Soldier Blue is a 1970 Western film directed by Ralph Nelson and starring Candice Bergen and Peter Strauss. The film is set during the Indian Wars of the late 1860s and tells the story of two survivors of a Cheyenne massacre, who must journey through hostile territory to reach safety at a US Army fort.
Honus, the main character, is a young soldier who is assigned to escort a group of civilians through Indian country. On their way, they come across a Cheyenne village that has been burned to the ground and its inhabitants brutally massacred by the US cavalry. Honus and Cresta are the only survivors of the massacre and are forced to flee into the wilderness to avoid being captured or killed by the Cheyenne.
As they journey toward safety, Honus and Cresta develop a close bond and gradually fall in love. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that Cresta had lived with the Cheyenne for two years and has sympathies for their cause. Honus, on the other hand, is devoted to his duty as a US soldier and struggles to reconcile his feelings for Cresta with his sense of duty to his country.
Throughout the film, Honus and Cresta encounter various hazards and obstacles, including rogue soldiers, hostile Indians, and dangerous terrain. Their journey culminates in a dramatic and bloody showdown at the US Army fort, where they must confront the harsh realities of war and the conflicting loyalties that have brought them together.
Soldier Blue is a powerful and thought-provoking film that explores themes of love, duty, and betrayal in the context of America's turbulent history of westward expansion and conflict with native peoples. It remains a potent reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of compassion and understanding in times of conflict.