Drums Across the River

Drums Across the River is a 1954 American Technicolor Western film directed by Nathan Juran and starring Audie Murphy, Walter Brennan and Lyle Bettger.^[2]

Drums Across the River
Film poster by Reynold Brown
Directed by	Nathan Juran
Screenplay by	John K. Butler Lawrence Roman
Story by	John K. Butler
Produced by	Melville Tucker
Starring	Audie Murphy Walter Brennan Lyle Bettger
Cinematography	Harold Lipstein
Edited by	Virgil W. Vogel
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	June 1954 (1954-06)
Running time	78 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.1 million[1]

Plot

Gary Brannon, is a peaceful homesteader living a quiet existence with his father Sam. Frank Walker is hoping to open up the Ute Indian territory for gold-mining purposes and tries to foment a war between the Utes and the local whites, while he steals a gold shipment and pins the blame on Gary. Gary starts off hating the Utes because they were responsible for killing his mother but gradually comes to be on their side and wants to expose the machinations of Walker.

Cast

• Audie Murphy as Gary Brannon
• Walter Brennan as Sam Brannon
• Lyle Bettger as Frank Walker
• Lisa Gaye as Jennie Marlowe
• Hugh O'Brian as Morgan
• Mara Corday as Sue Randolph
• Jay Silverheels as Taos
• Emile Meyer as Nathan Marlowe
• Regis Toomey as Sheriff Jim Beal
• Morris Ankrum as Chief Ouray
• Bob Steele as Billy Costa
• James K Anderson as Jed Walker
• George Wallace as Les Walker
• Lane Bradford as Ralph Costa
• Howard McNear as Stilwell

Production

The film was shot mostly on the Universal backlot, with location filming at Barton Flats, California. This was Murphy's last film with Nathan Juran.^[3]