Broken Arrow (1950)

Pretty Good

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Released in 1950 and directed by Delmer Daves, "Broken Arrow" stars Jimmy Stewart as a former soldier, Tom Jeffords, who saves an Apache teen after ten years of war between settlers and Natives in 1870, Arizona. When the boy's elders extend him mercy Jeffords sees the Apaches as human beings rather than faceless enemies for the first time and becomes the mediator between the warring factions. Jeff Chandler is stunning as the Apache leader, Cochise, but Debra Paget, only 16 years-old during filming, looks too whitebread to be believable. I love Debra, but casting her in this role is eye-rolling. To the film's credit, several of the peripheral Apache characters are played by Native Americans, including Jay Silverheels and John War Eagle. The emphasis is on the Apache way of life and the movie is touted as the first pro-Indian Western ("pro-Indian" to a point), but this simply isn't the case. "Buffalo Bill" with Joel McCrea came out six years earlier and it was clearly favorable toward the Natives. "Broken Arrow" just goes a little further in this direction. Regardless, it is amazing to view Westerns from this long ago that are evenhanded regarding the Indian Wars, honestly portraying the Natives as hostile and formidable, but also with respect to their perspective and way of life. While obviously dated in some respects, both "Buffalo Bill" and "Broken Arrow" stand the test of time and remain entertaining and even enlightening to this day. The movie runs 93 minutes and was shot in Arizona, but also Iversion Ranch & Alabama Hills, California.GRADE: B+ or A-

What a refreshing western! I'm not generally enamoured of the genre, but what really struck me in "Broken Arrow" was the portrayal of the Apache people. If you sit down to watch a western, you expect a pretty clear-cut black and white divide with no grey areas: the Americans are good and the "Indians" are bad. End of story. And yet, back in 1950, this movie was made in which the Apache are portrayed as an honourable people. The story pulls no punches - it doesn't shy away from noting that most of the problems between natives and settlers was caused by "the white man" and the Apache (and especially their leader Cochise) are quite willing to sit down and talk peace if they can find a white man they trust to do so with. That white man turns out to be Tom Jeffords, played by James Stewart.Stewart was very good in this role. Jeffords is not an innocent. As he makes clear he's been involved in battles with the Apache in the past, but somehow he comes to realize that there has to be a better way, and he sets out to arrange a small gesture that would show that peace was possible - he meets the great Apache chief Cochise (played by Jeff Chandler) and he convinces Cochise not to end the war, but just to let the US Mail through. That's all. Just a gesture. Cochise agrees, and as the movie portrays, the Apache adhere to the agreement scrupulously. Military convoys are still attacked, but mail carriers are allowed through unmolested. In the midst of it all, Jeffords meets a young Apache woman names Sonseeahray (Debra Paget) and falls in love with her, eventually marrying her - an inter-racial marriage that would have been difficult in 1870 when the movie was set, and probably would have still caused angst among some in 1950 when it was made!Stewart and Chandler were both very good in their roles. Obviously, Chandler was not an Apache but he somehow captured the essence of the character of Cochise and was believable in the role. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Paget. Frankly, she just came across to me as a white actress whose skin had been bronzed in a weak attempt to make her look like an Apache. But the movie as a whole was very interesting. The producers made a real effort to portray Apache customs and rituals, and the choice to have everyone speak in normal English rather than having the Apache speak in broken English was welcome to me. The point was made near the beginning of the movie that in scenes involving the Apache, the language being spoken was really theirs, but it would be in English for the viewers. I thought this was a very good movie, quite progressive for its time in its portrayal of the Apache and their customs. (7/10)

Decent historical drama, just a bit patronising.The true story of Tom Jeffords (played by James Stewart), who, in the early-1870s, negotiated a peace treaty between the Apache tribe, lead by Coshise (played by Jeff Chandler) and the US government.Interesting from an historical perspective, and also from a purely dramatical perspective. Moreover, and rare for a 1950s movie, the Indians are portrayed in a positive light. Well, no worse a light than the white people. However, some of the story appears dramatised, and some stuff is plain unnecessary. Moreover, it all feels a bit patronising towards Indians. Small steps, I guess, after how Indians were usually portrayed in Westerns.Hard to fault any James Stewart performance and he does a good job here. However, his good-guy image and delivery goes a long way to create the patronising feel of the movie.

I think you'd be hard pressed to find a film in the Western genre that has a significant moral and ethical message woven into its fabric. Broken Arrow is exactly that. It doesn't even try to hide the message, this film is as political as it could possibly be. There are some significant controversies around the film given many of the Native Americans were played by non-Native Americans but honestly...does that matter? This was during a time when Native Americans were not portrayed well and I happen to think they did them justice in a big way. The film does use many of the elements we know from Western films but it still has this distinctive style of its own because of this brilliant and beautiful story about friendship. From what I know of the late 1800's history this was very accurate to the stories and bravo to them for that. Its a simple story and the romance almost gets in the way but at the same time adds a lot of heart to the overall film and is necessary for entertainment value if nothing else. The performances for me were nothing short of amazing and there was just some incredible chemistry and a story that was fascinating. It is easily one of the most well written and intelligent Westerns I have ever seen.If you follow my reviews you'll know I am on a quest to gorge myself on Mr. Jimmy Stewart. The man is a truly Hollywood legend, generally considered one of the greatest actors of all time and I adore his Westerns (most of them.) In this film he is just on his A-Game. Stewart's Tom Jeffords is stoic, heroic, determined and tough as grit. This is about him being a cowboy and we know a little about Jeffords background. His diplomacy leads a nation to attempt peace with a people they took everything from. Stewart is just brilliant in this. Jeff Chandler plays the Apache leader Cochise and really steals the show in my opinion. He was amazing. Yes, I know he's not Native American but did he not do the role justice? He is just shows so much depth and charisma and leadership and the chemistry between his Cochise and Jeffords is remarkable. I would kill to see the TV Series that ran two seasons (neither man reprise their role) but this relationship is the ultimate friendship out of the ashes. Debra Paget (she was 15 at the time, something that I could just barely get past because it seems awkward with Stewart's age of 41) is the lovely and innocent Sonseeahray who steals Jeffords' heart. She really does steal it because the two go from seeing each other once to a passionate love affair. I understand the relationship and how vital it was and they were very good together but it is rushed and feels almost unnecessary. They spend time building a romance that is constantly rushed from start to finish.The romantic side of things and the far too brief, cut and dry ending are my only complaints about this amazing classic film. The story is just brilliant and it is steeped in history and in a genre that is crowded with thousands of films this one stands apart. Hollywood used to allow directors that knew their genre do their best work. Delmer Dawes has a handful of Western's to his credit. He went on to direct the classic 3:10 to Yuma (I have yet to see the original) and he knows the genre well. This is so much more than a Western. This isn't cowboys and Indians and its not dusty towns or gold mines or Civil War era. This is a story about the most amazing diplomatic mission. You will root for peace and cringe at the war and violence. If you are a lover of historical films or Westerns you will find this sits so high above everything else out there. It truly was a near perfect experience for me and I will absolutely be added it to my collection to see again. Broken Arrow is a classic in every sense of the word. 9/10