Posted: Thu., Dec. 31, 1964, 11:00pm PT

The Glory Guys

By Variety Staff

United Artists. Director Arnold Laven; Producer Arnold Laven, Arthur Gardner, Jules Levy; Screenplay Sam Peckinpah; Camera James Wong Howe; Editor Melvin Shapiro, Ernst R. Rolf; Music Riz Ortolani

Tom Tryon Harve Presnell Senta Berger James Caan Andrew Duggan Slim Pickens

The Glory Guys is an entertaining US Cavalry-Indian conflict, sparked by an opportunist army general who sacrifices dedicated soldiers to his ambition. Brawling fisticuffs, comedy and romantic triangle mark a slightly forced plot until an exciting climax.

Adaptation by Sam Peckinpah of Hoffman Birney's novel, The Dice of God, finds Andrew Duggan very effective as a general again in responsible command despite prior goofs.

Senta Berger is an adequate but voluptuous frontier woman with an unspecified past, who provides romantic interest as Tryon and Presnell vie for her favors. Jeanne Cooper is good as Duggan's vicious and perfectly-matched wife who never fails to insult Berger.

Although Tryon is somewhat wooden and Presnell too refined for a frontier scout, director Arnold Laven has drawn some fine performances from supporting names. Slim Pickens brings a new life to the gruff humor and paternalism of a cliche role as non-com. James Caan makes a sharp impression as the stubborn recruit in an amusing running battle with shavetail Peter Breck.

(Color) Widescreen. Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1965. Running time: 111 MIN.