Broken Arrow

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Phil H. @PapercutsAndJumpcuts Feb 8 Broken Arrow is a Western where the bravest act is shutting up and listening. Stewart refuses the usual heroics… so the tension comes from whether anyone will choose understanding over pride. The violence hangs over every scene precisely because the movie keeps trying to avoid it. Not a conquest story… a story about how easily conquest happens when nobody bothers to see the other person. And it lands less as a frontier story & more as a small plea for basic human decency… which is always a positive and purposeful thing (especially now in 2026)… See more Ron G @RT86256449 07/08/2024 Sorry, but I just found this movie to be ridiculous. Jeff Chandler as an Apache is silly, but I realize that was a thing back in the day. Aside from that, from the Indians referring to the ‘white man’ as “Americans” to the somewhat disturbing relationship between Debra Pagent’s character and Jimmy Stewart’s character with a real life 25 year age difference (she was likely 16 at filming, maybe barely 17) I kept thinking “Why did Stewart agree to this?” Even the ending was dumb. The scenery was nice, so I gave it 2 stars. See more Kevin B @RT90382118 02/02/2023 Brilliant western. Such a great story line See more 11/29/2021 Simple film with a simple message with some contrivances, but an enjoyable watch and a respectful, balanced view of the Native Americans. Jimmy Stewart as ever an absolute delight in the lead ably supported by Jeff Chandler. See more Steve S @RT32687682 07/01/2021 Made in 1950, this western was one of the first to show Indians in a sympathetic and likeable light. The white man is shown as the bad guy. With the exception of a few main parts, they also featured many Native Americans in their roles. It is the story of Cochise, played by Jeff Chandler as he negotiates peace with James Stewart. The story is mostly fictional with only a few historical accuracies. It is beautifully filmed, but the real story is more interesting. Why concoct a silly love story with Stewart and a young squaw? It hurts the picture. Despite this it is a well made , pretty good western. See more 12/30/2020 Really a great movie. Not your typical 1950s cowboy vs. Indian movie. If you like westerns, it is a must-see. Except for Jeff Chandler and Debra Paget, the Indians are played by local Native Americans (most likely Navajos). Jeff Chandler does a pretty good job of playing Cochise with humanity and as a great leader. Chandler actually resembles Cochise's fine features and aquiline nose. Debra Paget was not a stranger to playing women of various ethnicities and comes across as more than a white actress with brown makeup. The Native American culture is treated with respect. The behavior, traditions, and life of the Apache are honored if not celebrated. The cinematography is superb, using the gorgeous scenery of Sedona, Arizona. Fine actors of the period doing great work. Beautiful Debra Paget is always a pleasure to watch and does some fine acting. Many write the movie off as a romantic western with an enlightened attitude toward the Apache. Yet, the story is very loosely based on the history of the wars between the white settlers around Tucson, the Chiricahua Apache, and the lone white man who tried to bridge the gulf between the two. See more Read all reviews

Broken Arrow

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