Broken Arrow Jimmy Stewart

directed by Delmer Daves
USA 1950

An excellent western from little known director Daves, which pits Stewart as ex-army man Tom Jeffords and Chandler as Apach leader Cochise, who strive to reach the common goal of peace between the settlers and the indians despite the 10-year war which continues to rage. A quieter, more thoughtful western than many of its peers, this is so well directed and shot it's a wonder that Daves didn't have a more high-profile career. Although Chandler creates a formidable presence as the Indian chief, acting honours unsurprisingly belong to Stewart, who brings his everyman persona to the battlefield in fine style.

Excerpt from Channel 4 located HERE

***

Along with the lesser known ”Devils Doorway” (Anthony Mann, 1950), ”Broken Arrow” was the first film to treat Indians in a serious manner. Prior to these films, Indians were reduced to prop-status, posing dangers for stagecoaches and farmers, but with “Broken Arrow”, the Indians were shown as a people with problems, with traditions and with a heart – and mind. Later films would take up on this and directly accuse the Indian Bureau and Washington for the mistreatment of Indians.

Retired army captain Tom Jeffords (James Stewart) aids a deadly wounded Apache boy back to life and thus comes face to face with the more human side of the Apaches. As the war between the white man and the Apaches now is running on its tenth year, Jeffords believes that he can make peace by creating a dialogue between the two sides, thus learns the speak Apache and goes to meet their leader, Cochise (Jeff Chandler).

This is also a perfect film for James Stewart, who, while already had begun his, what would become legendary collaboration with Mann with “Winchester '73” the year prior, here is more sympathetically and nice-guy. But in retrospective, what a risk to take as an actor.

This was basically dynamite material back in the 50s, and MGM actually held back “Devils Doorway” because of the sympathy with the Indians, but later released it, after the success of “Broken Arrow”. So despite “Devils Doorway” being the better film, “Broken Arrow” takes, and deserves, the credit for making Indians appear as human beings. A monumental Western.

Henrik Sylow

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 21, 1950

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Recommended Reading for Western Genre Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)


The Crowded Prairie: American National Identity in the Hollywood Western (Cinema and Society) by Michael Coyne	The Invention of the Western Film : A Cultural History of the Genre's First Half Century (Genres in American Cinema S.) by Scott Simmon	The Searchers (Bfi Film Classics) by Edward Buscombe	The Western Genre by John Saunders	Westerns: Films through History (AFI Film Readers) by Janet Walker	The Encyclopedia of Westerns (The Facts on File Film Reference Library) by Herb Fagen, Tom Selleck	Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth-Century America by Richard Slotkin	The Western (Inside Film) by David Lusted

Check out more in "The Library"

DVD Comparison:

Optimum Classics (Western Classics) - Region 2 - PAL vs. 20th Century Fox - Region 1- NTSC

(Optimum Classics - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox - Region 1- NTSC RIGHT)

Big thanks to Henrik Sylow for the Review!

DVD Box Cover
Distribution	Optimum Classics Region 2 - PAL	20th Century Fox Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:28:51 (4% PAL speedup)	1:32:36
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.40 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.33:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.72 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate
Audio	2.0 Dolby Digital Mono	English (Dolby Digital mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0), DUBs French (Dolby Digital mono), Spanish (Dolby Digital mono)
Subtitles	None	English, Spanish, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Optimum Classics Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: February 21, 2005 Keep case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • 2 Fox MovieTone Newsreels • Pressbook and poster gallery • Trailer • Restoration credits DVD Release Date: May 22nd, 2007 Keep case Chapters 28

Comments

ADDITION: 20th Century Fox - NTSC - May 07': Although I am still not fully satisfied that either of these editions are representing the accurate colors - the new dual-layered 'restored' Fox edition is much brighter, detailed and colors are certainly more vibrant. It has probably had some digital touch-ups but stands tall next to the washed-out Optimum edition. Henrik (below) identified some color alignment inaccuracies in the PAL releases as well.

Other differences are that the NTSC offers some subtitle options, stereo mix and mono audio options and gives some supplements - albeit basic ones (2 Fox MovieTone newsreels, pressbook/poster gallery and trailer).

Classic and important western that we strongly recommend to fans of the genre.

- Gary Tooze

***

The image has, at times for a short while, minor flaws in form of Technicolor frames not being in alignment and lack of "focus" (in lack of a better word). But apart from these very briefly flaws, the image is beautiful.

Sound is original mono and dialogue is clear. No noise.

- Henrik Sylow

DVD Menus

(Optimum Classics - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox - Region 1- NTSC RIGHT)