, conventional but entertaining western. it is a star vehicle for Chuck Connors. It also features some veteran stars including Wendell Corey, Macdonald Carey and Cesar Romero. It is about the officer, loyal to his superior, who takes the blame in a court martial, is disgraced and then is used by the President of the United States, Ulysses Grant, to infiltrate a Mexican robbery ring. There are life and death situations until the hero is finally vindicated. Direction is by Bernard Mc Eveety, who worked for a number of Disney films in the '70s.

1. Interesting and entertaining western? Army? Politics? Indians? Mexicans?

2. Location photography, the West, Washington society, politics? Musical score?

3. The title and the reference to Mc Cord? The opening credits? The court martial and his disgrace? His reputation, secret mission, endangering his life, vindication?

4. Jason Mc Cord as a western hero? The impact of his disgrace? In the western town? The daughter of the Senator coming to bring him to Washington? His return, suspicions of society, the men bashing him? The Senator and his welcome ? but wanting him to side against the Indian treaty? His grandfather, brandy-drinking, support of his grandson? The President and the secret mission? Travelling to the West, infiltrating the Mexican group, the interview with the Chief? The proposal of the plan, training, its execution? The letter of the law Major and his imprisoning Mc Cord, the firing squad, the Mexicans turning against him, his one last request, his vindication? The return to Washington? Western hero?

5. The daughter of the Senator, her coming to the West, love for Mc Cord, supporting him, happy reunion? Western heroine?

6. The Senator and his plan, armchair politics? The Indian treaties and their importance? Changing them? Snow and his singling out McCord? for the mission? The discussion with the President? The President's faith in Mc Cord?

7. His grandfather, the family honour, the transcript of the court martial, the welcome, the brandy-drinking?

8. The Major and his interpretation of the law, the death of his son at Bitter Creek, his animosity towards Mc Cord? His listening to his wife? McCord's attempt at escape? The firing squad, the final request, his being vindicated? His bitterness purged with the memory of his son's death?

9. The officers and soldiers and their hostility towards McCord? The leader of the firing squad detail and his support?

10. The Mexicans, rabble- rousing, the Chief, the raids? The plan and its execution? The two prisoners, the bitterness against Mc Cord, vindicating his innocence?

11. Themes of the military, the Indian territories, politics?