February 5th will see the release of Columbia’s Ambush At Tomahawk Gap (1953), an excellent little Western from Fred F. Sears.
I put together a post on this film a few months ago, ending it with: “Ambush At Tomahawk Gap is a picture that’s easily overlooked — just one of many Columbia Westerns from the 1950s — but offers so much for those willing to track it down. Hopefully, a DVD release of some sort will make that easier.”
Thanks to Columbia, it’s now very easy indeed. This is another one I highly recommend (and that appeared on the Wish List we all put together last month). So, while I’m looking this gift horse in the mouth, how’s about Fury At Gunsight Pass (1956)?
50 Westerns From The 50s. 
Also coming is Sears’ “Apache Ambush” st. Della Street’s husband Bill Williams & also Richard Jaeckel:
http://www.amazon.com/Apache-Ambush-Bill-Williams/dp/B00ARVRCKS/ref=pd_sim_mov_1
Things are looking up for fans of Columbia Westerns.Not only are
there now more or less regular Westerns from the Sony MOD series
but also in Spain there is the Columbia Essential Classics series.
I recently purchased 40 GUNS TO APACHE PASS and THE GREAT
SOUIX MASSACRE in this series. Both films are top-drawer widescreen
transfers and have attractive packaging the Amray case inserted into
a nice glossy slipcase.
Always thought 40 GUNS… was very minor Murphy but with this
fine treatment it stands up really well.Film was Murphys last “starring”
Western and its a pretty good swan-song.Fast paced and crammed with
action helmed by genre expert William Witney. Highly recommended!
THE GREAT SOUIX MASSACRE stands up pretty well too;Sidney Salkows
second attempt at the Custer story. Film is superior to Salkows SITTING
BULL and lifts much of the action (the best bits) from that film.
These films pretty much represented the end of the programmer Western
and as such are rather interesting.
Someone at Sony really likes Fred F Sears with no less than 4 Sears titles
in the current batch.
Just watched Ambust T. Gap tonight. A lot of action and drama throughout, no dull moments, for sure. Good character actors pop up throughout, the old guy who was in so many Wyatt Earp episodes, Trevor Bardette, who was so hidden under makeup I almost didn’t know who he was, but his way of speaking gave him away. John Qualen with a beard yet, if I didn’t recognize his voice I may not have known it was him and John Doucette as the reluctant bartender, looked pretty young here, I remember him best from the many Superman episodes he appeared in. He was good at playing a dumb bad guy and a real bad guy too. Good movie, sad to realize both the star, Hodiak and director Sears died just a few years later only in their 40’s. Life is fleeting.