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Ed Bannon: "...There's only one way to beat the Apache - fig

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 08/12/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Scout Ed Bannon (Heston) is very loosely based on Ed Siebert, a German national who refused to learn English, instead teaching himself the Apache tongue.

Featured in the cast is Frank DeKova as Chief Chattez. Fans of the 60s TV sitcom F TROOP know him better as Chief Wild Eagle. His Native American here is naturally more subdued than the over-the-top comedy counterpart. Also here is Milburn Stone (Sandy MacKinnon)-- 'Doc' Adams on TV's longest-running western series, GUNSMOKE.

SYNOPSIS--
Despite the opinion of Capt. Bill North (Keith) and reassurance from Chattez that the Apache tribe will freely surrender for transport to Florida, Ed Bannon is convinced otherwise. This Apache-hater fervently believes the chief's son, Toriano (Palance) has returned from an Eastern school not to oversee his peoples' removal from ancestral lands but to fulfill a false prophesy and lead an uprisng against the 'White Eyes.'

Shot in the rural Texas area where these events originally unfolded, "Arrowhead" is a fine cavalry/Indians saga that's enhanced by superior Technicolor cinematography, solid acting from its principals and a fast-moving script. Despite claims that this perennially underrated picture broadly stereotypes and thus denigrates the red man, taken solely as entertainment it's a darn good piece of work! Recommended for all western, American history and action/adventure fans.


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb user poll rating.

(5.6) Charlton Heston/Jack Palance/Katy Jurado/Brian Keith/Mary Sinclair/Milburn Stone/Lewis Martin/Frank DeKova/Robert J. Wilke/Peter Coe"