PONY SOLDIER was the sort of been-there costume outing Tyrone Power was getting tired of doing, and he had little regard for this dull 1952 vehicle. Can’t blame him, even though the bright color backdrops around Sedona, Arizona are nice on the eyes.

One problem is they’re supposed to be in Canada, where deserts are not a big selling point.  Power plays a Mountie trying to get the Crees to stop making his job harder with their bringing hostages over the border from Montana.

“Father of the Four Winds…Chief of the Crees…Give us a sign…Let Thunder-Gun speak louder than the War Lance of Konah..if the Pony Soldier is to live!”

Fox cheaped out on the budget for the 82-minute nap, by starting it out with a big battle scene lifted bodily from 1944’s Buffalo Bill.  After that swipe-job, it’s all talk, and much of it hard to take from Thomas Gomez doing cornball (now pretty offensive) “me-Injun” babbling as Power’s Cree interpreter pal/comic relief.

Hangover after reading script

Cameron Mitchell plays the requisite brave who doesn’t want peace, other roles are filled by Penny Edwards, Robert Horton, Anthony Numkena, Richard Boone and Frank De Kova. Directed by Joseph Newman, it made $3,630,000. For hardcore western or Power fans only. We like the genre and the actor, but this one can rest in peace.

Gee, who will win this fight?