Tonka (film)

Tonka
Tonka
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Lewis R. Foster
Written by	David Appel; Lewis R. Foster; Lillie Hayward
Based on	Comanche: Story of America's Most Heroic Horse; by David Appel
Produced by	James C. Pratt
Starring	Sal Mineo; Philip Carey; Jerome Courtland; Rafael Campos
Cinematography	Loyal Griggs
Edited by	Ellsworth Hoagland
Music by	Oliver Wallace
Color process	Technicolor
Production; company	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution
Release date	December 25, 1958;
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$2.5 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)

Tonka is a 1958 American Western film directed by Lewis R. Foster and starring Sal Mineo as a Sioux who survived the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The film is based on the book Comanche: Story of America's Most Heroic Horse by David Appel, and depicts the fictional story of the Indian and US Cavalry owners of the titular horse.^[2]

It was filmed in Bend, Oregon, and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution, a division of Walt Disney Productions.

Plot

White Bull, a young Sioux, captures a wild stallion he names Tonka, and trains him. He must give the horse to his bad-tempered cousin, Yellow Bull, who abuses Tonka to break his spirit. White Bull lets the horse escape, and Tonka is captured by the U.S. Cavalry. Captain Myles Keogh rides Tonka at the Battle of Little Big Horn, and the horse is the only survivor of the massacre. When Captain Keogh is killed Tonka rises up and kills Keogh's killer. White Bull joins the cavalry, and is given the duty of looking after Tonka, who has received an honorable discharge from further battle duties.^[3]

Cast

Sal Mineo as White Bull
Philip Carey as Captain Myles Keogh
Jerome Courtland as Lieutenant Henry Nowlan
Rafael Campos as Strong Bear
H. M. Wynant as Yellow Bear
Joy Page as Prairie Flower
Britt Lomond as General George Custer
Herbert Rudley as Captain Frederick Benteen
Sydney Smith as General Alfred Terry
John War Eagle as Chief Sitting Bull
Gregg Martell as Corporal Korn
Slim Pickens as Ace
Robert "Buzz" Henry as Lieutenant Crittenden
Eddie Little Sky as Spotted Tail

Production

Tonka was filmed in Bend and Madras, Oregon.^[4]

References

^ "1959: Probable Domestic Take", Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34
^ TCM overview
^ Horse is 'Tonka' Star, The Boston Globe, December 26, 1958, page 19
^ "Filmed in Oregon 1908-2015" (PDF). Oregon Film Council. Oregon State Library. Retrieved December 27, 2015.