| Duel at Diablo | |
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Original film poster by Frank McCarthy |
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| Directed by | Ralph Nelson |
| Produced by | Fred Engel Ralph Nelson |
| Written by | Marvin H. Albert Michael M. Grilikhes |
| Starring | James Garner Sidney Poitier |
| Music by | Neal Hefti |
| Cinematography | Charles F. Wheeler |
| Editing by | Fredric Steinkamp |
| Distributed by | United Artists Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | June 15, 1966 |
| Running time | 103 min. |
| Country | US |
| Language | English |
Duel at Diablo is a 1966 western film starring James Garner in his first Western since leaving Maverick and Sidney Poitier in his first Western. Based on Marvin H. Albert's 1957 novel Apache Rising, the film was written by Albert and Michael M. Grilikhes and directed by Ralph Nelson who had directed Poitier in Lilies in the Field. The supporting cast includes Bibi Andersson, Bill Travers, Dennis Weaver and John Hoyt; Ralph Nelson has a cameo as an Army Major. The movie was shot on location amidst striking scenery in Utah and the unique musical score was composed by Neal Hefti.
While crossing the desert, a frontier scout, Jess Remsberg (James Garner), rescues Ellen Grange (Bibi Andersson) from a pursuing band of Apaches, and returns her to her husband, Willard Grange (Dennis Weaver). The couple have been on the move since two years before Ellen Grange had been kidnapped by Apaches and rescued. The townsfolk treated her as an outcast because, in captivity, she had a child by an Indian warrior.
Jess is searching for the murderers of his Comanche wife. He travels to Fort Concho to obtain information from the town marshal. On the way there, he is contracted to act as a scout for an Army cavalry unit of 25 inexperienced soldiers bringing horses, ammuniton and supplies to the fort. Willard, Ellen, and her infant son are along for the ride, as is horse breaker Toller (Sidney Poitier), a veteran of the 10th Cavalry (the "Buffalo Soldiers"). As Toller was contracted to provide broken horses suitable for riding, he is only paid for the horses already broken and will accompany the party breaking his horses on the way where the commander of the detachment Lt. "Scotty" McAllister, a highly experienced former sergeant, will give Toller receipts to paid at Fort Concho.
The party is trapped in a canyon by Chata, an Apache chief and grandfather of Ellen's baby. Willard is captured and tortured mercilessly. Jess sneaks away and brings reinforcements from the fort just in time to save the day. At the fort, Jess had learned that the man he has been hunting is none other than Willard Grange, out for revenge for what was done to his wife. He finds Willard, tied to a wagon wheel and barely alive. When Willard begs him to put him out of his misery, Jess gives him his pistol and leaves.
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