Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)

The story of the Apache chief and his armed resistance to the US Government's subjugation of his people.

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers:

John Milius (story), John Milius (screenplay),

Stars:

Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Patric	...	Lt. Charles Gatewood
Gene Hackman	...	Brig. Gen. George Crook
Robert Duvall	...	Al Sieber
Wes Studi	...	Geronimo
Matt Damon	...	Lt. Britton Davis
Rodney A. Grant	...	Mangas
Kevin Tighe	...	Brig. Gen. Nelson Miles
Steve Reevis	...	Chato
Carlos Palomino	...	Sgt. Turkey
Victor Aaron	...	Ulzana
Stuart Proud Eagle Grant	...	Sgt. Dutchy
Stephen McHattie	...	Schoonover
John Finn	...	Capt. Hentig
Lee de Broux	...	City Marshal Joe Hawkins
Rino Thunder	...	Old Nana

Storyline

The Apache Indians have reluctantly agreed to settle on a US Government approved reservation. Not all the Apaches are able to adapt to the life of corn farmers. One in particular, Geronimo, is restless. Pushed over the edge by broken promises and necessary actions by the government, Geronimo and thirty or so other warriors form an attack team which humiliates the government by evading capture, while reclaiming what is rightfully theirs.

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Plot Keywords:

apache | warrior | war cry | horse | dead children | 

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Taglines:

A Warrior. A Leader. A Legend.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for frontier violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 December 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Geronimo

Filming Locations:

Moab, Utah, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$13,736,475 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby SR (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Patric showed his considerable horsemanship in the scene where he has a one-on-one showdown with an Apache warrior. Patrick goes from laying across his horse prone on the ground, to ordering the horse back onto its feet while he mounts it as it quickly rolls upright - rifle in one hand, reins in the other.

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Goofs

When confronted in the Mexican cantina, Schoonover states that he is from Brewster County, TX. Brewster did not exist until it was marked off from Presidio County in February 1887, whereas this scene is set prior to Geronimo's surrender in September 1886.

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Quotes

Al Sieber, Chief of Scouts: There's two dead women there... and two little kids. They scalped them all, all four of 'em. Bounty hunters. The government down here pays 200 pesos a head for men, 100 for women and 50 for those kids. They kill any Indian and then claim they are Apache. I don't see how any man can sink so low. Must be Texans... the lowest form of white man there is.

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Connections

Featured in Rich Hall's Inventing the Indian (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Deal Gently With Thy Servants, Lord"
Performed by The Boston Camerata, Schola Cantorum (as The Schola Cantorum of Boston)
Joel Cohen, Director; Frederick Jodry, Director
Courtesy of Erato Disques S.A.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

A worthile and incisive film on this subject.

'Let's start with this: All written history is revisionist. The actual events are revisited and revised in the perspective of the "re-visitor." That said, this remarkably well written, well acted, and generally well executed movie is likely the best account of the "Geronimo Campaign" out there. Head and shoulders above much of the other junk out there about this important American figure. It is, to boot, beautifully filmed and deftly directed. And the narrative approach worked perfectly with this subject. Well worth a couple of viewing hours by anyone who sincerely wants to know what was up with all that.'