Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Sammy-Jo Cervantes There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Jerrie It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

classicsoncall No revisionist Western here, in fact all the players seem to be in conflict with one another most of the time. Actually, it's Charlton Heston's character Ed Bannon who appears to be the equal opportunity hater in the story, he expresses his displeasure with just about everyone, including his sidekick Sandy (Milburn Stone) during an opening segment.The first appearance of Jack Palance on the scene was fairly impressive, he looked like he could have passed for a real Apache Indian. The idea that he was a returning Eastern student to take up the mantle of the Invincible One for the Chiricahuas was an interesting element, particularly since he never stated that role for himself. Perhaps even more so was the blood brother pact Bannon forced on his Apache foe to set up the final confrontation between them. However the denouement between the two did come across as a bit of a letdown, Bannon seemed to handle him just a bit too easily.Nice support here from Brian Keith as Captain Bill North, and Katy Jurado as Bannon's half Mexican, half Apache paramour Nita. I couldn't really grasp the dynamic there from Nita's perspective; Bannon was pretty much a heel toward her most of the time. Nor could I rationalize the attraction Leila Clark Wilson (Mary Sinclair) held for the Indian scout when he was such a lout to her as well, especially in the company of more refined guests. Social manners were apparently not his strong point.Based loosely on the life of real life Indian scout Al Sieber, it appeared to me the connection was pretty much by reference only. Though Sieber did engage Apache Indians in battle during his scouting days, he was just as apt to be cooperative while running work crews that included Native Americans. Sieber even gave up scouting for a time in the 1890's when he became dissatisfied with treatment of the Apaches at the San Carlos reservation.

Uriah43 The fact that this movie has someone like Charlton Heston means that it's probably going to be at least an average movie. As usual he doesn't disappoint as he puts in a pretty good performance as a frontier scout named "Ed Bannon" who has grown to know--and hate--the Apaches. So when an Apache warrior named "Toriano" (Jack Palance) returns from the East at the same time the Apaches begin to assemble in large numbers to supposedly be transported to a reservation, Ed Bannon becomes highly suspicious. At any rate, rather than give away the entire story I will just say that this film manages to maintain interest for the most part. One thing I didn't like were the broad stereotypes made by Ed Bannon which supposedly enabled him to know exactly what Toriano would do next. Only in Hollywood. Likewise, I didn't particularly care for the limited role of "Nita" (Katy Jurado) and the way her character ended. That said, I consider this to be only slightly above average but worth a look for those who enjoy a good Western movie.

mod_boy Charlton Heston stars as Ed Bannon in a role the NRA wouldbe proud of. Ed has a fierce hatred for the Apache Indian whichdates as far back as his childhood. The movie starts out with Edkilling some go-between Indians who come in peace to relay amessage that the tribe is surrendering. Ed belongs to the USArmy and is kicked out for the aforementioned action by CaptainBill North, played by Brian Keith. Keith does a great job in his role,at times sounding like John Wayne but never carrying it out quiteas coolly or confidently. Captain North and his men are tasked with taking the Apachesto an Indian reservation in Florida. However, it's not going to be soeasy thanks to Apache Toriano, played by Jack Palance. TheCaptain thinks he and his men can pull off this feat without muchtrouble, but can they, without help from Bannon? After all, he'slived with the Apache and knows how they think. This film doesn't really have any good nor bad charactersalthough at the time it came out the Apaches were the bad guys,why else would they cast Palance as Toriano? It's an interestingfilm from a historical perspective (film history, not actual history)but much finer "cowboy" vs. Indians have been created. In today'sworld the movie's very un-PC, but weren't most early films starringNative American bigoted in some way?

bux OK, so this was made back in the 50s when things weren't all that PC, I can understand that. However this disgusting little piece of celluloid crops up on TV quite often and it is really very racist to say the least. I challenge anyone to sit through this one and mentally insert any other race other than Native American in the plot and see if it would still be shown on TV. Heston's character is a racist bigot that intends to exterminate the red man, and for this he is lauded? a hero? This one does for the Native American what "Birth of a Nation" did for the African-American.