Flaming Star

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Flaming Star

1960,

1h 32m,

Western

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Watchlist

92%

12 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In this Western set on the Texas frontier, Pacer Burton (Elvis Presley) is the mixed-race son of a white rancher (John McIntire) and his second wife, Kiowa woman Neddy (Dolores del Río). When some local racists cause Neddy's death by preventing the doctor from coming to her aid, a war between the whites and the tribe erupts. As the war threatens to drive a wedge between Pacer and his white brother, Clint (Steve Forrest), he takes matters into his own hands.

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 29, 2025

3/4

Elvis delivers one of his finest performances -- you can tell he means business, as there are only two songs and he’s completed both of them before the film is even six minutes old.

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John Beifuss

Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Dec 18, 2014

3/4

A treasure trove of content for Presleyologists who interpret Elvis as a repository and reflector of America's conflicted and evolving attitudes toward youth, class, race and sex.

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Bill Chambers

Film Freak Central

Aug 5, 2010

3.5/4

The filmmaking may be a little ramshackle, but it's sensitive, and the performances are soulful.

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Blake French

Filmcritic.com

Aug 2, 2009

3.5/5

...proves that Elvis didn't just get lucky with his first performance; the boy could actually act.

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Nov 14, 2008

Famed action director Don Siegel saw an element of raw danger in Elvis and gave him his very best role in this excellent quasi-Western.

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Sean Axmaker

MSN.com

Aug 14, 2007

Less an "Elvis film" than a western starring young Presley in a surprisingly well cast role, this lean frontier drama... offers one of his most impressive performances.

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Poe S

Jan 18, 2018

great acting by all, I wish EP had done more roles likes this - he really was a good actor - just never put his foot down and demanded them; mos of that was from his turd of a manager.

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Oct 14, 2017

It was one of his best films especially how it showed his acting skills. People never gave him his dues!!!

Draco W

Sep 15, 2017

Too bad this fine , small drama "bombed " at the box office , his only non success to date. It's a powerful story of racial tensions in the 19th century , out west (I believe ). Had just two songs ( 4 were intended ) and they are very good , a coupla uptempo cowboy songs. Oh by the way, if elvis should have been nominated for an is at for King Creole ,he should have won for this!

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Harry S

Aug 20, 2017

Movie about ethnic prejudice against a family with white dad and native american mom and their two sons. Quite good movie, but even though the message of the movie is rather open minded the native americans are still portrayed rather stereotypically except for the mom. Also I found it very unsettling to watch how the protagonist blames the only other woman in the movie for not showing any affections to him and that causing him the biggest grievance in the whole ordeal. Like, dude, she owes you nothing. The fact that she fancies your older brother is her choise and her choise alone. You don't see her going on a killing spree just because he doesn't seem(?) to return her feelings.

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Don Siegel

Director

Elvis Presley

Pacer Burton

Steve Forrest

Clint Burton

Barbara Eden

Roslyn Pierce

Dolores del Río

Neddy Burton

John McIntire

Sam "Pa" Burton

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Synopsis

In this Western set on the Texas frontier, Pacer Burton (Elvis Presley) is the mixed-race son of a white rancher (John McIntire) and his second wife, Kiowa woman Neddy (Dolores del Río). When some local racists cause Neddy's death by preventing the doctor from coming to her aid, a war between the whites and the tribe erupts. As the war threatens to drive a wedge between Pacer and his white brother, Clint (Steve Forrest), he takes matters into his own hands.

Director: Don Siegel
Producer: David Weisbart
Screenwriter: Clair Huffaker, Nunnally Johnson
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 1960, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2011
Runtime: 1h 32m

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