Gregory Peck was a replacement for Gary Cooper, who never liked the film but nevertheless his grand performance is the main reason the film is any good.

[UPDATED 2025 REVIEW] Out of the 53 theatrical features Gregory Peck made over a 47-year span, the late, great actor always considered the worst to be Only the Valiant. But this middling Western isn't awful so much as it's awfully indifferent.

If you want to know why I selected you? Capt. Richard Lance is a wronged man, he's being held responsible for the death of a much loved Lieutenant. When the chance arises for him to take a small band of men to the vanquished Fort Invincible, Lance readily takes up the challenge. Picking the men who despise him the most, and the ones he feels have major character flaws, Lance and the handful of soldiers must hold the fort from Apache attack until reinforcements arrive. Running out of water and at war with each other, it's becoming increasingly likely that this is a suicide mission from which none of them may return. Some people say this is one of Gregory Peck's lesser efforts, that it be low on production values and stilted in its execution. Not so say I, in fact this to me is a far more engaging picture than the much revered Rio Bravo eight years later. Oh for sure the Howard Hawks film is far technically superior, but I'd argue that for cast efforts and sheer entertainment value Only The Valiant wins out in the duel every time. Gregory Peck, Ward Bond, Gig Young, Lon Chaney Jr, Neville Brand & Warner Anderson each contribute greatly to make this a dramatic and involving picture. It simmers along as a highly charged character piece as we have a group of men deeply in mistrust of each other, yet interestingly they are bound by a mutual dislike of their Captain. One special seq…

Browse discussions about “Only the Valiant”

Jump to Reddit for live threads on this title.