Broken Arrow (1950)

Tom Jeffords: When the Indian wishes to signal his brother, he does so by smoke sign. This is the white man's signal. My brothers far away can look at this and understand my meaning. We call this mail. And the men who carry the mail are like the air that carries the Apache smoke signals.

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Cochise: Now I say this: the Americans keep cattle but they are not soft or weak. Why should not the Apache be able to learn new ways? It is not easy to change, but sometimes it is required. The Americans grow stronger while we grow weaker. If a big wind comes, a tree must bend... or be lifted out by the roots.

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[last lines]
Tom Jeffords: His words meant very little to me then, but as time passed, I came to know that the death of Sonseeahray had put a seal upon the peace. And from that day on wherever I went - in the cities, among the Apaches, in the mountains - I always remembered my wife was with me.

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At 41, James Stewart was 25 years older than Debra Paget, who was barely 16 at the time of filming.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie onJanuary 22, 1951 with Debra Paget reprising her film role.
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.
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