Fort Defiance
“'Kill or Die' Was the Indian Cry!”
Synopsis
It's just after the Civil War and Ben Shelby arrives looking for Johnny Tallon whom he plans to kill. Shelby was the only survivor of a battle due to the cowardice of Tallon. Thinking Tallon dead, another man who lost a brother at the same battle arrives to kill Tallon's blind brother. Tallon arrives to find Shelby and his brother fleeing. Then they are attacked by Indians and Shelby and Tallon must now fight together postponing the inevitable showdown.
Top Cast
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Dane Clark
Johnny Tallon
Ben Johnson
Ben Shelby
Peter Graves
Ned Tallon
Tracey Roberts
Julie
George Cleveland
Uncle Charlie Tallon
Ralph Sanford
Jed Brown, Stagecoach Driver
Iron Eyes Cody
Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes)
Dennis Moore
Lt. Lucas
Craig Woods
Dave Parker
Dick Elliott
Kincaid
Bryan 'Slim' Hightower
Hankey (as Bryan Hightower)
Phil Rawlins
Les (as David Rawlins)
Jerry Ambler
Cheyenne
Kit Guard
Tracy, Barfly
Wes Hudman
Stranger (as Wesley Hudman)
Hugh Hooker
Ed
Lee Phelps
Bartender
Duke York
Joe Doniger
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 9, 1951
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Rawlins
- Screenplay & Story
- Louis Lantz
- Original Score
- Paul Sawtell
- Original Title
- Fort Defiance
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- Production Studios
- United Artists, Ventura Pictures Corporation
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Rawlins
Louis Lantz
Paul Sawtell
Stanley Cortez
Frank Melford
Department Leadership Roster
John Rawlins
Director
Louis Lantz
Writer
Frank Melford
Producer
Paul Sawtell
Original Music Composer
Stanley Cortez
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Fort Defiance.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Fort Defiance.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Defiance
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Fort Defiance about?
It's just after the Civil War and Ben Shelby arrives looking for Johnny Tallon whom he plans to kill. Shelby was the only survivor of a battle due to the cowardice of Tallon. Thinking Tallon dead, another man who lost a brother at the same battle arrives to kill Tallon's blind brother. Tallon arrives to find Shelby and his brother fleeing. Then they are attacked by Indians and Shelby and Tallon must now fight together postponing the inevitable showdown.
Who directed Fort Defiance?
Fort Defiance was directed by John Rawlins.
Who stars in Fort Defiance?
The principal cast of Fort Defiance includes Dane Clark, Ben Johnson, Peter Graves, Tracey Roberts, George Cleveland.
When was Fort Defiance released and how long is it?
Fort Defiance was released in 1951 with a total runtime of 1h 22m.
Who composed the musical score for Fort Defiance?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Fort Defiance was composed by Paul Sawtell.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Fort Defiance?
Fort Defiance holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).