Apache *** (1954, Burt Lancaster, Jean Peters, John McIntire) – Classic Movie Review 5382

Director Robert Aldrich’s strong, powerfully handled 1954 Western film Apache stars Burt Lancaster, who gives a charismatic, athletic performance as Apache warrior Massai, an alienated Indian leader carrying on a single-handed war against the white man after the surrender and death of his chief, Geronimo.

Lancaster engages in his lone battle against the US Army, as he tries to make his way back to the woman he loves – Nalinie (blue-eyed Jean Peters).

[Spoiler alert] Written by James R Webb, the film, taken from a novel (Paul I Wellman’s 1936 book Bronco Apache) based on a true story, is slightly compromised by an imposed upbeat ending. But the new conclusion with the possibilities of mixed marriage is thought provoking.

Aldrich was forced by United Artists to shoot an alternate ending and was dismayed when they released it with this. He said: ‘If you shoot two endings, they will always use the other one, never yours.’ The novel ends with US troops killing Massai. Aldrich recalled: ‘Of course, United Artists and Hecht became apprehensive of that so-called downbeat ending. I made noise but they didn’t hear me. Then you go through the steps but you know they’re going to use that happy ending.’

But all in all, Aldrich’s Western is a fine, intelligent, and sympathetic movie, well shot in Technicolor by Ernest Laszlo and with a rousing score by David Raksin.

Needless to say, but I will, today Lancaster and Peters would not be cast as Apaches. Both appear in brown makeup.

Also in the cast are John McIntire as Al Sieber, Charles Bronson [Charles Buchinsky] as Hondo, John Dehner, Paul Guilfoyle, Walter Sande, Ian MacDonald, Morris Ankrum and Monte Blue as Geronimo.

It runs only 87 minutes.

Apache is made by Hecht-Lancaster Productions, with Harold Hecht and Burt Lancaster as producers. They hired Aldrich after being impressed by his second feature as director, World for Ransom, plus he had worked for them as an assistant and had tried to buy the rights to the novel himself. It is Aldrich’s first colour film. He then directed Hecht-Lancaster’s next film, Vera Cruz.

After a week of rehearsal, they started filming on 19 October 1953 in Sonora, and it was released on 9 July 1954.

Lancaster previously played an American Indian in Jim Thorpe – All-American.

The film was a big hit, grossing $10 million in the US and Canada.

The cast are Burt Lancaster as Massai, Jean Peters as Nalinle, John McIntire as Al Sieber, Charles Bronson [Charles Buchinsky] as Hondo, John Dehner as Weddle, Paul Guilfoyle as Santos, Ian MacDonald as Clagg, Walter Sande as Lt. Col. Beck, Morris Ankrum as Dawson, Monte Blue as Geronimo.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5382

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