Broken Arrow was actually the start of James Stewart's return to the western genre. His first western was Destry Rides Again in 1939 and he waited for over 10 years to do another. After that he did them quite regularly. Broken Arrow was made first, but held up over a year before release so Winchester 73 was actually Stewart's official return to the west. But both films had a lasting impact on his career.
This is the story of Army Captain Tom Jeffords who with a simple act of kindness started a peace process with the Apaches led by their charismatic leader Cochise. Jeffords, a veteran of the Union Army and the frontier wars is heartily sick of the slaughter he's witnessed and participated in. He finds an Indian boy who's been wounded by whites and he tends to them and heals him. One thing leads to another and pretty soon Jeffords finds himself in the camp of Cochise with whom he strikes up a friendship. He also woos and wins an Apache maid named Sonseehray. Jeffords and Cochise with General Oliver O. Howard make a treaty with the Apache, at least most of them.
Broken Arrow did a lot for James Stewart, but even more for Jeff Chandler who plays Cochise. Cochise was a man in his late 60s when this was really taking place, but Chandler in his prematurely gray hair, portrays him well. Chandler got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Cochise. Jeffords and Cochise are men of good will and decency who see an honest peace as the only answer. Of course both have to contend with people who won't or can't accept peace with the other race. It's those people and what they do break the peace that is the rest of Broken Arrow's story.
Delmar Daves is a good director of western films and in fact did another film about the U.S. Government trying to make peace with another Indian tribe, the Modocs in Oregon, in the film Drumbeat. He gets good results out of the rest of the cast.
Note the performances of Will Geer as an Indian hating rancher, Debra Paget as Sonseehray, and Basil Ruysdael as General Howard. The screenplay was done by Albert Maltz of the Hollywood Ten. How ironic that Maltz was blacklisted after this film. I suppose a film about peace between the races and good will towards one's fellow men was highly subversive. Broken Arrow was given much acclaim for being the first film to express the view that Indians were something more than bloodthirsty savages.
That's not exactly true, other films around that time started saying the same thing. Nevertheless Broken Arrow's message is an eternal one. Says so in the Scriptures if I'm not mistaken. Although the story is entertaining and the performances of James Stewart, Jeff Chandler and Debra Paget outstanding, what makes Broken Arrow a landmark film is its portrayal of the Apache Indians as something more than savage killers. Indians in the movies were always seen as brutal and inhuman. Here they are seen as people who want what the 'white men' wanted: to live in freedom with their families on their own land and to live their lives in their own way.
Jeff Chandler is terrific as Apache leader Cochise, who he would play twice more in other films. There is a moving scene when they return from battle and he recites the names of those killed with a pained look in his eyes.
Cochise and Stewart's character have a relationship which grows from mutual respect to a true friendship as they try to work out peace between the whites and indians. Stewart is looked on as a traitor by his friends and things are complicated further by his relationship with the young Apache girl played by Debra Paget. I cannot think of another western in which indians have been portrayed as real people with emotions who hurt, who love. When this film was released 50 years ago, blacks, asians and American Indians were still being portrayed using the worst kinds of racial stereotypes.
Delmer Daves offers an important major role to an Indian character, treating him with quality and esteem as human being. Tagline: Of this motion picture the screen can be proud. A generation from now. Worth repeating this tagline, because after seeing the film again for the first time in 42 years, it's right on. 50s westerns almost universally depicted Indians as pigeon-English speaking savages. Or tried to talk Indian that translated to pigeon-Indian. While the leading cast is all-Anglo, the perspective is that both sides in the Wild West were had more than a few intelligent, caring individuals among them.
A willingness to sacrifice much (including renegades) to achieve a lasting peace is the message. Jimmy Stewart had something to lose by doing a picture like this, but the acting here stands with any in his career. The portrayal of Cochise by Jeff Chandler is powerful, although unquestionably a little bit too noble-savagish. 'Let's mosey on over there' is a line spoken by Stewart toward the end of the film. Takes you back to a time when people took time to mosey. A good-hearted picture by a little-known director standing up against the prevailing stereotypes. Wouldn't be surprised if Costner watched it more than once before making 'Dances with Wolves'.
As the war rages between the American settlers and the Apache, former soldier Tom Jeffords happens upon a young Indian wounded after an attack. Taking upon himself to aid the boy, it's not long before the Apache show up intent on killing Jeffords by way of the war instincts. Pleading for Jeffords' life, the boy manages to get him spared by the Apache chief, Cochise. It's the start of a friendship that may just bring and end to the war and peace across the west.
