Really Surprised!

Powerful

Absolutely Fantastic

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Mr B.Lancaster was one of Hollywood's greatest athletes.He had the grace of Astaire,the menace of Cagney and the magnetism of Welles. From "The Killers" onwards,he grinned and grimaced,loping across the screen and hypnotising the camera. Arguably the zenith of his career was "The Crimson Pirate",with his performance as Masai in "Apache" approaching it,despite the film itself being inferior. This wasn't the movie Mr Aldrich set out top make,with studio bean - counters interfering with his vision,but it is arresting and intriguing nonetheless. External factors aside,Mr Lancaster manages to outpower the production with the sheer energy of his performance. In the days when First Nation actors were generally reduced to "rhubarbing" and riding around wearing huge headdresses it was quite common for big stars to display bronzed faces and torsos,look grim and speak pidgin English. Masai (Mr B.Lancaster) escapes from a train after the Apache surrender and takes a cold - eyed look at "civilised" white society which confirms his belief that he wants no part of it. He is only "tamed" by the love of a good woman (Miss J.Peters) who although she may not have turned him into a New Man,succeeds,by having his child,in turning him away from the path of conflict. A not particularly convincing ending shows him accepting the White Man's terms. Just occasionally Masai looks a bit pouty - but who's to blame him for that? Even in it'd flawed state,"Apache" is an interesting film hat helped to open the way to a more fair - minded treatment (at least in the movies) of First Nation people.

Furious that the Apache chief Geronimo is about to make peace with the Americans, a warrior by the name of "Massai" (Burt Lancaster) decides he would rather die than surrender and continues to fight. However, he is caught and sent in chains on a train full of other Apache warriors to Florida. As luck would have it he manages to escape and makes it back to his reservation. Unfortunately, he is betrayed and captured soon after. But even then he doesn't give up hope and escapes yet again to continue his war only this time he seeks revenge on those Apaches who he feels betrayed him as well. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that considering the solid cast I honestly expected something better. Admittedly, the selection of Jean Peters to play the Apache maiden, "Nalinle" was a bit of a stretch, but all things considered she performed fairly well. Even so I cannot say the same for Burt Lancaster as he seemed totally miscast for the role. Throw in a very clumsy script and the end result was something that I didn't particularly care for. Accordingly, although I don't want to sound too critical I have to rate this movie as below average.

This is an exciting and masterful movie by the great Robert Aldrich , at his first and the best Western . Many years later bloody fighting with the settlers in the American frontier and a bitter battle between the Apaches and the US cavalry in the struggle for the West , the chief Apache Gerónimo is obliged to undertake a humiliating defeat . But his warrior more radical and violent named Maasai (Burt Lancaster), renounces to accept rendition . Maasai refuses to surrender and takes on the relentless American cavalry (John McIntire , Charles Bronson) , attempting to get a step ahead of the perfectly trained troopers ,all of them have vowed to kill him . Meanwhile , he falls in love for a gorgeous Apache woman (Jean Peters) . And as his crusade will precipitate toward an epic final battle . Maasai to be realized that he must persevere , not only for his life , but also by the pride of all his Apache race . There really was a renegade Apache warrior called Massai, who was a bloodthirsty killer renowned for stealing, raping and murdering. He did indeed escape from a prison train bound for Florida and made his way back to his homeland.This thoughtful picture is an excellent adaptation based on the novel by Paul J. Wellman titled ¨Bronco Apache¨ . This film is , along with "Devil'S Doorway" and " Broken Arrow", one of the few titles of great quality shot in the 1950s to praise the figure of the Red Skins against White Men . Interestingly , the screenwriter James R Webb and the director Robert Aldrich found the character Maasai of the original novel very aggressive , so they decided to join an Apache woman well performed by the wonderful Jean Peters who married Howard Hughes . Lancaster makes an unforgettable and top-notch interpretation as a two-fisted warrior named Maasai , transmitting all the fierceness , nobility and ubiquity of his particularly stubborn role as well as unfriendly . A top-drawer western , the third feature film of the great Aldrich , here directing a Western masterpiece and to confirm with another great movie : "Vera Cruz" . "Apache" is a thrilling and vibrant story to deal with the figure of a rebel Indian ; the own Aldrich did in 1972 another splendid film with this theme : "Ulzana's raid" also with Lancaster as starring . The good of the screenplay is presented to the American Indian with dignity , honour and understanding . This is an intelligent , top-of-the-range piece for its time that had the original tragic final re-shot, against Aldrich's wishes , to make it more happy . He later concluded that "if you shoot two endings, they will always use the other one, never yours". In ¨Apache¨ Robert Aldrich gave a tense and brilliant direction , though was shot in 30 days . Aldrich began writing and directing for TV series in the early 1950s, and directed his first feature in 1953 (Big Leaguer ,1953). Soon thereafter he established his own production company and produced most of his own films, collaborating in the writing of many of them . Directed in a considerable plethora of genres but almost all of his films contained a subversive undertone . He was an expert on warlike (Dirty Dozen , The Angry Hills , Attack , Ten seconds to hell) and Western (The Frisko kid , Ulzana's raid, Apache , Veracruz , The last sunset) . ¨Apache¨ is a masterful film in all aspects , is among the best westerns of the cinema . Rating : Above average , it's a must see and a standout in its genre ; thus, this film was a commercial success .

Burt Lancaster essays the second of his American Indian roles in Apache, the first being in Jim Thorpe - All American. As Jim Thorpe Lancaster plays a man who is living in the world the white man made for him. As Masai, the last Apache warrior, Lancaster is going to live on his terms.In fact the real Masai was killed, but Hollywood wanted a happy ending. Ten years later Lancaster would have had Masai killed, but he didn't have the clout yet to override the studio.In fact Burt's having trouble all around in this. He's not getting along with any of his fellow Indians either. Not getting along with Charles Bronson. But Bronson is viewed rightly so as the Pierre Laval of the Apaches. That's understandable.But I think the most interesting scene is his meeting with Cherokee Morris Ankrum. Morris's wife acts more like a white house wife than a subservient squaw. That's something Lancaster is having trouble digesting. The Indians weren't real big on women's liberation.But Jean Peters is your more traditional Indian female. She's going with her man no matter what. And Burt actually does humanize under her influence somewhat.It may be the Apache has been beaten, but they won't be broken and that's the message that Lancaster wants to convey to his people.In the great tradition of Broken Arrow and Fort Apache.