This meaty Western contains interesting plot , intrigue , thrills , shootouts and results to be quite entertaining . A stirring movie set in the turbulent 19th century , this is a colossal western with top-drawer cast . Stars the early deceased Jeff Chandler and Susan Hayward that starred such important films as ¨I Want to live¨ , ¨Untamed¨, ¨The Snows of Kilimanjaro¨; both of whom caused sensation , here in their most exciting roles . The story of a love that was greater than honor and race and a courage that stood alone against the fury of the savage native Indians . While happening some clashes between traditional Basque habits and the necessity of survival . A 1850 adventure story of the Basque immigrants on their trek to California , their struggle with the Indians, and the development of a twisted love triangle . Set in 1847, a group of fifty-two French Basques, including women and children, sets-out from Independence, Missouri to the far California. These settlers left Europe behind to escape the starvation , unrest and aftermaths of the Napoleonic Wars. They have wagons , horses , mules and supplies throughout the risked way . They also hire a local trail master for a fee . As the tough guidance is called Lon Bennett (Jeff Chandler) , he leads a wagon train of pioneers through perilous landscapes , Indian attacks , storms , deserts , swollen rivers , down cliffs and so on while and falling in love with Gabrielle . He is skilled but he loves women as well as booze too much, and eventually falls in love for an indomit pioneer . As Bennett becomes obsessed with Gabrielle Dauphin (Susan Hayward) , the beautiful lover of the Basque leader (Carl Esmond). He repeatedly forces his attentions on her but she rejects him every time . Due to an unfortunate accident Gabrielle stands alone , but two suitors emerge , the valiant journey guidance (Jeff Chandler) and the jealous Basque/French Pepe Dauphin (Jacques Bergerac) . The Sun Never Blazed On A More Savage Saga!. The sun never blazed on a more savage saga !
An overwhelming period adventure set in 19th century with a decent cast , thrilling scenes and breathtaking battles . It is a rousing , moving , romantic tale , including a complicated love story , but rough-edged fare in Western treatment . There are spectacular outdoors scenes , packing a colorful photography in Technicolor , in color de Luxe , nevertheless the lead actors were filmed in the studio with projected backgrounds . Dealing with interesting issues , such as emigration to the dangerous California , colonialism , racism and a loving triangle among an intimate trio : Jeff Chandler/SusanHayward/Jacques Bergerac . There's a detail studio about old customs , superstitions and Basque morality and their crashes with the violent Wild West in which safety is more essential than ancient traditions . In a way , the flick is similar in vein to a frontier Western in the wake of The Big Trail (1930) , The Oregon Trail (1957) and The Way West (1969) . Susan Hayward stands out , as usual, as the brave Basque leader ; she excelled herself in all kinds of melodrama , here is outrageously superb as what one critic wrote : a kind of Scarlett O'Hara on the Far West . Her partenaire results to be Jeff Chandler who's pretty well as the two-fisted wagon master . He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Cochise in Broken arrow (1950) . He followed this by playing the role of Cochise in two sequel s: Battle of Apache Pass (1952) and Taza (1954). While his premature gray hair and tanned features served him well in his westerns and action pictures, the studio also put him into soap-operas and costume movies. In his films, his leading ladies included Maureen O'Hara, Rhonda Fleming, Jane Russell, Joan Crawford, June Allyson and Susan Hayward . Shortly after his last film Merrill's Marauders (1962), Jeff died, at 42, from blood poisoning after an operation for a slipped disc. Being assisted by a good secondary cast , such as : Jacques Bergerac , Blanche Yurka , Carl Esmond and the Spanish Fortunio Bonanova.
Lavishly produced by Seven Arts Productions , enhanced by brilliant and glimmering cinematography , superbly caught by cameraman by Stanley Cortez , though a perfect remastering being necessary because of the film-copy is washed-out. Thrilling as well as sensitive musical score by maestro composer Cryl Mockridge . This is another acceptable and powerful Western being compellingly directed by Russell Rouse , though contains some flaws and shortfalls . He was an expert screenwriter as the classic ¨D. O. A¨. Filmmaking occasionally for cinema all kind of genres as Caper films such as ¨The Caper of the Golden Bulls¨, Dramas as ¨The Oscar¨, Noir cinema such as ¨Wicked Woman¨, ¨New York Confidential¨ , ¨The Well¨ , ¨The thief¨ and another Western titled ¨Thunder in the sun¨. Well worth watching and it will appeal to Susan Hayward and Jeff Chandler fans .
