Circle of Death
Cast & Crew
J. Frank Glendon
Monte Montana
Tove Lindan
Yakima Canutt
J. Frank Glendon
Princess Ahteenah
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In 1878, a group of settlers in a wagon train heading West camp near where Custer and his men were massacred two years previously, and the next day are attacked by the Indians. All the settlers are killed except for an infant boy, who is subsequently adopted by the Indian chief and given the name of Little Buffalo. Twenty-four years later, Little Buffalo enters a town to buy provisions with gold given to him by the Chief, and is met by the hateful jeers of the white customers, one of whom is beaten after trying to molest Little Buffalo's sister, White Fawn. In revenge, the white man reports his sighting of the Indians' gold to his crooked boss, saloon keeper J. F. Henry. Believing that the Indians are getting the gold from the ranch of Bill Carr, who has been kind to them, Henry lures Bill's son Jerry into the saloon to gamble away money borrowed from a cardsharp. In order to pay his gambling debts, Jerry sells his father's cattle to Henry, who then tries to convince Bill to sell him the entire ranch. However, Little Buffalo, after seeing Jerry's sister Mary trying to stop Henry from taking possession of the cattle, brings additional Indians to drive him away and to hide the cattle in a remote valley until Bill can raise more funds. Mary, Little Buffalo and two Indians watch the cattle, and Mary learns that Little Buffalo once attended a white man's school, where he was known as Jim Little. While Little Buffalo is guarding the Carrs' cattle, Henry and his men attack the Indian camp and kidnap the Chief, but the smoke signals of White Fawn summon Little Buffalo to the rescue. Henry leaves the Chief in the hands of his cruelest henchman, Joe, telling him to extract the location of the gold from the Chief. Joe's torture goes too far, however, bringing the Chief to the point of death, and in revenge, the Indians strangle Joe. With the aid of local deputies, the Indians capture Henry's men, and Little Buffalo brings in Henry. The dying Chief explains that there was never any gold on the Carr ranch and that it was only his old hunting ground. He admits also that Little Buffalo is not his own son, but the white child he saved from the massacre. White Fawn tells Little Buffalo he must leave, as he is not an Indian, and after the Chief's burial, he goes to Mary.
Director
J. Frank Glendon
Cast
Monte Montana
Tove Lindan
Yakima Canutt
J. Frank Glendon
Princess Ahteenah
Henry Hall
Chas. Whittaker
Benny Corbett
Chief Standing Bear
Jack Carson
John Ince
Dick Botiller
Marin Sais
Robert Burns
Olin Francis
George Morrell
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Although the viewed print of this film included a copyright statement, the title was not found in copyright records. Film Daily lists Roy Claire, not S. Roy Luby, as film editor. Modern sources note that Gaylord Pendleton was billed as Jack Carson and add the following names to the cast: Jack Kirk, Ray Henderson, Artie Ortego, Hank Bell, Budd Buster and Bart Carré. In addition, according to modern sources, Circle of Death was Monte Montana's only starring feature.
