A tribe loses its sacred Medicine Arrow, which supposedly holds the key to the location of a cave of gold. Major Trent, a retired Confederate doctor, is in possession of the arrow and is heading west with his daughter & grandson. Keen Blade, co-owner of the local gambling house, has killed 3 other people who he thought had the arrow and teams up w/ renegade Indian Young Wolf, who is trying to recover the arrow to become leader of his tribe. Kit Cardigan, a scout for General Custer, is brought into the fracas trying to protect Trent, his daughter, Red Fawn (Young Wolf's brother) from the ramifications of the missing arrow, before these events lead to the infamous battle. The serial is actually better than its reputation has given it. There are very good performances by Cheseboro (as a disgraced soldier), Chief Thundercloud, and Mulhall, as well as an inspiring battle at the end of the serial. However the serial just drags on with too many story lines for so many characters, and when we get to the middle of the serial it becomes a back and forth story of "Who's Got the Arrow?" This is most likely the best of the 3 Stage & Screen serials. Rating, based on serials, 5.
Review of Custer's Last Stand
