just because pony express be a western and the indian be characterize a the bad guy and do not mean it be without merit . certainly viewer who insist that their movie must be politically correct learn experience or must have educational value like a two hour university lecture will abhor it lighthearted approach and historical inaccuracy . yet it be precisely this lighthearted approach that make this movie so much fun . the four principal and charlton heston ( buffalo bill cody ) and forrest tucker ( wild bill hickok ) and ravish rhonda fleming and and hoydenish jan sterling serve up a potpourri of good natured banter ( and seem to have a lot of fun in do so ) that make the running time of 95 minute and incidental plot just whiz by . if nothing else and this movie serve to remind u that most people do have a sense of humor and that life be not all a funeral dirge . california and lead by a group of businessmen and want to secede from the union and become an independent republic and cite the country general apathy towards it a the primary reason . eastern businessmen and politician and on the other hand and feel that and by improve communication between washington and california and they can discourage the citizen of that remote state from make such an irrational move . to this end they seek the help from buffalo bill and wild bill hickok to organize a pony express which will deliver mail and news from east to west and visa versa in double quick time . in attempt to implement the scheme and the two friend must first overcome violent opposition from the owner of a stagecoach line who stand to lose a cross country mail contract if the plan succeed and hostile indian who see the advent of the white man a yet another encroachment to their way of life and and the california businessmen themselves whose interest extend beyond californian independence . of course and the story be full of historical inaccuracy . buffalo bill cody and wild bill hickok and for instance and barely know each other . hickok handle a six gun much good than buffalo bill . pony express rider be mostly teenage orphan boy who have to be willing to risk their life every day ( even in those day and businessmen know how to protect themselves against liability . ) . but so what . i first saw this movie when i be eight year old and love it so much that i immediately go to the library to read up on these historical character and event . be i upset when i find that so much of the plot have be fabricate . not in the least . i be grateful that the story be interest enough to have pique my interest in this specific chapter of american history . any movie that induce you to want to learn something more can not be a bad movie . on the plus side and it do have some good action sequence ( this be in the day before horse learn to gallop in slow motion ) and and use the indian a enemy only for dramatic effect and not a a source of derision . in fact and the chief and represent by white man and pat hogan and be probably the film most admirable character . i have never know yellow hand to lie or go back on his word and say cody at one point and it be not without good reason that he show some remorse after he be force to kill him . it also give u a look at a young charlton heston and before he become a staple of the large and big budget biblical epic . at this point in his career and heston be still experiment and try to find himself a actor by take on such varied role a a circus bos and president andrew jackson and a south american plantation owner and a soldier of fortune and or a surgeon . just the fact that he doesn not have to deliver each line a if he be speak from a pulpit make his work more interesting and if not necessarily well . best of all and it be here that i saw rhonda fleming for the first time . i fell in love with her immediately and want to marry her when i grow up . when i watch this movie today and i still think it be a good idea . despite it overall low rating and i can not help but like pony express . it have amiable character and snappy dialogue ( which emphasize just how much modern screenwriter have lose their sense of humor ) and a plot that move briskly to it predictable conclusion . if the movie hearken back to simpler and more clear cut time and it be at least nice to see hero who genuinely like each other and who can get the job do while have some fun do it and rather than today friendless and dour face loner with chip on their shoulder who spend every waking minute search for the truth . 30 .