Walk the Proud Land
Walk the Proud Land is a 1956 CinemaScope Technicolor Western film directed by Jesse Hibbs and starring Audie Murphy and future Academy Award winner Anne Bancroft. It was filmed at Old Tucson. Plot. "Walk the Proud Land" is the true story of Indian agent John Clum (Audie Murphy) as told by Clum's son in the 1936 biography "Apache Agent". The film begins in 1874, as Clum, an Eastern government representative, arrives in San Carlos, Arizona. He is sent to try a new approach to peace with Apaches based on respect for autonomy rather than submission  to Army. He faces suspicions from the white settlers, the Army and the Indians, especially Geronimo. An Indian widow that was given to him as a housekeeper, Tianay (Anne Bancroft) falls in love with Clum, despite the fact he is engaged to Mary Dennison (Pat Crowley). Clum is helped by his Irish American friend, Tom Sweeney (Charles Drake). Conflicts arise between these two cultures. Indian Agent sent to try new approach to peace with Apaches based on respect for automomy rather than submission to Army. Wins over reservation chiefs and the Indian widow (Bancroft) given to him as housekeeper. Through  use of diplomacy and demonstrations of faith in Apache leaders, reservation is put on the road to automomy. Conflicts arise between Apache widow and Eastern wife but latter has a lot to learn. Production. The role of Mary Dennison, Clum's fiancee, was originally offered to Piper Laurie but she turned it down so she could study at the Actors Studio in New York. Pat Crowley was cast instead. The right to use the title "Walk the Proud Land" was obtained from Logan Forster, author of "Proud Land," a novel of the same genre. Reception. The film was not a  success at the box office, something attributed to the fact that Murphy played a pacifist rather than an action hero. This ended Murphy's plans to make his dream project, a biopic of painter Charles Marion Russell.