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

20th Century Fox

Region 1 - NTSC

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
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