Drum Beat

Drum Beat
Film poster
Directed by	Delmer Daves
Produced by	Delmer Daves Alan Ladd (uncredited)
Written by	Delmer Daves
Starring	Alan Ladd Audrey Dalton Marisa Pavan
Music by	Victor Young
Cinematography	J. Peverell Marley
Edited by	Clarence Kolster
Production company	Jaguar Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	November 10, 1954 (1954-11-10)
Running time	111 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1.1 million
Box office	$3 million (US)

Drum Beat is a 1954 CinemaScope western film in WarnerColor written and directed by Delmer Daves and co-produced by Daves and Alan Ladd in his first film for his Jaguar Productions company. Ladd stars along with Audrey Dalton, Charles Bronson as Captain Jack, and Hayden Rorke as President Ulysses S. Grant.

Filmed in Sedona, Arizona, the story uses elements of the 1873 Modoc War in its narrative, with Ladd playing a white man asked by the U.S. Army to attempt negotiations with Native Modocs who are about to wage war.

An early role for Charles Bronson (originally Buchinsky), who plays Captain Jack as a memorable villain wearing the coat of a deceased US Cavalry Captain. After murdering General Edward Canby (Warner Anderson) during a peace negotiation, Bronson puts on the late General's coat and announces to the audience "Me GENERAL Jack now!"

In 1872, veteran Indian fighter Johnny MacKay (Alan Ladd) is sent for by then President Grant (Hayden Rorke). He tells government officials in Washington about hostilities between settlers, soldiers and Modoc renegades near the California and Oregon border. He is appointed peace commissioner for the territory.

On the way west, Johnny gives an escort to Nancy Meek (Audrey Dalton), a retired army colonel's niece. Nancy is traveling to a ranch owned by her aunt and uncle. There is an ambush outside Sacramento during which the sweetheart of their stage driver Bill Satterwhite is killed by a Modoc renegade. Later they find Nancy's aunt and uncle murdered and the ranch burned.