From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Stalking Moon
The Stalking Moon
The Stalking Moon Plot
U.S. Army soldiers round up a group of Indians, mostly
women and children. Surprisingly, they find among them
a white woman and her half-Indian son.
Sam Varner (Gregory Peck) is a scout retiring from
the Army to his ranch in New Mexico. He agrees to escort
Sarah Carver (Eva Marie Saint) and her son after she begs
him. She wants to leave immediately rather than wait
five days for a military escort.
Varner takes them to a stage coach stop called Hen-
nessy. The boy runs away during the night. Varner and
Sarah go looking for him as a dust storm begins. They
find the boy and then hole up (literally) to wait out the
storm.
When they return to the station, everyone there is
dead, killed by the boy’s Indian warrior father, Salvaje
(played by Nathaniel Narcisco). Salvaje is greatly feared
even among his own people - and with good reason: he
is known to be a silent and ruthless killer. Salvaje means
"Ghost" in Apache, or in their own tongue: "He Who Is
Not Here", meaning a dead man.
Directed by Robert Mulligan
Varner is upset that the woman’s impatience to leave
Produced by Robert Mulligan has cost the people at the station their lives. When the
Alan J. Pakula stagecoach does arrive, Varner puts the woman and boy
Written by T. V. Olsen (novel) on it and follows them to a rail station called Silverton.
Wendell Mayes (adaptation) He trades government letters of transport for train tick-
Alvin Sargent ets to Topeka, Kansas.
Starring Gregory Peck After some careful consideration, Varner decides to
Eva Marie Saint invite the woman and her son to accompany him to his
ranch where she can cook for him and an old man, Ned
Music by Fred Karlin
(played by Russell Thorson), who takes care of the ranch.
Cinematography Charles Lang Sam sells his horse and they take the train to New Mexi-
co.
Editing by Aaron Stell
They uneasily try to coexist. The woman and her son
Distributed by National General Production Inc. are not talkative despite Sam’s best efforts. His friend
Release date(s) December 25, 1968 Nick, a half-breed scout he has been friends with for ten
years, shows up. Nick tells him that Salvaje killed every-
Running time 109 minutes one at Silverton and even killed Sam’s old horse. It’s ap-
Country United States parent that Salvaje is coming to the ranch to retake his
son.
Language English Ned goes outside to feed his dog and finds it killed
with an arrow. In a blind rage, he runs into the trees after
The Stalking Moon is a 1968 western film in Technicolor a Salvaje. Sam tries to bring him back, but can’t find him.
starring Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint. It is directed Shortly after, he hears Ned’s death scream. Sam decides
by Robert Mulligan and based on the novel of the same to go after Salvaje and create an opportunity for Nick to
name by T.V. Olsen. get a clear shot. But, when sam is being tracked, Nick
jumps up to warn him and Salvaje kills him. Nick dies in
Sam;s arms.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Stalking Moon
Salvaje enters the ranch house through a window. • Charles Tyner as Dace
Sam blows out the kerosene lamp in order to hide in a • Richard Bull as Doctor
dark corner. Sam shoots at him with a rifle and Salvaje • Sandy Brown Wyeth as Rachel
flees, but he leaves a trail of blood. • Joaquín Martinez as Julio
Sam trails him and steps into a booby-trap that Sal- • Boyd Morgan as Shelby
vaje has rigged with a knife. Sam is stabbed in the left • Nathaniel Narcisco as Salvaje
thigh and bleeds profusely enough that he has to apply a • Roy Munson
tourniquet. The two men fight and eventually Sam shoots
Salvaje three times as the warrior falls atop him, dying.
Sam manages to walk, stumble, and crawl back to the
house, where Sarah rushes out to help him.
Production
This film marked the reunion between director Robert
Mulligan, producer Alan J. Pakula and actor Gregory
Cast Peck, six years after their collaboration on To Kill A Mock-
• Gregory Peck as Sam Varner ingbird.
• Eva Marie Saint as Sarah Carver
•
•
Robert Forster as Nick Tana
Noland Clay as Boy
External links
• Russell Thorson as Ned • The Stalking Moon at the TCM Movie Database
• Frank Silvera as Major • The Stalking Moon at the Internet Movie Database
• Lonny Chapman as Purdue • The Stalking Moon at AllRovi
• Lou Frizzell as Stationmaster
• Henry Beckman as Sergeant Rudabaugh
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Stalking_Moon&oldid=459180834"
Categories:
• 1968 films
• American films
• Films based on Western novels
• 1960s Western films
• Western film stubs
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