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Broken Arrow (1950)iMDB Rating: 7.3
Date Released : 1 August 1950
Genre : Drama, Romance, Western
Stars : James Stewart, Jeff Chandler, Debra Paget, Basil Ruysdael
Movie Quality : BRrip
Format : MKV
Size : 700 MB

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By 1870, there has been 10 years of cruel war between settlers and Cochise's Apaches. Ex-soldier Tom Jeffords saves the life of an Apache boy and starts to wonder if Indians are human, after all; soon, he determines to use this chance to make himself an ambassador. Against all odds, his solitary mission into Cochise's stronghold opens a dialogue. Opportunely, the president sends General Howard with orders to conclude peace. But even with Jeffords's luck, the deep grievance and hatred on both sides make tragic failure all too likely.

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Review :

Some Arizona treaty history, made colorful and reasonable...

Broken Arrow (1950)

The strength here isn't great movie-making, but a bit of history made clear and fairly vivid. The problem here is that, like many Westerns, it simplifies and oversimplifies both that history and the portrayal of the times. I know this isn't a documentary, but it declares a kind of accuracy in its bones, and it only goes so far. As a drama, a story with drama and characters with depth who we can relate to, it works pretty well, with the themes of honor and love standing up through some of the dreck.

That's the nutshell. James Stewart is dependable and likable, and he represents (as usual) a kind of higher American goodness. Yes, he is often saddled with speeches history requires him to give, often in a slightly stilted "Indian talk" because he learned the native language (and the movie has translated it all to English as was common back then). There are other characters, but again there is the problem that the Indians are played by non-Indian actors, and it strikes a modern viewer (if not a viewer from 1950) and just plain wrong, and stupidly wrong. Okay, you might argue that there was a small pool of good Native Americans to pull from, but even if that's true, why do they pick unconvincing actors to play the main Indian leads, and make them talk in broken sentences?

Anyway, there are tough things in many Westerns. But there are really terrific parts to it all, from the really sound photography, nice clean Technicolor (not widescreen, since this is a few years before that advent). And there is the basic story, which has a nobility that is worth its salt, for sure. The love story is predictable, but it is supported by some colorful traditional costumes and pageantry. And the acting does often rise up--Stewart, naturally, but even some other bit parts are good enough. The director Delmer Daves is not a legend, but he has a couple of remarkable films to his credit, including Dark Passage, and he wrote the screenplay for Petrified Forest, which is high praise.

I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone in particular (there are more amazing Westerns) but if you like other Westerns, and don't mind the low key, steady pace of this one (as opposed to, say, a John Wayne movie), you'll be pleasantly taken in.