Story of movie Apache Film : Apache is a 1954 American western film starring Burt Lancaster.
| Apache | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Robert Aldrich |
| Produced by | Harold Hecht |
| Written by | James R. Webb |
| Based on | novel by Paul Wellman |
| Starring | Burt Lancaster |
| Music by | David Raksin |
| Cinematography | Ernest Laszlo |
| Edited by | Alan Crosland Jr. |
Production company | Hecht-Lancaster |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date | July 9, 1954 |
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,240,000 or $1 million |
| Box office | $3.25 million (US/ Canada) 1,216,098 admissions (France) |
Screenplay
Following the surrender of Geronimo, Massai, the last Apache warrior is captured and scheduled for transportation to a Florida reservation. On the way he manages to escape and heads for his homeland to win back his girl and settle down to grow crops. His pursuers have other ideas, though.
- Burt Lancaster as Massai
- Jean Peters as Nalinle
- John McIntire as Al Sieber
- Charles Bronson as Hondo (as Charles Buchinsky)
- John Dehner as Weddle
- Paul Guilfoyle as Santos
- Ian MacDonald as Clagg
- Walter Sande as Lt. Col. Beck
- Morris Ankrum as Dawson
- Monte Blue as Geronimo
The film was based on the novel Bronco Apache by Paul Wellman, which was published in 1936.
In April 1952 Burt Lancaster announced he would star in a film based on the novel, to be produced by himself and Harold Hecht. Lancaster had previously played an Indian in Jim Thorpe – All-American.
For four years Lancaster and Hecht had been based at Warner Bros. However in June 1953 they announced they would make two films United Artists, starting with Apache. The film would be the first in a series of movies Lancaster made for United Artists. It was originally budgeted at $742,000.
In July 1953 the producers hired Robert Aldrich as a director. Aldrich says this was on the back of his second feature as director, World for Ransom, along with the fact that he had previously worked for Hecht-Lancaster on other movies as an assistant and had tried to buy the original novel himself.
"Of course, United Artists and Hecht became apprehensive of that so called down-beat ending," said Aldrich. "I made noise but they didn't hear me; then you go through the steps but you know they're going to use that happy ending."
Filming started 19 October 1953 in Sonora, after a week of rehearsal. Lancaster tore a ligament while filming a horse scene on the film. He returned to filming relatively quickly.
Box office
The film was a big hit, earning over $3 million in its first year of release and $6 million overall.
Critical
The film currently has a 75% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Whitewashing in film
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