Tho not the first 'social' Western film made, Broken Arrow, it can be argued, is maybe one of the most important and telling genre films of the 50s. Showing humanist portrayals of the Apache and dealing out level headed tellings of the relationships between whites and the Native Americans, Delmer Daves' film is as relevant today as it was back on release.
Adapted from Elliott Arnold's novel Blood Brother, the story follows Jeffords (a measured and fine James Stewart) as he attempts to broker peace between the warring factions. Firstly by convincing Cochise (Jeff Chandler bang on form) to allow the mail run thru the pass, something that brings suspicion and calls of Indian lover from Jeffords' own kind, and then to finally set up a peace pact at a time when violence and hatred was rife in the west.
As the friendship between the two men grows, Jeffords and an Apache girl fall in love (beautiful Debra Paget as Sonseeahray), thus giving the story a further jolt of momentum. The screenplay then really hits its stride, as Daves and his crew pit peace and inter racial love against a backdrop of bloodshed and savagery. Never glossing over just how hard peace is going to be, Broken Arrow retains intelligence and a sensitivity even as breakaway factions from both sides (for example we see Geronimo split the Apache and form a renegade front) are intent on killing off the peace process. It even has time for deep emotional kickers to reinforce the point of just how tough and unlikely peace and tolerance can be sometimes. Broken Arrow was, and still is, a bold picture. In fact it can be argued that for the likes of Daves and Stewart, it was at the time very bold and risky career moves.
But it paid off because the film stands up today as a picture of some distinction. It's themes and approach to its subjects are something that this generation, and all the future ones, will always find to be socially important. Boosted by Hugo Friedhofer's luscious score and taking advantage of the Lone Pine location shoot, Broken Arrow is a fine fine film that even non Western fans should be looking to absorb. 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. When Tomahawk and carbine split the West asunder, these braves, the scout Tom Jefford and chief Cochise, stood in glory. The fate of the great southwest lay in their hands, for this was the hour of decision and the last and deadliest of the Indian wars. This is a story true as the arrow's aim, powerful as the love that wed a white man to an Indian girl and fighting to coexist on the Western frontier in the 1870s. As usual, crooked settlers and mean traders thwart peace. James Stewart as Tom Jefford, an ex-Army explorer, who dared the red man's vengeance-the white man's scorn and attempting to find truce among feuding white man and Indian.
Debra Paget, as Sonseeahray whose soft lips answered a white man's search love. Jeff Chandler, as Cochise, the most blood-thirsty of Apaches, who took a white man for his blood brother. Joyce McKenzie as Terry Wilson, she waited alone in Tucson and lost-to an Indian girl. The film is plenty of adventures, shootouts, noisy action and spectacular landscapes. However; displaying a sad finale, as Cochise tells to Tom Jeffords: ¨As I bear the murder of my people, so you will bear the murder of you wife¨. This picture acclaimed like one of the first to deal the Indian with understanding and justice. The film contains agreeable depiction about Indian customs as it actually was, including dancing, complex mythology, pagan Gods and their peculiar culture.
The movie is shot in Cocominto Mountains of Arizona with marvellous outdoors. Excellent performances from James Stewart as Tom Jefford and Jeff Chandler as Cochise with scars on his face caused by a previous car crash. Interesting screenplay by Albert Matz though credited as Michacarel Blankfort, but he was blacklisted. Evocative and imaginative score by Hugo Friedhofer. The motion picture was well and compellingly directed by Delmer Daves. He was a good professional who directed all kinds of genres, such as: Romantic dramas: ¨Rome adventure¨, ¨Parrish¨, ¨A summer Place¨; WWII: ¨Task force¨, ¨Hollywood canteen¨, ¨Destination Tokyo¨, Noir film: ¨Dark passage¨, ¨The red house¨, Historical: ¨Demetrius and the gladiators¨ and especially Western: ¨The hang tree¨, ¨The Badlanders¨, ¨Cowboy¨, ¨3.10 to Yuma¨, ¨Jubal¨, ¨Drum Beat¨, and this¨ Broken arrow¨. It's followed by sequels and Chandler performed Cochise again in ¨Battle of Apache pass¨ and Rock Hudson played his son in ¨Taza, son of Cochise¨ and subsequently continued a TV series.
Rating: Above average for respect on interesting Indian culture.but this was a very fine Western, and I don't even like the Western genre particularly well. James Stewart plays Tom Jeffords, an ex-army soldier, scout, and now someone who is panning for gold in Apache country. He comes across a wounded Apache child and heals him, but he doesn't leave Apache country before he comes upon a war party. When they learn he isn't somebody who takes Apache scalps and that he helped one of their own, they let him go but warn him not to return. This teaches him that the Apache can play fair. He decides to learn their ways and language from an Apache in town, and sets out on the dangerous mission to meet Cochise, leader of the Apaches, and to try to slowly build peace between the Apache and the Americans, who are trying to settle Arizona after the Civil War - that is if he survives his first encounter with an Apache scouting party, who just might kill him for the sake of the Apache and Americans being at war.
