The 1956 American classic film called The Last Wagon is a movie set during the time of the ongoing American-Indian wars and how only one man could help the victims of the war to get out of the threatening situation. The movie stars Richard Widmark as Comanche Todd, the guy with a warrant out for him for the murders of not one but a bunch of people and the sole savior of the survivors.
Felicia Farr as Jenny, the female lead opposite Todd, Susan Kohner as Jolie Normand, Tommy Rettig as Billy, Nick Adams as Ridge, and a few others formed a strong ensemble of a cast that worked pretty well with the premise of the film. As hard the actors may have worked, the film did not sit well with the critics as it failed to impress them with its predictable and cliched American hero trope.
The film has impressive action scenes, but it lacks heavily when it comes to having characters that are complex and have personalities. The basic story revolves around a wagon train that gets attacked, and the survivors of the attack find themselves looking towards Comanche Todd, a prisoner in for murder. But the victims of the attack choose to ignore his criminal status and hope for him to rescue them.
The movie is termed a classic by the audience though the critics may disagree because the basic outline of the film feeds their American hero fantasy along with their savior complex. But considering the time when the film was released, the makers can get a pass, and the film can be appreciated for its violence and fight scenes.
Another thing that is pleasing in the movie is the feature of iconic locations that are in the movie. Fans of the film can continue reading to find all the amazing places where the movie was shot.
The Last Wagon Filming Locations
A significant part of the film is shot in Arizona, at the mouth of the Oak Creek Canyon and the Schnelby Hill Road. The makers of the film mentioned that they faced quite some trouble in finding the perfect location for some of the classic scenes in the film.
Director Delmer Davis had worked on the film called Broken Arrow, and it had caused the locations in the film to become a hotspot for people, which just added to his trouble of finding a never-seen-before location that he could introduce in the movie.
Sedona, Arizona
A small town on the outskirts of Arizona that has its perimeters surrounded by red-rock buttes, canyons, and lengths of pine trees. The city is actually famously known for the red sandstone buttes that also happen to be a tourist hotspot for morning hikes and bike rides. The red structure is famous partially because, with the rising sun, it almost looks like it is glowing. A significant portion of the movie was actually shot in this town and the attractions around it.
The Schnelby Hill Road in the town is also one spot that features many times in the movie.
Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona
The Oak Creek Canyon, specifically its mouth also featured in the movie during one of the important scenes. The location is often times called the Grand Canyon’s sister and is a popular tourist location. The canyon is located in Arizona, near the city of Sedona and Flagstaff, and is popular for its awe-striking beauty and the view that the place offers.
Director Delmer Davis actually shot at the location prior to this movie when he shot Broken Arrows. Movies like The Karate Kid have also been filmed at its location.
Red Rock Crossing, Sedona, Arizona
Another important location in the film is where the first scene of the film and the gunfighting scene were shot. This is a famous cathedral rock that has actually been in quite a few popular films like Johnny Guitar, The Quick and the Dead, and Broken Arrow. This place is loved not just by Director Delmer Davis, who clearly frequents this place often for his shoots, but also by the tourists who crowd the location every day.
The Bell Rock Butte and the Courthouse Butte also happen to be a few of the famous red rock structures of Sedona and also locations that have been used in the film, The Last Wagon.
Also Read: Smokey and the Bandit II Filming Locations: Where it Was Made.
