Indian scout Tom Jeffords is sent out to stem the war between the Whites and Apaches in the late 1870s. He learns that the Indians kill only to protect themselves, or out of retaliation for white atrocities.
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CinemaSerf
7
By CinemaSerf
If you're looking for a traditional cowboys and indians film, then this might not be for you. Sure, there are the odd confrontations between the ever expanding white man and the Apache braves, but this is essentially a more cerebral look at the efforts both sides made to find an enduring peaceful solution. After months of no stagecoach and mail getting through, a pretty lightweight James Stewart ("Tom Jeffords") decides to try to find a better solution to their problems than the stalemate series of skirmishes between the two sides. He learns some basic Apache and goes off in search of their leader Cochise (Oscar nominated Jeff Chandler). After the usual scepticism, the two men agree to let the mail run. From then on, their trust begins to grow and the story follows their determination to cement this arrangement; despite reservations and resistance from vested interests on both sides, whilst "Jeffords" falls hook, line and sinker for "Sonseeahray" (Debra Paget). It's a touch sentimental, and it over-simplifies the problems and the solutions of the factual elements of the history, but it's still an engaging watch with a tragic but fitting conclusion and some epic cinematography along with a decent screenplay from the blacklisted Albert Maltz (who is actually credited in the version I saw).