I don't know how accurate this film is historically, but there is some fine acting, action, suspense, and even a touching Anglo-Apache romance. Although the idea of Jeff Chandler as Cochise, who usually played beefcake roles over at Universal, seemed somewhat laughable to me at first, his performance rings true.
So true, in fact, there was a kind of sequel where Chandler again played Cochise and Jay Silverheels again played Geronimo. Maybe this film had Jeffords as a kind of 'loyal American loner' to speak to issues larger than just that of the history of which this film deals.
As a loner Jeffords could see the problem more objectively than somebody with a large extended family and network of friends that could influence him against the reasoning of his own mind. With the Cold War in full swing and the civil rights era just beginning in America at the time it was made, maybe this film was trying to speak for the equality of all people and against the mentality of the mob. I think that's why so many Westerns were made in the 50's and 60's.
There was the interesting story on the surface, but there was also the dealing with tricky social issues just under that surface that society wasn't quite ready to face in a direct manner yet. While I have seen better westerns, I was really impressed with Broken Arrow. Not just because it is a very good film, but it is also different. While a lot of westerns deal with themes(some complex, some not so much)such as revenge and betrayal, Broken Arrow is a very poetic and elegiac film that you can see perfectly in how the story is constructed. Also the Indians here are portrayed as those in want of freedom with their families, which I found refreshing, seeing as I have seen them portrayed as quite brutal. Broken Arrow is a beautifully photographed film, the script flows nicely and is thought-provoking and the score is very stirring.
The acting is fine, Debra Paget, breathtakingly-beautiful she is, and her scenes with Stewart are touching, is good but I couldn't help thinking they could have cast someone older. James Stewart is very believable in one of his better western performances, while Jeff Chandler gives the best performance of his career here and also the best performance of the movie too. All in all, excellent and very moving film. 8/10 Bethany Cox. In this underrated Western, Stewart is an ex-scout who tries to make peace between the Apaches and the white settlers in 1870s Arizona. For some reason this film's reputation has taken a hit over the years, but it is quite enjoyable. Stewart made several Westerns in the 1950s, starting with this and 'Winchester 73' in 1950.
Although the latter film is more highly regarded today, this film is actually better crafted, boasting fine cinematography and score. Chandler gives perhaps the best performance of his career as the noble Apache chief who is willing to make peace. Paget (looking like Britney Spears!) plays Stewart's love interest. The movie is in the past conditional,because we know the real end of the story and Delmer Daves who had been studying the Indians ways for a long time did not try to fool the audience:'broken arrow' is not a nice 'peace and love' movie:there are plenty of death,violence and hatred here,more than in the average western.As Cochise says,living in peace is more difficult than waging war.But Jeffords and him become legendary figures whom we can still meet today everywhere in the world,peace on earth and good will to men.Thus his story becomes universal.
There's a wistful,not to say very sad side:Delmer Daves is like John Lennon singing 'imagine' or Neil Young singing 'Pocahontas' (I wish I was a trapper/I would give a thousand pelts/To sleep with Pocahontas/And find out how she felt/In the morning in the fields of green/in the home land we've never seen):he does know that all these promises are illusive,the two protagonists trust each other,but who else can they trust?The dice are loaded from the start. That's why the love scenes are so important and among the most visually astounding we can see in a western.Thanks partly to Debra Paget's breathtaking beauty,the scenes between Jeffords and Sonseearhay climax the movie.They give the audience a taste of a lost paradise 'the homeland we've never seen':Jefford's dream only really comes true in these sequences where the lovers are under the 'big sky' in communion with nature. Some will complain because everybody speaks English,but Tom's voice-over warns us from the very start.Kevin Costner,who makes his Oscar-winning 'dance with wolves' in the early nineties,owes a good deal to Delmer Daves. I know that having a Jew from New York (Jeff Chandler) play Cochise is NOT the most enlightened thing a film studio could have done, however, in most other respects Hollywood actually tried to get it right in this simple film. Instead of American-Indians being one-dimensional and bad or stupid, here they are real people and the complexities of the relationship between them and the rest of America is actually considered-a rarity in 1950s Hollywood. The movie begins with Jimmy Stewart playing an ex-scout out West during the latter portion of the 19th century. He happens upon an injured Apache teen and nurses him back to health.
