Chuka
1967 · United States · 98 min
- Director
- Gordon Douglas
- Screenplay
- Richard Jessup
- Producer
- Rod Taylor
- Music
- Leith Stevens
- Cinematography
- Harold E. Stine
- Production company
- Rod Taylor
Cast
What it is about
A wandering gunman, Chuka, rides into an Arapaho camp where people are starving and gives them food. Shortly afterwards he meets a stagecoach carrying two Mexican women and other travelers, and escorts it to a United States Army fort. There, the commander holds the civilians while he waits for word of an overdue patrol, and the pasts of the people inside the fort begin to surface.
How it was made
Richard Jessup's 1961 novel was optioned in 1964 by New Art Productions, the company of Howard Gotbetter and Jack Jason, who called it an American Beau Geste. Rod Taylor joined in 1966 as actor and producer, and also worked on the screenplay. Gordon Douglas directed Chuka, with music by Leith Stevens and cinematography by Harold Stine. The cast includes Ernest Borgnine, John Mills and James Whitmore.
Reception and legacy
The sources available do not provide reliable details on the film's critical reception, awards or influence, so its place in the history of the Western cannot be assessed with precision.
Stills
Trivia
The origin of the nickname
The protagonist's name refers to the fact that, as a child, he hung around the chuckwagons of the camps.
A different name in the credits
Victoria Vetri is credited as Angela Dorian in the film's cast list.
More films by Gordon Douglas
Them!
Babes in Toyland
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Follow That Dream
Lady in Cement
Tony RomeOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.