Arrowhead (1953)

So much average

Best movie ever!

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

I am shocked by how many other users have mentioned that this movie shows "both sides" of racism. I found this to be not true at all and was continuously disgusted by the depiction of native people and the hate speech that comprised 90% of the Charlton Heston character's dialogue. Normally, I'd be tempted to complain that the native characters weren't given much depth or dimension, but none of the characters had much depth in my opinion. The storyline was unimaginative and overall, I can't think of anything good to say about this movie. Sure, Westerns have a reputation for being offensive in their representation of Indians, but don't let a movie like this turn you off of the genre completely. There are well-made Western movies that have artistic and cultural value.

This is for me the most racist western of all time. At least, one of the most, because perhaps some are missing in my movie buff memory...It tells the terrific face too face between a racist white man, raised among Indians - Charlton Heston - who HATES Indians to death, and an authentic Indian, raised among white people, in white schools - Jack Palance - who HATES White ones...So their only purpose is to destroy each other. It's exciting at the most, not for the squeamish filled with good intentions. This is really a war monger western. Charlton Heston is here tall, handsome, strong, the authentic hero as American are used to show in their features. But he is a f...racist, and some people in the audiences may be influenced by his feeling about Indians. We can say it's somewhere disgusting. The same thing about Jack Palance. He is tall, handsome, strong, wild, attractive at the most, and he preaches war and destruction for the White people...Get what I mean? Nothing to do with James Stewart and Jeff Chandler in BROKEN ARROW....But, even if it is nasty, it remains a very good feature, a great western. It changes from anti racist or pro Indian ones.And I LOVE being surprised !!!There have been some films with their leads who were racists or bad ones, but the audiences got very quickly that the heroes were actually anti heroes, and they finally understood that they were on the wrong way. The audiences were not confused about that. Those movies denounced racism or something else...Take CROSSFIRE, for example, starring Robert Ryan.But that's for another comment...

This is typical Hollywood revisionism with the US Cavery constantly talking about peace and respect for the Apache, while all the Indians want is to kill and destroy. Nonsense. I could never figure out the Charlton Heston character. He plays someone who learned everything he knows from having lived and been raised by the Apaches, yet he hates them with a vengeance, always referring to them in degrading and subhuman terms. At home, however, he has no problem using the beautiful Mexican-Apache laundress (Katy Jurado) as his concubine.Poor Katy Jurado. Only a year away from her pillar 1952 role in 'High Noon,' this doll, with more class and talent in her little finger than most of her female Hollywood contemporaries, can only get offered this role playing a half-breed concubine to a hate-mongering character who insults her at will and doesn't deserve her company. Kind of puts it in perspective why 40 years later we similarly didn't see most of the intelligent kids from 'The Cosby Show' cast in any roles of substance once that non-stereotypical show ended. Maintaining your integrity while remaining employed is a monumental challenge for many in Hollywood. No wonder Katy never relinquished her Mexican citizenship or Mexican movie acting career.The end credits to the movie state that Heston's character is based on the true life of the Army's Chief of Scouts during this period, Al Sieber (1844-1907). If so, it isn't exactly a flattering portrayal. After seeing the movie, I wonder if Sieber's family sued the studio for 'definition' of character. Watch this one only if you've never seen how Hollywood depicted American Indians in the West.

Any film with Jack Palance as the villain is intense and strong... This great actor is unique and classic in this respect! His order to his braves: 'There will be no more fighting until Bannon has met Toriano!,' marks a summary of the entire motion picture: Toriano against Bannon!But who are these two men?Ed Bannon (Charlton Heston) is the Chief of Scouts for U.S armed forces fighting Apaches in the post Civil War... He despises Apaches: 'Anything Toriano for, I'm against!'Toriano (Jack Palance) is the son of the Old Apache Chief Chattez (Frank Dekova). He rejects permanent confinement and refuses to accept how his warriors are gathered like cattle in their reservation...Apache Wars were among the fiercest fought on the frontier... The U.S government attempted to limit their territories and movements...In the film we learn that an Indian cannot touch, harm or kill a man if he comes unarmed into their encampment; an Apache leader can be mystified through the Great Spirit by ritual drum beat; when an Indian and a white man are blood brothers, the only way to break the bound was for one of the two to die— This explains why Toriano and Bannon assigned the time and place to meet in a single combat to death at the end of the picture...The pretty Katy Jurado is Bannon's lover, a young girl, half Indian, half Mexican, who admires Toriano as a true leader...Wanting to serve him, she keeps an eye on Bannon, spying all his moves...Shot in Technicolor, with good directing and strong supporting cast (Brian Keith in his film debut), "Arrowhead," overcomes as a good-looking Western by the excellent acting of its stars...