Most Whites would have probably shot him or left him and Stewart's kindness had a huge impact on the boy. So, later, when they are captured by Apaches, the boy begs them to let Stewart go-as he is their friend. A bit later, Stewart realizes that his own perceptions about Indians changed through meeting and spending time with one, so maybe, he reasons, he can learn the language and customs and act as a bridge between the two clashing cultures. Eventually, he goes to live with the Apaches and slowly gains their trust and a strong friendship with their chief, Cochise. There's a lot more to the film than this, such as his relationship with an Apache lady, but this is just something you'll have to learn about by seeing the film-I don't want to spoil it.
Overall, an amazingly sensitive portrait of American-Indians and a film that tried to show the common ground between them and the rest of America. A lovely film that I really enjoyed, though the film did seem to end a bit more abruptly than I might have liked. Still, it was probably the best portrayal of this group since the 1920s and 30s (with films such as THE VANISHING American and THE SQUAW MAN). Broken Arrow's story is about making peace with the Apaches. James Stewart (Tom Jeffords) is the ex-scout who gets to know Cochise (Jeff Chandler better than in any other film he made). He also falls in love with Debra Paget (also beautiful and angelic and at her best). Being a friend of Cochise, Jeffords decides to be the intermediary in the process of peacemaking.
On both sides there are elements who don't want any peace, in the case of the Apaches it is Geronimo. Stewart is called a spy by his own folks who also want to hang him. Their aim (Cochise and Jeffords) is an ideal peace treaty where neither side will come out losing more than the other. This film is a good lesson in the mechanism of making peace. Excellent adaptation of Elliott Arnold's book 'Blood Brother' concerning the talk, the need, and the struggle for peace between the white man and the Apache Indians in 1870 Arizona. James Stewart is very effective as a brave former Scout for the Union who used to kill Indians but who now wants the slaughters to stop; he learns their tongue, sends up a smoke signal, and is soon in conference with Cochise himself to allow the U.S. Mail-riders safely through Apache terrain.he also finds love with Indian princess Debra Paget, a romance his racist white brothers obviously resent (and at least one Apache soldier as well).
Strong, moving story relies on the complicated interpersonal relationships between the characters for its impact, and the performances from Stewart, Paget, and Oscar-nominated Jeff Chandler do not disappoint. Beautifully filmed on rugged locations, Delmer Daves directs a winner, one of the best westerns of its era. from.
BROKEN ARROW – 1950 It is the early 1870's in the Arizona Territory, there has been a bloody and vicious war going on for a number of years. The settlers and the Apache tribe under the command of Cochise, have being having a no holds barred fight with various atrocities being traded back and forth. Former soldier and Army scout, Tom Jeffords (Jimmy Stewart) is out riding the hills doing a little gold prospecting.
He comes across a young Apache lad suffering from a shotgun wound. He tends to the boy's wounds and helps him heal up. Several days later, a party of Apache show up. It is all the lad can do to stop them from doing in Stewart. The lad tells the leader, Jay Silverheels, that Stewart had saved his life. Silverheels lets Stewart go with a warning to never return.
Stewart then witnesses the same group, ambush, and nearly wipe out a small group of prospectors. Stewart returns to town with this tale. Stewart decides that this war needs to end. He has a 'tame' Apache teach him how to speak Apache along with their customs etc. A month later he rides off into the mountains, where Cochise, (Jeff Chandler) has his stronghold.
The two meet and talk out a minor deal to let Pony Express riders through Cochise's territory. It is the first move towards peace.
This effort is not met with joy from everyone. Some of the townsfolk think the only good Indian is a dead Indian. Cochise also has a few malcontents who only want war. When a group of Army troops gets a rather sound beating for trespassing on Apache land, it looks like full-fledged war is going to start up again. However, the U.S. Government has sent out General Howard to make a treaty. Howard (Basil Ruysdael) is known as a straight shooter who keeps his word.
Ruysdeal convinces Stewart to take him to see Chandler to begin talks for peace. Stewart arranges the meeting. Chandler is not all that inclined to believe a Blue Coat. Stewart tells Chandler that 'he' trusts the General.
Rules and terms are pounded out and it looks like it will work. Needless to say a group of Apache led by Geronimo (Jay Silverheels) decide to continue the fight. While all this has been going on, Stewart has fallen for Apache maiden, Debra Paget. Stewart wants to marry the girl, who feels likewise towards Stewart.
Chandler points out all problems that might arise from such a joining, but Stewart is determined to close the deal. The treaty is a success with the odd hic-up caused by the Apache renegades and some settlers out looking for gold on Apache land. The wedding between Paget and Stewart goes off and the two seem very happy.
Several weeks later a lad from town is brought into the Apache camp. He was found on Apache land.
