In the 1950s, westerns changed a bit in how they treated the various natives tribesmen...and for the better. Quite a few films showed these folks as victims of White society or the Cavalry or at least tried to humanize them. Well, "Arrowhead" is certainly NOT one of these more enlightened films about Native Americans....as it clearly sends the message that the only good Apache are dead ones! It's virulence is pretty striking when you see the film.
When the story begins, the US Army out west is about to conclude a peace with the Apache and an offshoot of the tribe, the Chiracahua. However, their Chief Scout, Ed Bannon (Charlton Heston), knows better...the Apache cannot be trusted and so he kills their peace party! When the peace does fall apart, the Army blames Bannon's actions...but Bannon insists the Apache and Chiracahua would have attacked anyway and he was just saving them the trouble of killing them later! Not surprisingly, pretty much everyone in the film hates Bannon.
The truth is that the Apaches were fierce warriors and were feared by many neighboring tribes. They were not especially friendly nor 'nice'. But the film seems to be saying all of them were awful and really helps you understand nothing about why they were especially angry and dangerous at this time. In other words, the film is missing context. Now I am NOT saying films like this should be banned or ignored...I hate this and would rather be offended by films like "Arrowhead" than living in a world where nothing could possibly offend. Plus, on a superficial way, it IS an entertaining film. Charlton Heston is entertaining as Bannon...a man who seems perpetually grouchy (or perhaps constipated). Brian Keith is exceptional...and I think his acting was probably the best in the film. As for Jack Palance, he's very good and LOOKS like an Apache but is Ukrainian by ethnicity! Even among the more enlightened (and less, like this one), the American Indian leaders in films were nearly always played by white guys (such as Jeff Chandler or Rock Hudson or Iron Eyes Cody). Worth seeing but pretty nasty in its sensibilities.
When the story begins, the US Army out west is about to conclude a peace with the Apache and an offshoot of the tribe, the Chiracahua. However, their Chief Scout, Ed Bannon (Charlton Heston), knows better...the Apache cannot be trusted and so he kills their peace party! When the peace does fall apart, the Army blames Bannon's actions...but Bannon insists the Apache and Chiracahua would have attacked anyway and he was just saving them the trouble of killing them later! Not surprisingly, pretty much everyone in the film hates Bannon.
The truth is that the Apaches were fierce warriors and were feared by many neighboring tribes. They were not especially friendly nor 'nice'. But the film seems to be saying all of them were awful and really helps you understand nothing about why they were especially angry and dangerous at this time. In other words, the film is missing context. Now I am NOT saying films like this should be banned or ignored...I hate this and would rather be offended by films like "Arrowhead" than living in a world where nothing could possibly offend. Plus, on a superficial way, it IS an entertaining film. Charlton Heston is entertaining as Bannon...a man who seems perpetually grouchy (or perhaps constipated). Brian Keith is exceptional...and I think his acting was probably the best in the film. As for Jack Palance, he's very good and LOOKS like an Apache but is Ukrainian by ethnicity! Even among the more enlightened (and less, like this one), the American Indian leaders in films were nearly always played by white guys (such as Jeff Chandler or Rock Hudson or Iron Eyes Cody). Worth seeing but pretty nasty in its sensibilities.