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Apache (1954)

Name: Apache
Genre: Action, Western
Released: 1954-07-09
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 6
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Jean Peters, John McIntire, Charles Bronson, John Dehner

Apache (1954), directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Burt Lancaster and Jean Peters.

e 12 07/09/1954 BR Action and Western 1h 31m

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Unconquerable!

Synopsis

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.

Ernest LaszloCinematography
Stanley CortezCinematography
Robert AldrichDirector
Alan Crosland, Jr.Editing

About the film

Apache is a 1954 American Western film directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Burt Lancaster, Jean Peters and John McIntire. The film was based on the novel Broncho Apache by Paul Wellman, which was published in 1936. It was Aldrich's first color film.

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Plot

Following the surrender of the great leader Geronimo, Massai — the last Apache warrior — is captured and sent on a prison train to a reservation in Florida. But he manages to escape and heads back to his homeland to win back his woman and settle down to grow crops. His pursuers have other ideas, though.

Cast

Burt Lancaster as Massai

Jean Peters as Nalinle

John McIntire as Al Sieber

Charles Bronson (credited as Charles Buchinsky) as Hondo

John Dehner as Weddle

Paul Guilfoyle as Santos

Ian MacDonald as Clagg

Walter Sande as Lieutenant Colonel Beck

Morris Ankrum as Dawson

Monte Blue as Geronimo

Paul E. Burns as general store proprietor

Production

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 American Indian in Jim Thorpe – All-American. Both Lancaster and his love interest, played by Jean Peters, appeared in brownface in the film.

In June 1953, Lancaster and Hecht announced they would make two films with 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.

The ending of the novel featured the leading character killed by US troops. "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."

Shooting

Filming started October 19, 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.

Reception

Box office

The film was a big hit, earning over $3 million in theatrical rentals during its first year of release and $6 million in overall North American rentals. Aldrich subsequently directed Hecht-Lancaster's next film, Vera Cruz.

The film earned $3.25 million in American and Canadian rentals during 1954, and it went on to generate total gross receipts of $10 million in the United States and Canada. In France, the film sold 1,216,098 tickets at the box office.

Critical

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 64% of 11 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.5/10. At the time, Clyde Gilmour praised the film as "one of the most exciting and entertaining westerns Hollywood has produced," while the New York Times criticized it as "slow and dull." Retrospective reviews have praised the film for its "acceptance of the alien nature of the Apache" and "more than the standard revisionist bromides."

References

External links

Apache at IMDb

Apache at the TCM Movie Database (archived)

Text from Apache (film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_(film)

Trivia

It premiered on July 9, 1954, a Friday.
It runs 1h31 — a typical feature length.
As of September 20, 2026, it is available in Brazil by subscription on Looke, Oldflix.
This film's quiz has 12 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.

Production

StudiosHecht-Lancaster Productions
CountriesUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
StatusReleased

More about this film

Filming locations

Santa Monica

Set in

Oklahoma

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Crew

Ernest Laszlo Cinematography
Stanley Cortez Cinematography
Robert Aldrich Director
Alan Crosland, Jr. Editing
Burt Lancaster Producer
Harold Hecht Producer
David Raksin Original music
James R. Webb Writer

Questions about this film

What is Apache about?

Apache: 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.

Who directed Apache?

Apache was directed by Robert Aldrich in 1954.

Who stars in Apache?

The cast of Apache includes Burt Lancaster, Jean Peters, John McIntire, Charles Bronson and John Dehner.

How long is Apache?

Apache runs for 91 minutes, or 1h31.

Where can I watch Apache?

Apache is available on Looke, Oldflix and Looke Amazon Channel. Availability changes often: the list on this page is the most recent we received.