The boy, Mickey Kuhn, is the son of the leader, Will Geer, of the Indian haters in town. Kuhn says that two of his young ponies had been stolen and he tracked them to Apache land. Chandler says that if this is true, he will see they are returned. Chandler, Stewart, Paget and Kuhn head up the trail to where the pony tracks lead into Apache land. It turns out the whole thing is a plot to lure Chandler out of camp. 7-8 men led by Geer are waiting to ambush Chandler. Stewart spots the play and tells Chandler to beat it.
This he does, but not before dispatching a few of the gunmen. Stewart stands his ground and likewise accounts for several before going down in a hail of lead. Chandler returns with some braves who set off after the remaining ambushers.
He finds the wounded Stewart crying over the body of Paget. She had caught a few bullets during the battle and was killed. The death of Paget deepens the bonds of friendship between Chandler and Stewart. Stewart now rides off into the sunset. This film was one of the first to treat the North American Native as something other than brutal savages. It tries to play fair and equal when showing the mistakes and hatred that came from both sides in the conflict. Also in the cast is, Arthur Hunnicutt, John Doucette and Iron Eyes Cody.
Iron Eyes Cody was from Louisiana and of Italian decent. He moved to Hollywood, changed his name and pretended to be Native Indian. He appeared in several hundred films and TV shows playing a Native. It was not till the 1990's that it was discovered who he really was. This very fine western was the first of a series of westerns made by director, Delmer Daves. Daves was a writer, producer and director. He started out with war films, DESTINATION TOKYO, PRIDE OF THE MARINES, switched to film noir, TO THE VICTOR, THE RED HOUSE, DARK PASSAGE, before finding himself a home with westerns.
His westerns include, BROKEN ARROW, DRUM BEAT, JUBAL, THE BADLANDERS, THE LAST WAGON, COWBOY, THE HANGING TREE and 3: 10 TO YUMA. The film features some excellent camera-work from, 3 time nominated and one time Oscar winning cinematographer, Ernest Planer.
The top flight score was from 8 time nominated, and 1 time Oscar winner. Hugo Friedhofer. The film itself was nominated for 3 Oscars with nods for, Best Writing, Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actor, Jeff Chandler. This one is well worth a watch. 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. This is a really solid western, with one of the first balanced or sympathetic portraits of Native Americans to be found in a Hollywood film. It also has a great Technicolor picture, wonderful locations, good performances, a nice romance and well done action scenes.
A former soldier Tom Jeffords (James Stewart) decides to become involved in the conflict with the Apache because he has seen enough bloodshed. After he helps an injured Apache boy he is surprised to find he has more in common with them than he thought. Later Jeffords at great personal risk sets up a meeting with the Apache leader Cochise (Jeff Chandler) to see whether steps can me made towards peace. In his time at Cochise's camp, Jeffords meets a young woman Sonseeahray (Debra Paget) with whom he falls in love. The film is solidly directed by Delmer Daves (Dark Passage, 3:10 to Yuma, Spencer's Mountain) who had a fairly successful career in Hollywood with some fairly memorable pictures though he never quite reaching the top echelon of success.
While the film is based on a true story and includes actual historical figures (Jefford's, Cochise, Geronimo and general Oliver Howard)some liberties with the story's details have been taken. JThe role of Jefford's in the peace treaty and his personal bravery seem fairly accurate though his motivation may have been less simple than is portrayed here, and as is typical from Hollywood the love interest has also been created. The message about finding a peaceful solution through our similarities is unfortunately tainted by the ultimate failure of the treaty and the treatment of Native Americans. Unfortunately despite the sympathetic portrait of Native Americans both of the primary native characters are portrayed by Caucasian actors. Another Apache leader, Geronimo who has a fairly limited role in the film is played by Jay Silverheels (Tonto from the Lone ranger) The film was nominated for 3 Oscars. Starring my personal favorite actor Mr. James Stewart and featuring superlative performances from Jeff Chandler & Debra Paget, 'Broken Arrow' is a fine Western that transcends the conventional attitude of Native Americans being nothing more than mere savages.
This film takes a closer look at the culture of the Chiricahua Apaches in the Rocky Mountain region, the scenery of which is beautifully captured on celluloid. The story is about one brave white American named Tom Jeffords (Stewart), who risks his life by riding into the Apache stronghold led by the natives' champion of truth and honor, Cochise (brilliantly portrayed by Chandler). Jeffords' vision is one in which whites and Apaches can someday live together like brothers, and this is why he wishes to visit the great warrior Cochise. Cochise is no fool; he can see through the insincerity of men, but sensing the honesty and earnestness of Jeffords' vision, Cochise slowly warms to the idea of peace, for which a broken arrow becomes a symbol, hence the picture's title.
