Breakthrough film for Robert Aldrich and also Burt Lancaster, as it was the first he did for United Artists. It gets off to a strong star - James Webb was a good writer - with Lancaster refusing to surrender along with Geronimo and being arrested, then escaping and going for revenge.
But the thing is what sort of revenge is he going to do? How is he going to keep up the fight? He doesn't really have a goal - just random acts of terrorism. He kidnaps Jean Peters, who adores him and they have this uncomfortably abusive relationship where he treats her badly but she can't help loving that man. Eventually she persuades him to grow corn but them the others come in.
For me the frustrating thing about the movie was it lacked a proper baddie - there are two candidates, a slimy dude played by John Dehner who hates Indians and tries to kill Lancaster, but he's killed half way through. There's also Charles Bronson's Uncle Tom Indian... but the thing is the whole movie is about Apaches learning to live with the white man so he can't really be bad. I feel they say needed someone ripping off the Apache, or someone who did sell out Geronimo, or make Peters' father really evil or something.
Having said that it's still fresh, even now, to have an Indian as the hero, even if Lancaster is in brown face. He's determined, brave and tough - but a fanatic. So the film in a way is an interesting take on terrorism - he's one of those hard core dudes who refuse to believe the fight is over, but is eventually tamed by domesticity. And while Lancaster just causing random destruction is frustrating dramatically it is truer to life about terrorism.
The film offers an interesting relationship between Lancaster and John McIntire's Indian agent. I liked they cast an old hand like McIntire instead of some young spunk - he seems old, tired, wise. He does well.
Aldrich and Lancaster wish the ending could have been changed to Lancaster died. But I totally bought the sold out ending -the film builds towards his domesticity, and the dramatic device of having the baby cry out works. I do have doubts with everyone just standing around letting him walk off. I mean, he did just kill a bunch of people. (Aldrich had a soft spot for such illogical endings eg Too Late the Hero).
The handling is vigorous. It's not a big budget movie - lots of two handers between Lancaster and someone else, normally Peters. It's entertaining.
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