Broken Arrow (1950)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers (WGA):

Elliott Arnold (novel)
Albert Maltz (screenplay) (front Michael Blankfort)

Release Date:

August 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

Of this motion picture the screen can be proud... Today... Tomorrow... A generation from now...

Plot:

Tom Jeffords tries to make peace between settlers and Apaches.

Plot Keywords:

Apache | Settler | Peace | 1870s | Messenger

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

James Stewart	...	Tom Jeffords
Jeff Chandler	...	Cochise
Debra Paget	...	Sonseeahray ('Morningstar')
Basil Ruysdael	...	Gen. Oliver 'The Christian General' Howard
Will Geer	...	Ben Slade, Rancher
Joyce Mackenzie	...	Terry, Scatfly Proprietress (as Joyce MacKenzie)
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Milt Duffield, Mail Superintendent

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Norway:A (1957) | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | Germany:12 | UK:PG | Finland:K-12 | USA:Approved (certificate #13926)

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Filmed in 1949 but released after Stewart's next western, Winchester '73 (1950).

Quotes:

[first lines]
[opening narration]
Tom Jeffords: This is the story of a land, of the people who lived on it in the year 1870, and of a man whose name was Cochise. He was an Indian - leader of the Chiricahua Apache tribe. I was involved in the story and what I have to tell happened exactly as you'll see it - the only change will be that when the Apaches speak, they will speak in our language. What took place is part of the history of Arizona and it began for me here where you see me riding.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Broken Arrow" (1956)

Indians are civilised people!

When I was a young boy I saw this picture. It was the first western in which the Indians were not uncivilised barbarians, but normal people, with their own standards. It was a revelation! At last one director had the courage to show this to us. So thank you, Delmer Daves! The performances of Jeff Chandler and James Steward were touching and also Debra Paget was fantastic. I do hope to see this film again someday on DVD. Hans Dullaart Delft Netherlands.