In the meantime, Jeffords falls in love with a beautiful young Apache woman named Sonseeahray (Paget), which means 'morning star'. The following are my favorite sequences from 'Broken Arrow' (please DO NOT read any further if you have not yet seen this wonderful picture). The music score by Hugo Friedhofer reaches a nice crescendo as Tom Jeffords rides directly into the Apache stronghold while all the grim natives surround him with weapons ('Riding into the heart of potential danger,' as Stewart biographer Jonathan Coe expressed it). In stark contrast to this quiet intensity is a scene in which the boisterous white townspeople of Tucson raise quite a ruckus as they drag Jeffords out of a saloon and prepare him for a soon-to-be-interrupted lynching. Following several days of Tom's healing a wounded fourteen-year-old Apache boy, Tom is quite lucky to escape with his life as other Apaches who spied on him fire a few arrows ('This white man is my friend!'
, shouts the boy). And the very final shot of this movie, however abrupt it may be, depicts Tom riding away in the wide open country as his heartfelt voice-over narration confirms his unshakable memory of Sonseeahray. In 'Broken Arrow', the character played by James Stewart is fairly mild-mannered and likable. AFTER 'Broken Arrow', however, Stewart would receive the opportunity to further stretch the limited patience of his Western characters, reaching the borderline into sheer ferociousness! This is an excellent movie, thematically ground breaking for its time.
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A model for many Westerns to follow, especially in terms of using the19th Century Indian/White conflict as a metaphor for modern African American civil rights. Note: watch for the 'prequel', 'The Battle of Apache Pass', filmed two years later with Chandler and Silverheels reprising their roles as Cochise and Geronimo. Here's what I liked:. This kicked off a decade of great James Stewart Westerns.
This was the beginning of Stewart establishing himself as one of the top leading men in the history of Western movies.Interesting that Stewart plays the role of peacemaker in the film. Stewart was a highly decorated bomber pilot in WW2 and was deeply traumatized by his exposure to death and destruction.
After the war, he vowed never to star in a film that glorified combat. This is in stark contrast to John Wayne, who dodged service in WW2, yet went on to star several times as a war hero. Albert Maltz, who wrote the screenplay, was blacklisted as a Communist. The struggle to stop the Apache/White conflict in the movie is a metaphor for the increasing tensions of the Cold War. Maltz' theme, indeed, was leftist, as the 'good guys' Cochise and Jeffords, are trying to prevent war i.e. Conservatives of the late '40's were preaching an activist military approach to stemming the spread of Communism. The movie is generally historical accurate.
Jeffords was a real person who did many of the things James Stewart does in the movie. I'm not bothered by the small historical inaccuracies, which are more than justified by artistic license.
Nice to see Jay Silverheels playing the militant Geronimo, since he was stereotyped later as the 'Uncle Tom' Tonto in the 'Lone Ranger' TV series. Nice location shooting in Arizona. Sedona isn't really where these events took place, but close enough. Stunning scenery more than justifies slight inaccuracy. So that's what Arthur Hunnicut looks like without a beard.Here's what stopped the movie from being better:. The whole thing's a little stiff and hokie. Jeff Chandler was OK, although I don't understand how he got an Oscar nomination for the role.
I really don't get why they cast pure Caucasians in these roles, especially Debra Paget. Even if we assume that there were not enough trained Native American actors in 1950, there were any number of Hispanic actors who could have played this role more credibly. Stewart is 41, Page is 16.
I know it was especially common in the 1950's to have large age differences between leading men and ladies, but this is way over top. Frankly, it's statutory rape. The movie needed a better characterized heavy. No comic relief. 'Little Big Man' is still the only solid Indian point of view movie I've seen with a few laughs thrown in. Janes Stewart, Jeff Chandler, Debra Paget truly make the movie, but do not forget the awesome scenery!
I live in Arizona and know where this film was made. Near the town of Sedona and of course, Monument Valley to mention the area. This is probably in my mind one of the top five movies of all time in the Western genre.
It is there with Shane and one that is rarely mentioned; Lonesome Dove! What I do not understand is why there is no DVD on this movie.
It has stood the test of time; over 55 years and still movie audiences still enjoy it. I own a copy of Broken Arrow on Key Video Label, under CBS/Fox Company. This movie is listed as Cat. I have had it since 1988 and it is still in pristine condition. Whether Fox will ever release it on DVD is anyone's guess. I hope they do! First of all, this is a groundbreaking film from the early fifties about racial tolerance and peace disguised as a beautifully scenic Technicolor western starring James Stewart, Jeff Chandler and Debra Paget.
