Broken Arrow
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Movie Reviews of Broken Arrow
Movie Review: One of the Absolute Best
Summary: 5 Stars
From time to time on the net I come across these ever-present lists where someone is sounding off about what they say are the "best" of such and so . Frequently I see "best westerns" or "best war movie" lists and find myself laughing out loud when one of these things omits something universally acknowledged to be a Classic. When that happens you know you're dealing with a relative "newbie" in the world whose exposure to genre cinema isn't nearly as expansive as they think it is. War Movie lists that leave off "Sergeant York" (out of sight for along time) come to mind. So do "Best Westerns" lists that ignore "Broken Arrow" (another hard to find one for quite a while). This film is a treasure.
To all who think "Broken Arrow" is a John Travolta/Christian Slater military action thriller, I've got news for you: Travolta/Slater is just an "ehhh" popcorn programmer that happens to LIFT the title of one of the
most admired, acclaimed, respected, and loved westerns of all time; one that belongs up there with "The Searchers" , "Fort Apache", and others in the category of "the greatest".
Released in 1950, this Delmer Daves film tells the true (with very little ...and, even then, only minor...fictionalization) story of ex-Army officer Tom Jeffords and his early-1870s interactions with the great Apache warrior Cochise; a relationship that led to a major degree of peace in Arizona in the long run. It is a tale well written, well told, and beautifully photographed. Nominated for several Oscars and Golden Globe Awards, it won the Golden Globe for best screenplay.
Shot in magnificent locations in Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona, and Lone Pine, California, the scenics are just gorgeous and the color cinematography absolutely superb.
The cast is fabulous as well. Jimmy Stewart turns in a great performance as Jeffords (gee, what a surprise! Stewart ALWAYS delivers!) but the performance to watch is Jeff Chandler as Cochise. It is awesome and well worthy of the Oscar nomination he received for it. To those unfamiliar with Jeff Chandler , he was a VERY popular he-man (like Duke Wayne or Robert Mitchum) actor of the fifties who possessed a facial bone structure like carved granite and a head of thick, prematurely grey hair. This was a guy born to play in westerns and private detective thrillers.
Chandler was on his way towards icon status when he died unexpectedly much before his time. He lives on here as Cochise, though, and this is not a bad legacy to leave behind.
Also here is one of the greatest acting beauties of the 50s, the breathtakingly beautiful Debra Paget. Paget could hold a male audience spellbound and get them all agitated when directors would kill her off ,as in "Broken Arrow", and, when they had her jump into a volcano as a self-sacrifice in the 2nd version of "Bird of Paradise" ( I remember yelling when I first saw that on tv years ago).
Many familiar character actors turn up here, among them Iron Eyes Cody and Arthur Hunnicutt. Hunnicutt, bearded and carrying a bugle, would, some eighteen years later, appear as "Bull" with Duke Wayne and Bob Mitchum in Howard Hawks' "El Dorado". Here he is "Milt Duffield" a friend of Tom Jeffords.
Also making a splash in "Broken Arrow" is Mohawk character actor Harold J. Smith, playing Cochise's nemesis, Geronimo. Don't know him? SURE you do. You just know him as Jay Silverheels, and, at the same time he was playing hard-edged bad boy Geronimo for 20th Century Fox, he was off
also playing good guy Tonto with Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger for George Trendle.
All these elements combine here to make for a wonderful movie, western or otherwise.
It would also be interesting to note that this film has an affiliation with John Ford's "Fort Apache" in that, in "FA", Henry Fonda's unscrupulous "Col.Thursday" uses John Wayne's "Capt. York" character to deceive Cochise into a parley where he insults him (to Wayne's horror and disgust) and tries to capture his band. Fonda "gets his" because of this, deservedly so. One could almost watch "Fort Apache" and then "Broken Arrow" one right after the other and get a sense of this chief and his people...and understand that, in order to have any common ground with him, you did not try to trick him, con him, or lie to him. You did so at your peril.
One might also note that the popularity of this film carried over into a t.v. show in the fifties. The t.v. "Broken Arrow" starred John Lupton as Jeffords and Michael Ansara as Cochise. It featured mainly "keeping the peace" and "countering Geronimo" type stories.
Again, this one is real keeper. Rent it, buy it, watch it. You won't be sorry in the least. I am very glad its available again.
Movie Review: Breathtaking Arizona scenes
Summary: 5 Stars
Broken Arrow, starting Jimmy Stuart and Jeff Chandler is a superb film about the fight of the Apaches to maintain their way of life as the white man claims more and more territory away from the tribes.
The story takes place against beautiful scenes of the Arizona landscape. We see an ex-army scout by the name of Tom Jefford save the life of young Indian boy who has been shot during a fight with the white man and the boy begins to understand that not all white man are alike, and that while some may be bad, at least this one was willing to stop his day to day activity for the purpose of preservation of his life.
When the tribe finds him, he interferes on behalf of this white man and, in turn, saves his life as he explains to his fellow Apaches how this white man is different. So, the white man in turn, begins to understand that not all Apaches are bad, that they can be honorable and appreciative. To resolve the differences between the Apache and the white man, Tom Jefford learns the language of the Apaches, learns about their customs, ways and beliefs. He wants to meet with their chief, Cochise to see if they can live in peace.
At least he wants to get Cochise to agree that no post-man carrying US mail will be attacked. Correspondence exchanges had come to a stop for the people of the town.
