Delmer Daves' "Broken Arrow" is a very good progressive western about race relations between native Americans and whites. The film is probably a little too *neutral* at times, but it was a start at acknowledging the cruelty that was inflicted on Native Americans by white settlers.

They speak in English
Only so we can understand.
A fight for peace
Talk only goes so far
And restraint means all.

They speak in English
Only so we can understand.
A fight for peace
Talk only goes so far
And restraint means all.

Man alive, what must the audiences of 1950 have thought about this when it came out? Up to that point Native Americans were portrayed one way and one way only - alien and with hostile intent. Some speaking roles popped up from time to time but more usually indians served as a horseborne threat to wagon trains and nothing else. In Broken Arrow not only do the indians have decent fleshed out roles but we get long insights into their culture and crucially discover that, like everyone else they are fallible & conflicted, equally capable of honourable actions and also betrayal; both generous and capricious.

Full review here
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Delmer Daves' "Broken Arrow" is a very good progressive western about race relations between native Americans and whites. The film is probably a little too *neutral* at times, but it was a start at acknowledging the cruelty that was inflicted on Native Americans by white settlers.

Intensely admirable filmmaking.

Stewart at his usual romantic fever pitch. Not really a western.

This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.