AllMovie

Tomahawk takes place during the Great Sioux Uprising of the 1860s. Van Heflin stars as famed frontier scout Jim Bridger, who labors valiantly and vainly to orchestrate peace between Indians and whites. Much of the action takes place at Fort Phil Kearney, the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in western history. Though the film isn't what one might call a pro-Native American tract, the script is careful to note that the Sioux were galvanized into action by the broken treaties and sadistic excesses of certain Indian-hating white men. The feminine angle in these otherwise all-male proceedings is provided by Yvonne de Carlo as a travelling showgirl and Susan Cabot as an ill-fated Sioux maiden. Though economically produced, Tomahawk has all the polish and professionalism of an "A" production.