The Last Hunt This is a chilling look at Taylor as a sadistic buffalo hunter who kills purely for the enjoyment of killing and hunts down defenseless Indians he accuses of stealing his horses. The Last Hunt This is a chilling look at Taylor as a sadistic buffalo hunter who kills purely for the enjoyment of killing and hunts down defenseless Indians he accuses of stealing his horses.

The Last Hunt is a 1956 MGMwestern film directed by Richard Brooks and produced by Dore Schary. The screenplay was by Richard Brooks from the novel The Last Hunt, by Milton Lott. The music score was by Daniele Amfitheatrof and the cinematography by Russell Harlan.

The film stars Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger, with Lloyd Nolan, Debra Paget and Russ Tamblyn.

Plot[edit]

Sandy McKenzie (Stewart Granger) sets out on his last hunt with his new partner, the obsessive Charles Gilson (Robert Taylor). While McKenzie has grown tired of buffalo hunting, Gilson derives a pleasure from his 'stands' – killing an entire herd of buffalo at one time. When Gilson chases down and kills an Indian raiding party, he takes an Indian woman and her child captive. The presence of the native woman causes tension and Gilson becomes increasingly paranoid and deranged, leading to a stand-off between the two former partners.

In the final scene, McKenzie and the woman emerge from shelter to find that Gilson, though wearing a buffalo hide as protection from the cold, has frozen to death during the night, while waiting to ambush them.^[2]

Original novel[edit]

The New York Times said 'except for A.B. Guthrie's 'The Big Sky' and 'The Way West' I can think of no novel about the Old West published within the last fifteen years as good as 'The Last Hunt,' by Milton Lott. This is the real thing, a gritty, tough, exciting story reeking with the pungent smells of dead buffalo and of dirty men.'^[3]W.R. Burnett called it an 'undeniably able and interesting book.'^[4]

Development[edit]

MGM bought the film rights and announced it as a vehicle for Stewart Granger in February 1955. 'It's real Americana,' said the star.^[5] Richard Brooks was assigned the job of adapting and directing.^[6] The film was the first of only three westerns directed by Brooks, and was his first film following the critically acclaimed Blackboard Jungle (1955).

In March Robert Taylor was announced as co-star.^[7] Russ Tamblyn was then given the lead support part as a half Indian.^[8]

Lloyd Nolan was also cast - his first film role in over a year and a half, during which time he had played The Caine Mutiny Court Martial on stage.^[9]Anne Bancroft was cast as the Indian girl.^[10]

Production[edit]

Eighty percent of the movie was shot on location over a seven-week period. This took place at the Badlands National Park and Custer State Park in South Dakota during the then-annual 'thinning' of the buffalo herd.^[11]

Actual footage of buffalo being shot and killed (by government marksmen) was used for the film. Harvey Lancaster of Custer was the main marksman for the filming.

The story takes place during the winter but was actually filmed during the scorching summer months in Custer State Park. When temperatures reached triple digits, Stewart Granger, whose costume consisted of full winter clothing, passed out from heat exhaustion and the crew had to cut away his clothes to revive him.

Granger and director Brooks were reportedly not fond of one another, especially after Brooks married Granger's ex-wife, Jean Simmons.

After three weeks of filming, Anne Bancroft was injured during filming after falling from a horse. She was replaced by Debra Paget.^[12][13]

During filming Dore Schary announced Taylor and Granger would be reteamed in another western, The Return of Johnny Burro with Granger playing a villain and Taylor a hero.^[14] However the film was not made.

Quern walkthrough part 1. Follow the hints of the past as you delve deeper into the story to understand the importance of your presence. Put your mind to the test with the increasingly complex puzzles, and unravel the mysteries of the island.Immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery of the island as you discover new places.

