The Indians Are Coming

Cast

Production

Along with Battling with Buffalo Bill (1931) this serial was based on The Great West That Was, by William "Buffalo Bill" Cody.

Theatrical

The release of The Indians Are Coming was the first time a serial was given an "uptown" treatment. The serial played at The Roxy in New York City and had full runs across the country.

According to Raymond Stedman, The Indians Are Coming earned a profit on "near" $1M. The success of the serial ended doom-mongering about the sound technology being the end of the serial format. In the words of William C. Cline, it is "credited with reviving interest in what seemed to be a dying form of entertainment" and proved that action could still be done with sound equipment.

Critical reception

Stedman compares Tim McCoy's delivery to that of Adam West in the Batman television series but declares it restrained compared to other stars. He goes on to comment that "Only the dog managed not to fall victim to the natural tendency of actors groomed in the silent film to overplay when thrust into a talkie."

Chapter titles

1. Pals in Buckskin
2. A Call to Arms
3. A Furnace of Fear
4. The Red Terror
5. The Circle of Death
6. Hate's Harvest
7. Hostages of Fear
8. The Dagger Duel
9. The Blast of Death
10. Redskin's Vengeance
11. Frontiers Aflame
12. The Trail's End

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