retroparat I saw this movie a few times back a while and then just watched it. First, James Stewart gets shot twice at point blank range and survives, and wants ro kill tbe people thay just shot him, joke as are most movies with violence. Second, Debra Paget was 15 years old at the start of filming. That is awfully young to be a romantic lead with a 41 year old Stewart . It, really shows how people, especially white people , their own people, that they should protect goes out their way for a cause that was achieved, or lack there of, 80 or so years early than this movie. But because people never give up on these so called causes that we have issue and problems. It was, as usual, a movie in the late 40s and through the 1950s that broached a so called cause. This cause, as I said earlier, was finished and done but they, the "Holywood" people want to use this not as a call to help the Red man but to try and parallel it, the Red man's cause, with the issues of the day, that day or days was the early 1950s. And it works because after reading a lot of reviews, from today's people, they are sympethic with the plight of a people, yet not being there and not having their whole super close family and friends wiped out. And those people, today, still talk about it and act like it is so difficult to make it in the U.S.A. today. Well, the movie, as usual, is a piece that wants to make a point, even at the expense of their own people. The issue is that the reviewers here, if in charge then, would have done the same thing , but sitting here and comfortable it is easy to pass judgment on those that were distraught and left alone in the middle of the southwest. If these reviewers were in charge of the country from the beginning there would not be a country and all of the people of the world that were being destroyed would not have a place to go for freedom. People that come to this country , like my grandparents were happy as h__l to be here and sent 4 boys to WW 2 because it was America and who cares if the enemy may be tour ancestors. They were called names by all sorts of the people in this country but knew they were the sacrifice for their children and grandchildren and so on to put a great foothold on America and not worry about where they came from but move forward and speak the dominant language instead of their own. But the reviewers are making this movie larger than it is. Because they think of others so they can get their pat on the back, but stick by your own through, not only the good but the not so good, but no matter the ill and the ill will be fixed id really, really, really wrong, then we will be one people, be one peoples and we will have a greater peace than ever before. Until then movies like these will always fuel the mind of the young to do things they normally would not do and it may have started with their parents who when they were young filled their minds. It's a nice little western, but when I watch movies it is so tiring to see what they do to a movie instead of making it entertaining. FORGET THE POINT JUST ENTERTAIN. Thanks God Bless James

sddavis63 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)

gordonl56 BROKEN ARROW – 1950It 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. (Color)

Spikeopath 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. 8/10