Broken Arrow

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-