Wuchak Released in 1950 and directed by Delmer Daves, "Broken Arrow" stars Jimmy Stewart as a former soldier, Tom Jeffords, who saves an Apache teen after ten years of war between settlers and Natives in 1870, Arizona. When the boy's elders extend him mercy Jeffords sees the Apaches as human beings rather than faceless enemies for the first time and becomes the mediator between the warring factions. Jeff Chandler is stunning as the Apache leader, Cochise, but Debra Paget, only 16 years-old during filming, looks too whitebread to be believable. I love Debra, but casting her in this role is eye-rolling. To the film's credit, several of the peripheral Apache characters are played by Native Americans, including Jay Silverheels and John War Eagle. The emphasis is on the Apache way of life and the movie is touted as the first pro-Indian Western ("pro-Indian" to a point), but this simply isn't the case. "Buffalo Bill" with Joel McCrea came out six years earlier and it was clearly favorable toward the Natives. "Broken Arrow" just goes a little further in this direction. Regardless, it is amazing to view Westerns from this long ago that are evenhanded regarding the Indian Wars, honestly portraying the Natives as hostile and formidable, but also with respect to their perspective and way of life. While obviously dated in some respects, both "Buffalo Bill" and "Broken Arrow" stand the test of time and remain entertaining and even enlightening to this day. The movie runs 93 minutes and was shot in Arizona, but also Iversion Ranch & Alabama Hills, California.GRADE: B+ or A-

Jonathan Roberts 'Broken Arrow' was one of the first Westerns I ever watched. When I saw it, I didn't know who James Stewart was - and now he stands as one of my favourite actors. Every now and then I post a response to an IMDb thread asking readers which Westerns are their favourites, and 'Broken Arrow' sometimes makes an appearance in my list - a list which mostly consists of much bigger, more expensive and aspirational titles like 'The Searchers' and 'For a Few Dollars More'. What I like about Delmer Daves' comparatively modest Western is its spirit. 'Broken Arrow' appears to be a product of good intentions and intelligent reflection on the Western genre, especially concerning its generally unfavourable portrayal of Native Americans. 'Broken Arrow' wasn't the only Western to do this - 'Apache' did it, as did 'Fort Apache' towards the end. Delmer Daves' film delivers the message most effectively, though, and I attribute this in part to both the strong writing and the effective performances of James Stewart and Jeff Chandler. The Western has come a long way in its extensive history, and films like 'Broken Arrow' are of understated importance in shaping and improving it.

Edgar Allan Pooh " . . . to your Secret Place." So Tom Jeffords takes a breather from his archery lessons by Apache Chief Cochise to take some "Me Time" with his bride, Sonseeahray, at their honeymoon Wikiup that she'd built. But it would take nearly a century for the U.S. Supreme Court to declare mixed-race marriages legal in America, so the Red State One Per Centers--shouting "God made Adam and Eve, NOT Adam and Sonseeahreeve!"--begin taking potshots at the happy couple while the scabs on their hands from the wedding ceremony are still crusty. You just know that a marital union is getting off on the wrong foot when the bride is sporting a through-and-through belly would during Week One. Young kids today often question why all 887 Tribal Nations enumerated in the 1490 Western Hemispheric Census "surrendered" to the One Per Center Fat Cats "just visiting" from Europe. "Isn't even ONE of the 887 making a stand against these Nazi forefathers today?" they ask incredulously. BROKEN ARROW illustrates why "Indian Reservations" in the U.S. and elsewhere are "Sovereign Nations" in name only. Though there may be tiny pockets of free range people scattered across South America's Rain Forests, Mr. Dollar continues to hold every man, woman, and child in the U.S. hostage. The Oscar-nominated writer of BROKEN ARROW had to work under an assumed name to avoid being lynched by the Mad Dog Monied Interests of 1950.

Sergeant_Tibbs One of the first revisionist Westerns. I had to watch Broken Arrow for my dissertation on the genre and it was quite a pleasant surprise, but not without its flaws. It's incredibly dated with a studio aesthetic it can't overcome. Dialogue is very on-the-nose, emotions are all on the surface. But it does have an interesting sympathetic portrayal of Native Indians with an unusually pacifist protagonist, played by the always welcome James Stewart. It's a shame that it can't quite get passed its racial caricatures. Mostly watchable for Stewart as ever. Short and sweet helps.7/10