| Distant Drums | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Raoul Walsh |
| Written by | Niven Busch Martin Rackin |
| Produced by | Milton Sperling |
| Starring | Gary Cooper Richard Webb Mari Aldon Arthur Hunnicutt Carl Harbaugh |
| Cinematography | Sidney Hickox |
| Edited by | Folmar Blangsted |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | United States Pictures |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2.85 million (US rentals)[1] |
Distant Drums is a 1951 American Florida Western film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Gary Cooper. It is set during the Second Seminole War in the 1840s, with Cooper playing an Army captain who successfully destroys a fort held by Spanish gunrunners and is pursued into the Everglades by a large group of Seminoles. The fort used in the film was the historic Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida, and most of the principal photography was shot on location in Florida.
Distant Drums was criticized for being historically inaccurate, received mixed reviews upon release, and was a moderate financial success. It is notable for being the source of the Wilhelm scream sound effect, which is believed to have been voiced by cast member Sheb Wooley and is used when a supporting character is attacked by an alligator.[2]
- ^ "Top Box-Office Hits of 1952", Variety, January 7, 1953
- ^ Lee, Steve (May 17, 2005). "The WILHELM Scream". hollywoodlostandfound.net. Retrieved June 23, 2009.