Where to Watch
Checking availability in your country…
Cast
Richard Boone
as Capt. Stephen Maddocks
George Hamilton
as Lt. Curtis McQuade
Luana Patten
as Tracey Hamilton
Arthur O'Connell
as Sgt. Karl Rodermill
Charles Bronson
as Trooper Hanna
Richard Chamberlain
as Lt. Porter
James Douglas
as Lt. Thomas Gresham
Tammy Marihugh
as Laurie Detweiler
Carole Wells
as Camden Yates
Duane Eddy
as Trooper Eddy
Movie Info & Details
Release Year1961
Runtime1h 37m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresWestern
Votes27
DirectorJoseph M. Newman
WritersJames Warner Bellah
TypeFeature Film
Rating5.6 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsA Thunder of Drums
About A Thunder of Drums
Captain Maddocks will never be promoted beyond Captain because of a mistake that he made in the past. Lt. McQuade is a green rookie who is now under the command of the tough Captain and he does not seem to be able to do anything right. Lt. McQuade also has trouble with Tracey, but it will be the renegade Indians that will test him and teach him the importance of following orders.
Directed by Joseph M. Newman, A Thunder of Drums leans on a strong ensemble — Richard Boone, George Hamilton, Luana Patten — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about western titles of 1961.
Read More on the Blog
You Might Also Like
More like A Thunder of Drums, picked from what people are watching
6.7Cheyenne Autumn
1964 6.7
A reluctant cavalry Captain must track a defiant tribe of migrating Cheyenne.
Cheyenne Autumn
1964
6.1Apache
1954 6.1
Following the surrender of Geronimo, Massai, the last Apache warrior is captured and scheduled for transportation to a Florida reservation. On the way he manages to escape and heads for his homeland to win back his girl and settle down to grow crops. His pursuers have other ideas though.
Apache
1954
6.5The Last Wagon
1956 6.5
When a handful of settlers survive an Apache attack on their wagon train they must put their lives into the hands of Comanche Todd, a white man who has lived with the Comanches most of his life and is wanted for the murder of three men.
The Last Wagon
1956
6.7Broken Arrow
1950 6.7
Indian scout Tom Jeffords is sent out to stem the war between the American settlers and Apaches in the late 1870s Arizona. He learns that the Indians kill only to protect themselves, or out of retaliation for white atrocities.
Broken Arrow
1950
6.3Garden of Evil
1954 6.3
A trio of American adventurers marooned in rural Mexico are recruited by a beautiful woman to rescue her husband from Apaches.
Garden of Evil
1954
7.1Hombre
1967 7.1
John Russell, disdained by his "respectable" fellow stagecoach passengers because he was raised by Indians, becomes their only hope for survival when they are set upon by outlaws.
Hombre
1967
User Reviews
5.6
Community rating
Loading reviews…
From the Blog
All Posts
News
Lanterns OTT Release Date: DC’s Green Lantern Series Hits JioHotstar Aug 17
DC’s Green Lantern series Lanterns arrives on JioHotstar in India on August 17, 2026. Here is where to watch it, who is in it, and why it is one of the year’s biggest superhero shows.
News
Michael OTT Release Date: The Michael Jackson Biopic Streams August 29
The Michael Jackson biopic arrives on JioHotstar on August 29, 2026. Here is where to watch it, what you need, and why it is one of the year’s biggest music films.
News
Jana Nayagan OTT Release Date: When Vijay’s Film Streams on ZEE5
Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is headed to ZEE5 for its digital premiere. Here is the latest on its OTT release date and where to watch, updated as news is confirmed.