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Only the Valiant

Only the Valiant

Western · 1951

Only the Valiant, a classic western adventure, based on a novel by Charles Marquis Warren, the film tells the story of a Cavalry officer who volunteers for a suicidal mission to fight the hostile Apaches in an effort to prove his loyalty to his men and the woman he loves.

Movie details

Only the Valiant

“GREGORY PECK, AS CAPTAIN LANCE, WHO GAVE FORT INVINCIBLE ITS NAME!”

1951 Western 1h 45m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

Only the Valiant, a classic western adventure, based on a novel by Charles Marquis Warren, the film tells the story of a Cavalry officer who volunteers for a suicidal mission to fight the hostile Apaches in an effort to prove his loyalty to his men and the woman he loves.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Only the Valiant?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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After fierce war chief Ulzana and a small war party jump the reservation bent on murder and terror, an inexperienced young lieutenant is assigned to track him down.

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A bounty hunter trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers.

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Major Dundee

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Gordon Douglas

Written by

Harry Brown · Edmund H. North

Gregory Peck

Gregory Peck

Capt. Richard Lance

Barbara Payton

Barbara Payton

Cathy Eversham

Ward Bond

Ward Bond

Cpl. Timothy Gilchrist

Gig Young

Gig Young

Lt. William Holloway

Neville Brand

Neville Brand

Sgt. Ben Murdock

Lon Chaney Jr.

Lon Chaney Jr.

Trooper Kebussyan

Jeff Corey

Jeff Corey

Joe Harmony

Court is in session

Put Only the Valiant on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Patience is part of the point.”

Duration becomes texture. The film asks you to inhabit its world instead of merely processing its plot.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“A test of endurance, your honour.”

Stillness keeps submitting itself as meaning. At some point, contemplation needs something worth contemplating.