Apache (film)


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

Premise

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.

Cast

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 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 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.

Reception

Box office

The film was a big hit, earning over 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 in American and Canadian rentals during 1954, and it went on to generate total gross receipts of in the United States and Canada. In France, the film sold 1,216,098 tickets at the box office.

Critical

The film currently has a 75% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.