Broken Arrow

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Paying a High Price for Peace!   December 5, 2006
Maximiliano F Yofre (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
38 out of 40 found this review helpful

I've seen "Broken Arrow" (1950) when I was just a kid. The power of the images of this film remained in the back of my mind. In the near past a collection of the best Far West movies was edited in Argentina. This was the first title I run to buy. I wasn't disappointed with what I found.

It is one of the first films, if not the first, to show common human traits in both Native Americans and Pioneer Americans. Both are shown alternatively as brave, cruel, ruthless, honorable, truthful, and wicked. It shows a true kaleidoscopic round of basic human attitudes.

James Stewart impersonates Tom Jeffords (1832-1914) a historical character, known for opening the postal trail thru Apache's territory. This story is shown in the movie, with the logical and expected changes that a commercial product implies.
Nevertheless it depicts the relationship of trust developed between Cochise (1805-1874) the great Apache leader, fleshed outstandingly by Jeff Chandler, and Jeffords. They represent the best of two different worlds and work together to give peace a chance (as Lennon said). Peace is not an easy goal to reach; both of them had to pay a high price in order to obtain it.

A very young and beautiful Debra Paget, playing the role of Morningstar, contributes to give the romantic accent to the film.
There is enough action for the epic lovers, a very good photography in Technicolor and a solid script to backup the story.
One more thing, the Apache characters are, mostly, performed by Native American actors, contributing to make the story more credible.

I think this movie deserves, in justice, to be called a classic. Enjoy it!!!.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.


A more accurate portrayal of the West   January 18, 2003
Cory D. Slipman (Rockville Centre, N.Y.)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

Broken Arrow was truly one of the first western flicks to portray the conflict between native Americans and white men with sympathy to the plight of the Indians. The story revolves around the conflict with the Apache tribe in Arizona in the 1870's.

Brooklyn born Jeff Chandler, aided by gobs of make up does a very respectable job playing Cochise. James Stewart in his genre playing Capt. Jeffords is sympathetic to the rights of the Apache to inhabit their territory. He learns the ways of the tribe to broker a piece treaty between Cochise and the untrustworthy U.S. military. While living among the tribe he falls madly in love with the ravishing Indian maiden Debra Paget (who was 17 in real life at the time of filming) and eventually marries her.

Cochise agrees to peace despite the objections of a splinter group of renegade Apache lead by Geronimo (played by a pre-Tonto, Jay Silverheels). The peace is a shaky one but eventually holds even through an attempted ambush of Cochise which results in the killing of Paget.


Realistic Western from the 50's!   June 7, 2007
G. Martin (Glendale, Ca.)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

This really is a terrific Western! The story you probably know by now, what you may not know is the great DVD tranfer, great color, and great Sedona Ariz. filming locations!
Jimmy Stewart starting doing westerns in 1950 with Winchester 73', a black and white film and a classic. Broken Arrow was his second entry and 5 more followed in the 1950's. But none were to top Broken Arrow. Or Winchester 73'!

Not only is the story very solid, fiction based on real events and people, but all the actors casting is flawless! Will Geer, an emotionally hurt settler, Debra Paget at 17 looking like a Indian instead of a young startlet, and Jeff Chandler as Cochise in a very believable good performance. Mabye his best!

And make sure to check out Jay Silverheels in the role of Geronimo, a top notch performance and I think biggest speaking part of anything he'd ever been in, including the Lone Ranger series. When he defies Cochise to follow the peace trail, his emotion is so powerful that it jumps off the screen. A truly great moment in the film. I had to replay that scene many times because I liked it so much!

I'm proud to place this among my Western Collection of DVDs!


Vintage Jimmy Stewart; A Great Western   February 4, 1999
Dennis J. Buckley (Harrisburg, PA USA)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

Though far from historically accurate, _Broken Arrow_ is an agreeable, upbeat action film that has some thought behind it. This is not an entirely predictable moral tale, but acknowledges the savagery of the clash between Indians and Whites in the west.

The story, though told by the Indian agent Tom Jeffords (Stewart) is really that of the great Apache leader, Cochise (Chandler). It is in the study of Cochise that much of the film's fascination lies. Though Stewart's narrative frames the story, it is Cochise's decisions and actions that move the peace process forward.

Though admittedly some of the Indians are portrayed by white actors, just consider these cast members: Iron Eyes Cody as one of Cochise's lieutenants, Teese; John War Eagle as the spurned suitor, Nahilzay; and Jay Silverheels as the deadly and intransigent Geronimo-- in an excellent performance that is a far cry from his affable 'Tonto' of _Lone Ranger_ films and series!

Also watch for a young Will Geer cast against type as the embittered and treacherous Ben Slade, and the great character actor, Arthur Hunnicutt, as reluctant Stewart sidekick Milt Duffield.

This is a great western, and despite the somewhat schmaltzy romantic plot, it plays well today just as it did almost 50 years ago.