Broken Arrow (1950)

Tom Jeffords: Cochise can't even read a map, but he and his men know every gulley, every foot of every mountain, every waterhole in Arizona. His horses can go twice as far as yours in a day, and his men can run on foot as far as a horse can run. He can't write his name, but his intelligence service knows when you got to Fort Grant and how many men you got. He stopped the Butterfield Stage from running. He stopped the U.S. Mail from going through. And for the first time in Indian history, he has all the Apaches from all the tribes fighting under one command.

---

Cochise: White Painted Lady, I have old wounds.
Sonseeahray: Yes, but each scar is a mark of love for your people. The path of your people is stretched long behind you, and you are the head, and you are the heart, and you are the blood. Killer of Enemies was your father and you are his son. You will be well.

---

[first lines]
[opening narration]
Tom Jeffords: This is the story of a land, of the people who lived on it in the year 1870, and of a man whose name was Cochise. He was an Indian - leader of the Chiricahua Apache tribe. I was involved in the story and what I have to tell happened exactly as you'll see it - the only change will be that when the Apaches speak, they will speak in our language. What took place is part of the history of Arizona and it began for me here where you see me riding.

---

read more quotes from Broken Arrow...

"Screen Director's Playhouse" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 7, 1951 with James Stewart and Jeff Chandler reprising their film roles.
At 41, James Stewart was 25 years older than Debra Paget, who was barely 16 at the time of filming.
The film was considered groundbreaking at the time because it portrayed the Native American Indians in a humane light, something that had scarcely happened since silent days. However, years later the film was heavily criticized because the Indians were still played by white actors.
read more facts about Broken Arrow...