Apache (1954)

Burt Lancaster plays Massai, an Apache warrior who refuses to surrender with Geronimo, is captured and taken to Florida but escapes and returns to his native lands. On his way back he meets a Cherokee who convinces him to take up farming. The Apache tribe doesn't take to this idea and turns him in so he flees, kidnapping a woman who he falls in love with.

In many ways this is a fairly typical 50s "Indian Western". It's sympathetic to the treatment of the Indian's, but it doesn't quite get the portrayal of them convincingly (although personally I can't think of too many films that have got it right). In contrast to many similar films (cough Broken Arrow cough) of the time, it at least features "Indian" protagonists and—although they can hardly be described as complex characters—they do have real characterisation and development throughout the film. There are a few areas where it falls down though: first, the actors involved are all white, and obviously so; second, the dialogue is a bit odd in places (why is the heroine always referring to the hero in the third person? It comes across as a bit clunky and patronising); third, the ending is obviously a bit weak, and clearly a happy-ending version of the original plan; forth, the main part of the plot where his redemption is to take up farming and become "white" comes across a bit poorly now.

There were a few parts which also aroused the attention of my half-watching girlfriend: a speech from the heroine about how a woman's role was to "cook, bear children, and look after her man" (paraphrased slightly since I can't remember the exact words). I'm also told that pregnancy and childbirth don't work exactly as depicted her (allegedly people show some signs of being pregnant, and babies aren't usually born in about 5–10 minutes). This is probably a slightly 50s thing.

In summary, not bad, entertaining enough, but like most 50s "Indian Westerns" now comes across as a bit dated.