Flaming Frontier

Flaming Frontier is a 1958 Canadian-American Western film produced and directed by Sam Newfield in his final credited feature film, from a screenplay by Louis Stevens. Produced by Regal Pictures in Canada, where Newfield was shooting his Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans TV series, it was distributed by 20th Century Fox and opened in August 1958. The film stars Bruce Bennett and Jim Davis. Plot When food supplies to the Union forces from the Midwest are interrupted by an Indian uprising, Abraham Lincoln sends Capt. James Huston to intervene. Huston is half-Sioux, and he and the leader of the uprising, Little Crow, grew up as friends. Huston heads to Fort Ridgely in Minnesota, which is under the command of Col. Hugh Carver, who despises the Sioux. Carver's brother, Dan Carver, owns the local trading post, and is one of the leading land dealers in the area. Dan and the local Indian agent, Jeff Baxter, want to exterminate the Sioux so that they can take over their lands to sell it to settlers. Huston arrives at the fort just in time to stop Running Bear, a Sioux, from being tortured by Col. Carver to reveal Little Crow's location. Carver is infuriated that Huston has been sent to meddle in his command. In addition, Huston meets Mrs. Felice Carver, who is planning to leave her husband, who beats her. There is an instant attraction between Felice and Huston, which only rankles Col. Carver more. Huston convinces Running Bear to take him and Sgt. Haggerty, one of the Colonel's men, to meet with Little Crow. On their way they are ambushed by two Chippewa Indians. In the ensuing battle, one of the Chippewas is killed, and Running Bear is poisoned by an arrow. Haggerty draws the poison out of Running Bear's wound, and the group continues on to Little Crow's camp. Little Crow lets Huston know that the Sioux are rebelling because Baxter and Dan Carver have been stealing money and supplies meant for the Sioux. Huston gets Little Crow to agree to stop the attacks, with a promise to bring the two white men to justice.