The big day comes when Tom Jefford rides towards the unknown, getting deeper and deeper into Indian Territory in search of Cochise. He has been told not to lie under any circumstances because Cochise is able to see into his heart. As he approaches the chief's hold-out, he realizes that he is not stopped even though many worriers are looking as he goes by and finally, he reaches Cochise.
The men meet and develop mutual respect and in time, a great friendship. Tom walks away with the promise that the mailmen will be respected, even though all other travelers will still be at war. Now, the hard work starts because on both sides, Indians and whites, there are many resentful individuals that try to prevent peace.
The story develops with great challenges on sides, much hard ache and we see how "change' is a difficult subject and how men must work hard to evolve beyond war to live in peace.
But the movie is beautiful, the scenery breathtaking and the acting simply superb, so we sincerely recommend that you do not miss this one!
Movie Review: As close as we may come to the story of Jeffords and Cochise on film
Summary: 5 Stars
The film dramatizes episodes from the life of Cochise, the great chief of the Chiricahua Apache,and his relationship to Tom Jeffords, a scout for the American cavalry in the Arizona territory. This is not a film that renders either a reliable historical portrait of either hero, or the circumstances which led to the eventual decline and dissolution of Cochise.
Instead the film stands as one of the first films Hollywood dared produce which exposed our nation's disenfranchisement and senseless slaughter of indigenous tribes, and also those humans who were personally destroyed by their faith in broken treaties.
While the script is oddly campy, its intentions were not. Jeff Chandler gives a strong, characterful performance as Cochise, while Jimmy Stewart as Tom Jeffords, brings his part to life with conviction and pathos, finessing some of the more wooden lines he was ever required to deliver.
Debra Paget, who plays the Chiricahuan maiden who eventually marries Jeffords, has perhaps the most cumbersome and predictable lines, but is so exquisitely beautiful, most viewers will hardly care. Her romance with Jeffords echoes the star-crossed relationship of Romeo and Juliet, with less poetry, but relative sadness.
It is a movie with wonderful cinematography and narrative tension. Unlike many of today's American films of the old West, it is neither drenched in blood, drowning in special effects or prurience. Instead, it is a mythic, formulaic tale of the peace former enemies attempted on the part of two opposing cultures.
While Jeffords isn't Stewart's most memorable role, it is one of his most significant because it revealed the rising consciousness our artistic community dared address on behalf of the hundreds of tribes marginalized and murdered by settlers, soldiers and disingenuous government. Ulysses Grant doesn't need much more negative press, but he certainly receives it in BROKEN ARROW.
I can recommend the film without serious reservations to those who relish vintage movies which sacrifice historical authenticity for dramatic potency. Serious historians of the period would be better served by Arnold's book, BLOOD BROTHER. Fans of Chandler and Stewart should purchase this beautifully transferred DVD without reservation.
Movie Review: One of the best westerns about the American Indians of all time!
Summary: 5 Stars
This film gives the best multilateral view of the American Indians versus the American white settlers than any Western genre of film I have seen. The story behind this film is a type of parable that can really be applied to any inter-racial or -ethnic conflict of any kind. It really states how we, regardless of race, religion, color, or ethnic background, can unite and work together to accomplish peace through increased efforts to bring about mutual understanding and trust. It is moving story of what "real" diplomacy is all about and the surrendering of one's own personal ambitions, prejudices, or fears to bring about the greater good of the whole. Too often we judge an entire group of people by a few bad men found among them and allow that to be the catalyst in forming our opinions or sentiments regarding another race or group of people. This story shows how there are good and bad among all people and that conditions of peace and friendship should not be based on the few "bad apples" that so often spoil those relationships with other peoples, races and nations by our holding up those few as being respresentative of an entire people or nation. It is a story that would serve all of us well today in a world filled with so much of hate, violence, prejudice, and mistrust. It also does much to tell the story of how one person, or small group of people, through their own personal efforts and sacrifice can do a great deal to help make the world a better place for everyone concerned. It really stirs consideration of how we can all unite together regardless of our backgrounds to overcome the real enemy in our midst.Movie Review: THEY'RE DIFFERENT NOT DEFICIENT!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the story of Tom Jeffords (Jimmy Stewart), as told by him, and how he was recruited to 'remove' the Apache tribe that was ambushing the mail carriers in the Arizona area. Jeffords changes his mind after a 'Good Samaritan' experience. Riding through the desert he spots the buzzards circling and looks for their prey. It's a severely wounded young Apache Brave who has been shot 8 times (in the back no less) by American soldiers. Jeffords stops and saves his life and when the tribe finds them both and lets him go after realizing what he did, he comes to believe there is the possibility of negotiating a peace treaty instead of 'removing' them. He spent a month learning the language and customs of the Apaches from a real Apache. He then went alone into Apache territory to try to meet Cochise (something no white man had ever done). What happens is a powerful story of reconciliation and trust between Cochise and Jeffords. Both men must convince those around them that the other can really be trusted, a very difficult challenge. This builds to a tragic, but ultimately hopeful climax. A powerful film in its own right but also a story for everyone who feels we have to 'remove' our enemies. Is it not better to try to understand them first? Would this plan not be a better first step in dealing with our enemies rather than the last? How about in our families, in our communities? Could we not all do better pursuing understanding rather than removing? A powerful film. [...].