Reception[edit]

Box office[edit]

The film earned $1,750,000 in North American rental during its first year of release.^[15] It recorded admissions of 1,201,326 in France.^[16]

According to MGM records, the film earned $1,604,000 in the US and Canada and $1,379,000 overseas, resulting in a loss of $323,000.^[1]

'The public couldn't stand it,' said Brooks. 'In England most of the scenes with the buffalo were cut out. In the States they couldn't stand it because of their own guilt.. I learnt something very valuable: when you deal with a subject that is traditional, don't deny it to the public.. If you want to do the real thing, the way the West really was, do it on a small budget and don't expect any miracles.'^[17]

Cast[edit]

Comic book adaption[edit]

• DellFour Color #678 (February 1956)^[18][19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abc'The Eddie Mannix Ledger’, Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study, Los Angeles
2. ^Film Score Monthly - The Last Hunt. Accessed 21 January 2016
3. ^Books of The TimesBy ORVILLE PRESCOTT. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 13 Oct 1954: 29.
4. ^Struggle Unto Death: THE LAST HUNT. By Milton Lott. 399 pp. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. $3.95.By W.R. BURNETT. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 31 Oct 1954: BR4.
5. ^Stewart Granger to Do Film on Buffalo Hunting in '70sHopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) [Chicago, Ill] 11 Feb 1955: a10.
6. ^FOX APPROPRIATES $1,000,000 FOR TV: Studio Will Convert Plant to New Medium Films -- Some Space Already LeasedBy THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 12 Feb 1955: 10.
7. ^METRO SCHEDULES FILM ABOUT BISON: Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger Will Be Teamed for 'The Last Hunt'By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 26 Mar 1955: 12.
8. ^Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds to Co-Star in 'Tender Trap'Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) [Chicago, Ill] 09 Apr 1955: 12.
9. ^Nolan Shuns Hero Movie Role; So Star with Taylor, GrangerHopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) [Chicago, Ill] 29 Apr 1955: a6.
10. ^Lucille Ball, Arnaz Plan Stage MusicalHopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 11 July 1955: b10.
11. ^HOLLYWOOD BULLETINS: M-G-M Prepares to Invade the Buffalo Country -- Busy Studio -- Other ItemsBy WILLIAM H. BROWNELL Jr.HOLLYWOOD. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 12 June 1955: X5.
12. ^Moreno Quits Natives; Paget Now in 'Last Hunt'; Clift Eyed for TolstoySchallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 20 Aug 1955: 13.
13. ^DEVIL'S DISCIPLE' PLANNED AS FILM: Hecht-Lancaster Arranging With Pascal Estate to Do Shaw's Great ComedyBy THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 20 Aug 1955: 20.
14. ^Drama: 'Johnny Burro' to Reteam Taylor, Granger; Korda to Do 'Burlington Bertie'Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 Oct 1955: B15.
15. ^'The Top Box-Office Hits of 1956', Variety Weekly, January 2, 1957
16. ^Box office information for Stewart Granger films in France at Box Office Story
17. ^Mayersberg, Paul (1967). Hollywood, the haunted house. Allen Lane, Penguin P. p. 109.
18. ^'Dell Four Color #678'. Grand Comics Database.
19. ^Dell Four Color #678 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)

External links[edit]

• The Last Hunt on IMDb
• Review at Variety
• The Last Hunt at TCMDB

We are informed at the beginning of The Last Hunt that all of the depictions of buffalo hunting in the film were photographed at the annual “thinning” of the herds in South Dakota.What you immediately realize from watching these “real” takes is that shooting buffalo is easier than shooting fish in a barrel—they’re bigger targets and don’t seem to mind that their fellow bison are dropping dead right next to them. Since they don’t run away, if you have enough ammo, you can just sit there and shoot an entire herd.That’s exactly what Robert Taylor’s buffalo hunter loves most, killing a herd in a day. His longtime hunting partner (Stewart Granger), however, is sick of killing. Add to this situation Taylor’s character regularly mistreating a cute Indian squaw played by Debra Paget, whom Granger’s character likes, and you’ve got a strong, interesting, volatile drama.The Last Hunt was written and directed by Richard Brooks, coming right off his smash success the year before, Blackboard Jungle (with the first Rock ’n’ Roll hit song, “Rock Around the Clock”). Being the hot young director in Hollywood, Brooks naturally decided he had to make a serious Western about buffalo hunting.Okay, now get this.

Stewart Granger, whose real name was James Stewart, was married to actress Jean Simmons ( Spartacus), who would divorce him in a few years and marry Richard Brooks.Granger’s love interest was played by Debra Paget, who made a career out of portraying “exotic types” and Indian squaws in several films, including Broken Arrow, where she played opposite the real James Stewart. The same year she acted in The Last Hunt she was also in The Ten Commandments and in Love Me Tender with Elvis. Photo Gallery.