Then it turns out to have been written by Albert Maltz one of the original Hollywood Ten who was blacklisted for not naming names at HUAC (the House Unamerican Activities Committee) hearings in the late forties. It was a dramatization of a true incident in American history when in 1872 Tom Jeffords (played by James Stewart) helped negotiate a peace treaty with Cochise (Jeff Chandler) the Chief of the Chiricahua Apaches.
Several elements are historically accurate, including Jefford's lone ride into Cochise's camp, the mail riders, the presence of General 'The Christian General' Howard, and most intriguing of all, the portrayal of Apache life. The tension and distrust of warring nations seeking peace is a problem both the 'Americans' and the Apaches try to resolve.
Jefford's realization that Apaches, like other nations, want merely to be left in peace, and wage war only to protect their own is contrasted with scenes of Apache cruelty towards whites. Indians are not just presented idyllically as 'noble savages,' but are subject to the same forces that pull men to war. In spite of these murders and Indians attacks that he sees and hears about, Jeffords trusts the Indians to be men of honor and seeks treaties with them. Jeff Chandler plays Cochise with strength, nobility and a touch of tenderness. No wonder he was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.
So striking was he that he played Cochise in two more films. To further the theme of brotherhood, Tom falls in love with and marries a young Apache girl, Sonseeahray, played by a 16 year old Debra Paget, with perfect skin, undeveloped body, and white teeth that blind you when she smiles. We can see her 'in full flower' in Roger Corman's great 'Tales of Terror' (1962) and 'The Haunted Palace' (1963), as well as in 'The 10 Commandments' (1956). She also had stand out roles in Fritz Lange's two part film released here as 'Journey to the Lost City' (1959) and 'The Indian Tomb' (1959), and, of course, in Elvis Presley's first film, 'Love Me Tender' (1956). 'Broken Arrow' uses the two stories - the inter racial love affair and the quest for peace - to develop its theme of tolerance.
Broken Arrow Theme Music Free Download
You won't see a positive treatment like this in another film of the 1950s! Only a handful of films then confronted racial hatred, though often in a negative way, such as the mind boggling first teaming (of three) between Richard Widmark and Sidney Potier in 'No Way Out' (1950). 'Broken Arrow' won a Golden Globe that year for 'Best Film Promoting International Understanding'. Maltz also wrote the Frank Sinatra plea for tolerance short 'The House I Live In' (1945), containing the title song that both Sinatra and Paul Robeson continued to sing the rest of their careers. Another wonderful aspect of the film is the deeply color saturated Technicolor photography, particularly of scenic Arizona. The cinematography was also nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
Some of the composed landscape shots are priceless. Other little bonuses: we get Jay Silverheels playing a strong willed Geromino instead of the meek Tonto. He played Geronimo in two later films as well. And there is the deep voiced Basil Ruysdael who plays General Howard. He started his career as an opera singer at The Met, and was a radio announcer for 'Cavalcade of America' in the late 1930s, and can be seen as Andrew Jackson in the 'Davy Crockett' (1954-1955) films of Walt Disney. Then there's James Stewart, who looks here like he was born on a horse.
Except for making some flippant hand gestures, he does a good job. I first saw this movie when it came out (I was about 7), and was impressed by the way the Indians were shown, and especially Debra Paget. Now I can see how wonderfully constructed this film is, and how it was years ahead of its time as an 'adult Western.' I'll give it an 8. I shouldn't spoil it by telling you that the peace treaty only lasted until 1875, when the Chiricahua were forced to move to a reservation since the 'Americans' wanted the copper and silver on Apache land. The renewed war continued until Geronimo's surrender in 1886.
So much for the brotherhood of man. The real history of the Indian fight with the white in US is an issue to study.
Hollywood always showed the Indians as the bad boys, I am saying here what has been also asserted by other actors like Marlon Brando and Jack Palance, and I agree with them. Now, this film seems different, but not so deep, it goes shallowly into the problem, but it is a film different from others touching the Indian problem. Cochise was in fact a good politic and not only a fighter, he understood well that the end of the war with whites would have been the extermination of the Apaches, and for that reason he decided to make the peace with the white. Was the peace reasonable and fair for the Indians?
I do not think so. In this film it is shown that the Government of US was only giving a territory of 50 square miles to the Apaches, a misery compared to what they had before the colonization. In addition, Geronimo is here shown as a criminal and somebody hating the whites, again I do not think this Apache boss was like that. Every person is a product of the environment where he lives, faced problems, etc. So showing the hard-fighting Geronimo as the bad boy is not fair with the history.
