I've always been bothered by the idea that just because a film is the first to do something means that it should be venerated and praised. So, I take a little issue with people claiming that Delmer Daves' Broken Arrow is a classic of the genre. Yes, it is one of the very first Westerns to portray Native Americans in a sympathetic light. The film retells the slightly exaggerated story of Tom Jeffords forging a peace between the Apache nation and the US government through tactics of mutual respect and trust. But the film seems bereft of any kind of climax or the feeling of intensified drama. The film is a series of smaller moments of tension and emotion, but none of them coagulate into a solid whole. The ending feels sudden, abrupt, and forced. So, yes, Broken Arrow should be remembered as one of the first films to depict Native Americans positively. But that by no means makes it a classic. It's just a decent film. Nothing more, nothing less.
7/10
I agree about films that are the "first" to do something. They should be noted as such but like you said, that doesn't mean they are necessarily the best of that type.
ReplyDeleteExactly. But that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be remembered...just not remembered as the "best."
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