You’d probably rise to a position of power even if you were dropped into a pigpen. The Scalphunters was directed by Sydney Pollack and features a screenplay by William W. Norton, based on the novel of the same name by Ed Friend. The film includes performances from Burt Lancaster, Ossie Davis, Telly Savalas, and Shelley Winters. It’s a Panavision/De Luxe Colour production with music composed by Elmer Bernstein and cinematography by Richard Moore and Duke Callaghan. Joe Bass (Lancaster) is a fur trapper returning home with his catch when he's stopped by Kiowa Indians who take his furs. In exchange, they give him Joseph Lee (Davis), an educated slave they had taken from the Comanches earlier. As Joe pursues the Kiowas to recover his furs, they are attacked by a band of ruthless Scalphunters led by Jim Howie (Savalas). The Scalphunters steal Bass’s furs and inadvertently capture Joseph. It becomes Joe Bass against everyone else, with only Joseph understanding the danger facing the Scalphunters. "Those furs and that man out there are the Scorpio satanic configuration of death for Jim Howie." Impressively directed by Pollack and beautifully filmed in Durango, Mexico, The Scalphunters is an interesting combination of a Western action comedy with dramatic elements and Civil Rights themes. The film’s structure centers around placing Lancaster's uneducated man of the wilderness alongside Davis’s literate but marginalized slave. They are very different men, yet each could benefit from the other if racial divisions were overcome. When Joseph is taken by the Scalphunters, he finds himself captive again, but perhaps his intelligence can lead to his freedom if they make it to Mexico. While Joe Bass tracks the group, disrupting their lively dynamic with action sequences, there are exciting moments—like when Joe triggers a rock avalanche or the Scalphunters’ horses become unruly—that provide genuine thrills. The stunt work is also noteworthy. It's an intelligent screenplay that doesn’t force its messages and avoids portraying Joseph Lee as inferior. Even amidst the humor, the script demonstrates cleverness, recognizing intelligence in the black man while highlighting the ignorance of white society. With a strong cast and Elmer Bernstein’s characteristic score, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable Western. Find your favorite scene or character, all while appreciating that beneath the surface action and machismo lies a powerful thematic core. 8/10

Source on TMDB