The film shows the initiative of Tom Jeffords (James Stewart) to make the peace with the Apaches, it looks to me very innocent the way this problem was treated, and how easy it was to 'convince' an already convinced Cochise of the need of peace. I know that the screenplay of this film was made by the writer Albert Maltz, whom I personally respect because of his work and novels, but the film did not go deep into the problems, showing to what extent the whites were responsible for this war with the Apaches. May be Hollywood can remake this film with more historic and fair information about the Indians in the coming future. I'm surprised this film was quite good considering that it was way too Hollywoodish for my tastes! Well, considering it was released back in 1950, those days were real bad in the fact that white people thought that Indians were 'in fact' savages by 'attacking wagon trains and wearing war paint', etc. And since it was a typical Hollywood movie that made the Apaches look like horse riders attacking wagon trains when in fact they did not (yes they had horses in the American Southwest but the Apaches never attacked wagon trains and they never wore war paint either) LOL And yes, there was a real Tom Jeffords but he didn't even look like the way Jimmy Stewart looked in the movie LOL. Actually, Tom Jeffords was a red head who had a red coloured beard and blue eyes.
But him and Cochise were very good friends. That's the reason why I gave this film a 6 out of 10.
Here you can browse:(typically, Audience recordings), and(typically, Soundboard recordings).Discussion ResourcesThe is focused discussion area for the Grateful Dead.In contrast, the is a more general venue for discussion about thousands of other LMA bands, and for more general technical questions about the LMA collection.See the, and the collection's policy notes below for more information. Limited Flag: LimSpecial / LimProject / LimShows / LimSBDs / LimRange. At this time, the Grateful Dead collection is not open to public uploads. The Grateful Dead Internet Archive Project (GDIAP) will continue its direct management of this collection for the time being.Informative Links. Set 1 Jack Straw Bertha Little Red Rooster Broken Arrow Althea When I Paint My Masterpiece Tennessee Jed The Music Never Stopped Set 2 Help On The Way - Slipknot! - Franklin's Tower Samson And Delilah Ship Of Fools Corrina - Drums - Space - The Wheel - I Need A Miracle - Days Between - Not Fade Away Encore Liberty favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite ( 1 reviews ) Topics: Todd Evans, Garret Leutbecher, Michael Townshend Source: FOB Schoeps Mk2 Omni Capsule spaced omnis (10 ft spread) in hat - Schoeps Active Cables - Schoeps CMC 3 Mic Body - Monster M1000 Jumper - Oade Supply - Canare Cable - Panasonic sv255.
Set 1 Jack Straw Bertha Little Red Rooster Broken Arrow Althea When I Paint My Masterpiece Tennessee Jed The Music Never Stopped Set 2 Help On The Way - Slipknot! - Franklin's Tower Samson And Delilah Ship Of Fools Corrina - Drums - Space - The Wheel - I Need A Miracle - Days Between - Not Fade Away Encore Liberty Topics: Todd Evans, Garret Leutbecher, Michael Townshend Source: FOB Schoeps Mk2 Omni Capsule spaced omnis (10 ft spread) in hat - Schoeps Active Cables - Schoeps CMC 3 Mic Body - Monster M1000 Jumper - Oade Supply - Canare Cable - Panasonic sv255. Jack Straw- Bertha, Little Red Rooster, Broken Arrow, Althea, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Tennessee Jed, The Music Never Stopped Help On The Way- Slipknot!- Franklin's Tower, Samson & Delilah, Ship of Fools, Corinna- Drums, Jam- The Wheel- I Need A Miracle- The Days Between- Not Fade Away, E: Liberty favorite favorite favorite favorite ( 70 reviews ) Topic: Live concert Source: SBD DAT CD EAC Cool Edit '96 (removed digipops prior to music inbeginning of d2t1 & d3t1) CDWAV Shorten32. Here you can browse:(typically, Audience recordings), and(typically, Soundboard recordings).Discussion ResourcesThe is focused discussion area for the Grateful Dead.In contrast, the is a more general venue for discussion about thousands of other LMA bands, and for more general technical questions about the LMA collection.See the, and the collection's policy notes below for more information. Limited Flag: LimSpecial / LimProject / LimShows / LimSBDs / LimRange.
At this time, the Grateful Dead collection is not open to public uploads. The Grateful Dead Internet Archive Project (GDIAP) will continue its direct management of this collection for the time being.Informative Links. RIGHTSLimited Flag: LimSpecial / LimProject / LimShows / LimSBDs / LimRange11/2005 brought a major change to GD material here. See:Additional note on for this site: Specific items (show dates and/or recording versions) may become unavailable for downloading or streaming here by rights-holder request.
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