Broken Arrow Poster

Broken Arrow (1950)

Drama | Western 
Rayting:   7.2/10 7.7K votes
Country: USA
Language: English | Apache languages
Release date: August 1950

Tom Jeffords tries to make peace between settlers and Apaches in Arizona territory.

Movie Trailer

Where to Watch

User Reviews

kenjha 30 July 2007

In this underrated Western, Stewart is an ex-scout who tries to make peace between the Apaches and the white settlers in 1870s Arizona. For some reason this film's reputation has taken a hit over the years, but it is quite enjoyable. Stewart made several Westerns in the 1950s, starting with this and "Winchester 73" in 1950. Although the latter film is more highly regarded today, this film is actually better crafted, boasting fine cinematography and score. Chandler gives perhaps the best performance of his career as the noble Apache chief who is willing to make peace. Paget (looking like Britney Spears!) plays Stewart's love interest.

MartinHafer 18 September 2009

Fmovies: I know that having a Jew from New York (Jeff Chandler) play Cochise is NOT the most enlightened thing a film studio could have done, however, in most other respects Hollywood actually tried to get it right in this simple film. Instead of American-Indians being one-dimensional and bad or stupid, here they are real people and the complexities of the relationship between them and the rest of America is actually considered--a rarity in 1950s Hollywood.

The movie begins with Jimmy Stewart playing an ex-scout out West during the latter portion of the 19th century. He happens upon an injured Apache teen and nurses him back to health. Most Whites would have probably shot him or left him and Stewart's kindness had a huge impact on the boy. So, later, when they are captured by Apaches, the boy begs them to let Stewart go--as he is their friend. A bit later, Stewart realizes that his own perceptions about Indians changed through meeting and spending time with one, so maybe, he reasons, he can learn the language and customs and act as a bridge between the two clashing cultures. Eventually, he goes to live with the Apaches and slowly gains their trust and a strong friendship with their chief, Cochise. There's a lot more to the film than this, such as his relationship with an Apache lady, but this is just something you'll have to learn about by seeing the film--I don't want to spoil it.

Overall, an amazingly sensitive portrait of American-Indians and a film that tried to show the common ground between them and the rest of America. A lovely film that I really enjoyed, though the film did seem to end a bit more abruptly than I might have liked. Still, it was probably the best portrayal of this group since the 1920s and 30s (with films such as THE VANISHING American and THE SQUAW MAN).

TheLittleSongbird 23 June 2011

While I have seen better westerns, I was really impressed with Broken Arrow. Not just because it is a very good film, but it is also different. While a lot of westerns deal with themes(some complex, some not so much)such as revenge and betrayal, Broken Arrow is a very poetic and elegiac film that you can see perfectly in how the story is constructed. Also the Indians here are portrayed as those in want of freedom with their families, which I found refreshing, seeing as I have seen them portrayed as quite brutal. Broken Arrow is a beautifully photographed film, the script flows nicely and is thought-provoking and the score is very stirring. The acting is fine, Debra Paget, breathtakingly-beautiful she is, and her scenes with Stewart are touching, is good but I couldn't help thinking they could have cast someone older. James Stewart is very believable in one of his better western performances, while Jeff Chandler gives the best performance of his career here and also the best performance of the movie too. All in all, excellent and very moving film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

AlsExGal 14 November 2015

Broken Arrow fmovies. ...but this was a very fine Western, and I don't even like the Western genre particularly well.

James Stewart plays Tom Jeffords, an ex-army soldier, scout, and now someone who is panning for gold in Apache country. He comes across a wounded Apache child and heals him, but he doesn't leave Apache country before he comes upon a war party. When they learn he isn't somebody who takes Apache scalps and that he helped one of their own, they let him go but warn him not to return. This teaches him that the Apache can play fair. He decides to learn their ways and language from an Apache in town, and sets out on the dangerous mission to meet Cochise, leader of the Apaches, and to try to slowly build peace between the Apache and the Americans, who are trying to settle Arizona after the Civil War - that is if he survives his first encounter with an Apache scouting party, who just might kill him for the sake of the Apache and Americans being at war.

I don't know how accurate this film is historically, but there is some fine acting, action, suspense, and even a touching Anglo-Apache romance. Although the idea of Jeff Chandler as Cochise, who usually played beefcake roles over at Universal, seemed somewhat laughable to me at first, his performance rings true. So true, in fact, there was a kind of sequel where Chandler again played Cochise and Jay Silverheels again played Geronimo.

Maybe this film had Jeffords as a kind of "loyal American loner" to speak to issues larger than just that of the history of which this film deals. As a loner Jeffords could see the problem more objectively than somebody with a large extended family and network of friends that could influence him against the reasoning of his own mind. With the Cold War in full swing and the civil rights era just beginning in America at the time it was made, maybe this film was trying to speak for the equality of all people and against the mentality of the mob. I think that's why so many Westerns were made in the 50's and 60's. There was the interesting story on the surface, but there was also the dealing with tricky social issues just under that surface that society wasn't quite ready to face in a direct manner yet.

JGDullaart 8 April 2003

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.

Wuchakk 6 November 2016

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-

Similar Movies

5.7
Terror on the Prairie

Terror on the Prairie 2022

5.6
The Harder They Fall

The Harder They Fall 2021

5.8
Cry Macho

Cry Macho 2021

6.6
The Power of the Dog

The Power of the Dog 2021

4.3
The Pale Door

The Pale Door 2020

7.3
The Yearling

The Yearling 1946

7.2
Drums Along the Mohawk

Drums Along the Mohawk 1939

5.2
Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers 2001


Share Post

Direct Link

Markdown Link (reddit comments)

HTML (website / blogs)

BBCode (message boards & forums)

Watch Movies Online | Privacy Policy
Fmovies.guru provides links to other sites on the internet and doesn't host any files itself.