The Battle at Apache Pass (1952)
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor 85m
Director: George Sherman
Cast: John Lund, Jeff Chandler, Susan Cabot, Richard Egan
Synopsis:
During the Civil War a reduced garrison of cavalry keeps the peace among the Apache, thanks to its commander's tolerance and friendship with Cochise. However, Geronimo is out for the blood of the white-eyes, and when a civilian administrator arrives with ideas of subjugation and expansion, he initiates an alliance with the renegade Apache through the offices of an unscrupulous Indian trader.
Review:
A contrived and schematic narrative is further let down by clunky direction (e.g. repeated long shots culminating in a pan left or right to reveal watching Indians). The Monument National Park locations are handsomely caught, but this is lacklustre fare, with only a star turn from Jeff Chandler, playing Cochise for the second time, to leaven the impression of tokenism. All the while at the back of the mind sits the uneasy awareness of the fate of the Apache, who are generally better served in Martin Ritt's Hombre and Walter Hill's Geronimo.
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor 85m
Director: George Sherman
Cast: John Lund, Jeff Chandler, Susan Cabot, Richard Egan
Synopsis:
During the Civil War a reduced garrison of cavalry keeps the peace among the Apache, thanks to its commander's tolerance and friendship with Cochise. However, Geronimo is out for the blood of the white-eyes, and when a civilian administrator arrives with ideas of subjugation and expansion, he initiates an alliance with the renegade Apache through the offices of an unscrupulous Indian trader.
Review:
A contrived and schematic narrative is further let down by clunky direction (e.g. repeated long shots culminating in a pan left or right to reveal watching Indians). The Monument National Park locations are handsomely caught, but this is lacklustre fare, with only a star turn from Jeff Chandler, playing Cochise for the second time, to leaven the impression of tokenism. All the while at the back of the mind sits the uneasy awareness of the fate of the Apache, who are generally better served in Martin Ritt's Hombre and Walter Hill's Geronimo.
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor 85m
Director: George Sherman
Cast: John Lund, Jeff Chandler, Susan Cabot, Richard Egan
Synopsis:
During the Civil War a reduced garrison of cavalry keeps the peace among the Apache, thanks to its commander's tolerance and friendship with Cochise. However, Geronimo is out for the blood of the white-eyes, and when a civilian administrator arrives with ideas of subjugation and expansion, he initiates an alliance with the renegade Apache through the offices of an unscrupulous Indian trader.
Review:
A contrived and schematic narrative is further let down by clunky direction (e.g. repeated long shots culminating in a pan left or right to reveal watching Indians). The Monument National Park locations are handsomely caught, but this is lacklustre fare, with only a star turn from Jeff Chandler, playing Cochise for the second time, to leaven the impression of tokenism. All the while at the back of the mind sits the uneasy awareness of the fate of the Apache, who are generally better served in Martin Ritt's Hombre and Walter Hill's Geronimo.