7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
By 1870, there has been 10 years of cruel war between settlers and Cochise's Apaches. Ex-soldier Tom Jeffords saves the life of an Apache boy and starts to wonder if Indians are human, after all; soon, he determines to use this chance to make himself an ambassador. Against all odds, his solitary mission into Cochise's stronghold opens a dialogue. Opportunely, the president sends General Howard with orders to conclude peace. But even with Jeffords' luck, the deep grievance and hatred on both sides make tragic failure all too likely...
Starring: James Stewart, Jeff Chandler, Debra Paget, Basil Ruysdael, Will GeerWestern | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Romance | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
1950’s “Broken Arrow” has the distinction of being one of the first westerns to approach Native American characters with a degree of respect. It’s a movie about tolerance set during one of the least tolerant times in American history, attempting to reexamine and reconfigure the traditional “Cowboys vs. Indians” simplification of history. Its ambition to rise above the competition is fascinating, giving “Broken Arrow” a boost in dramatic possibility, with director Delmer Daves (helming an adaptation of a Elliot Arnold novel) taking characterization as seriously as he can while still serving up elements of action and romance that act as comforting familiarity while the feature works to introduce new ideas of cultural awareness.
The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation is billed as a 2K restoration, and it looks like some effort was put into the feature's Blu-ray debut. Colors are respectfully refreshed, preserving the slightly exaggerated Technicolor look of the film, delivering compelling desert exteriors and greenery, and richer costuming. Skintones are stable. Detail is agreeable, offering textured costuming and set construction, also handling close-ups with care for facial particulars. Distances retain dimensionality. Delineation is communicative. Source is in decent shape, with some mild scratches, speckling, and slight changes in brightness, but nothing's distracting.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix contributes a straightforward assembly of dialogue exchanges, permitting loud voices that never dip into distortive extremes. Some sloppy ADR work is present, and it's difficult to tell if slight synch issues are inherent to the movie, but concerns are brief. Scoring handles comfortably, supporting cinematic moods without intrusion, and native drumming offers some heft. Sound effects are alert, with gunfights and rumbly horseback encounters.
"Broken Arrow" goes broad with conflicts, but grit remains, and the screenplay isn't shy when it comes to discussing issues of tolerance, though it doesn't register as preachy, just impassioned. Western traditions are secured through multiple gunfights and saloon hostilities, keeping the effort alert enough to qualify as exciting, but the material is always more interested in providing understanding and exploring the limits of respect. There are flaws here that prevent "Broken Arrow" from achieving greatness, but there's an impressive vision for the picture that's sustained throughout, giving it some welcome weight and clarity that was rare for the release year and remains vital in 2017.
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
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Warner Archive Collection
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Warner Archive Collection
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