'Broken Arrow' is a wonderful Western classic starring James Stewart, Jeff Chandler and Debra Paget. This movie can be seen as a romantic story, or a story about moral integrity. Film is based on historical figures, but the events are heavily dramatized - some can say that the film was too naive and overly romanticized, but no one can argue that it is a well made movie. How anyone will perceive it, it will say more about the viewer than about the movie itself.
'Broken Arrow' is one of the first major Westerns since Second World War to delve into Indian lifestyle and portray Indians positively balanced way, although most of the Indians were played by white actors. Movie follows Tom Jeffords (James Stewart), an ex-Union soldier who comes across with wounded Apache boy dying from gunshot wounds. Jeffords nourishes the boy back to health. When the boy's tribesmen appear, hostile at first, they allow Jeffords to leave for the appreciation for his help. Jeffords, tired of war and killings, studies the ways of Apache, and plans to meet the Apache war chief Cochise (Jeff Chandler). The hostility of Cochise towards Jeffords grows into respect and an ex-Army officer becomes the main proxy between Indians and white men in negotiations for peace. Jeffords falls in love with an Indian girl Sonseeahray (Debra Paget), and with very little opposition the two marry. This love story arc might first seem too obvious and sappy, but it is well tied into the main event, and it nicely supports the film message.
'Broken Arrow' might not be the greatest Westerns out there, but it is still fantastic movie with masterful acting and direction, accompanied with magnificent scenery, and what's most important is the film's beautiful message - can't we just all live like brothers. And the question it raises - who are the real savages at the end? Very different movie from that era, but nonetheless a great one.
'Broken Arrow' is one of the first major Westerns since Second World War to delve into Indian lifestyle and portray Indians positively balanced way, although most of the Indians were played by white actors. Movie follows Tom Jeffords (James Stewart), an ex-Union soldier who comes across with wounded Apache boy dying from gunshot wounds. Jeffords nourishes the boy back to health. When the boy's tribesmen appear, hostile at first, they allow Jeffords to leave for the appreciation for his help. Jeffords, tired of war and killings, studies the ways of Apache, and plans to meet the Apache war chief Cochise (Jeff Chandler). The hostility of Cochise towards Jeffords grows into respect and an ex-Army officer becomes the main proxy between Indians and white men in negotiations for peace. Jeffords falls in love with an Indian girl Sonseeahray (Debra Paget), and with very little opposition the two marry. This love story arc might first seem too obvious and sappy, but it is well tied into the main event, and it nicely supports the film message.
'Broken Arrow' might not be the greatest Westerns out there, but it is still fantastic movie with masterful acting and direction, accompanied with magnificent scenery, and what's most important is the film's beautiful message - can't we just all live like brothers. And the question it raises - who are the real savages at the end? Very different movie from that era, but nonetheless a great one.
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