Movie Monday Review: Apache Rifles

Apache Rifles (1964)

Starring: Audie Murphy, Michael Dante, Linda Lawson, L.Q. Jones, Ken Lynch, Eugene Iglesias, J. Pat O’Malley, John Archer, and Joseph Vitale

Summary

US Cavalry officer, Jeff Stanton (Audie Murphy), is assigned to relieve the officer in charge of getting the Apache Indians back on the Reservation and to figure out why they left. Riding his troops hard, they continue on the trail of Victorio (Joseph Vitale), who Stanton says will not give in. Stanton’s aide, Corporal Ramirez (Eugene Iglesias), knows that Stanton will not give in either and the opinion is widely shared that Stanton is bitter toward the Indians due to the death of his own Cavalry officer father.

A small band of Apaches attack Stanton’s men and a skirmish ensues. However, Stanton is able to catch the leader of the group who he knows is Victorio’s son Red Hawk (Michael Dante). Knowing that Victorio has eyes all over the canyon, he holds Red Hawk captive in plain sight to lure Victorio out. The hours roll by and Victorio is not showing himself, still Stanton holds out. The American troops are beginning to get nervous that Stanton is too bent on getting back at the Indians for past actions, but they can’t get Stanton to share.

Soon, however, Victorio sends someone to Stanton, who agrees to go back and talk with Victorio, bringing Red Hawk. Taking Corporal Ramirez and Red Hawk, they go to talk with the Chief. Victorio explains that the Indians have left the Reservation because the “white people” haven’t kept their side of the agreement, namely staying off the grounds on the Reservation. Stanton obviously has a problem with the Indians, but believes agreements should be kept. He sees a white woman living amongst the Indians, her name is Dawn Gillis (Linda Lawson). He tells her that she should return with him to the white settlement, but she tells him that this is her home, she is a missionary and won’t leave the Indians. Stanton can’t understand why anyone would want to stay with such savage people as the Apaches, but he leaves, telling Victorio he will look into the problem.

Looking into the problem, Stanton discovers that white gold seekers have indeed been crossing onto the Indian Reservation and causing problems on the Indians private property. Stanton takes his men out and quickly brings all the white gold seekers in, ordering them to stay off of Indian Territory. He tells Victorio that he will keep his side of the agreement and the Indians can return to their land.

Stanton figures that the easiest way to do this would be to split up his regiment into smaller units that can patrol areas of the Reservation, keeping the gold seekers off the land. He trusts the Indians will keep their side of the agreement if he keeps his side and is therefore not worried about mass attacks.

Gold miners, led by Hodges (Ken Lynch), are mad at this restriction put upon them and don’t believe the Indians should be allowed to keep all that gold stuck in the mountains. They refuse to listen to the orders issued by Stanton and attempt to return to the hills where they begin to pull out gold. When Red Hawk discovers this, he is appalled and tries to stop them. They capture him and threaten to kill him for trying to stop them. Stanton finds out about it and puts a stop to it, forcing Hodges to return.

Several of the miners decide they need action, they’ve been working too hard for that gold and won’t give up now. They find an old bow and arrow and kill the white Indian’s Affairs Official, then blame the Indians for starting this atrocity and want vengeance. When Cavalry Colonel Perry (John Archer) arrives and discovers that Stanton has been splitting up his soldiers to protect the Indians, he is horrified. He confronts Stanton, stating that they are now in a perfect position to be massacred. Stanton upholds his side, saying the Indians will keep peace if they do too. Stanton rushes off to stop the confrontation that is about to happen between the miners and the Indians.

The miners say they want justice and are about to fire on the Indians (men, women, and children). Stanton tries to stop them and in the process, Dawn stands in front. She tells them to stop this atrocity, but that if they’ll fire, she won’t move, because she will stand with her people. Everyone is shocked to find out she is half-Indian, but nonetheless, do not heed her. She and several others get shot by the miners, but Stanton is faced with a decision: will he actually fire upon his own kind or let them commit this horror?

The situation subsided for the moment, he takes Dawn to the military hospital and is confronted by Colonel Perry who orders that Stanton be under personal arrest, ordered to stay at the camp. Meanwhile, the townspeople are preparing for Indian attacks and have barricaded the town, with the miners building the tension. Colonel Perry believes action must be taken and brings a whole troop out to the canyon to confront the Indians. They walk into a trap and are pinned down, with Colonel Perry being wounded.

Stanton is the only one who knows the arrow used was not an Apache arrow. Although able to prove the truth, he is almost too late. Stanton can’t stand this and sneaks out of camp and into town to prove that it wasn’t the Indians who started this. Finding Hodges, he forces him to confess and to tell him who the ringleaders are.

Red Hawk sneaks into the military camp to “rescue” the woman he loves, Dawn. He tells her that the white people wouldn’t care about her if they knew the truth, that she was half Indian. She believes that Stanton would still love her, no matter what. When Stanton arrives, Red Hawk announces the truth and Stanton doesn’t know what to do. He is conflicted and stunned. The silence makes Dawn believe Red Hawk was right and she agrees to leave with him.

When a haggard and wounded rider arrives into camp to tell Stanton about the trap, Stanton knows he’s the only one who can solve this. He rides off to where Perry is and goes to talk with Victorio. Getting to the top of the mountain with evidence, he finds Red Hawk with his father, who is dead. Stanton tries to keep the peace and promise the Indians what they’re due, but Red Hawk is tired of promises that can’t be kept. Stanton has Colonel Perry with him and trusts that they can come to an agreement. Perry quickly double-crosses and turns on the Indians who are now surrounded. Stanton had just helped Perry to buy time. In a fit of rage, Red Hawk grabs his father’s spear and pins Stanton to the ground, before Red Hawk realizes that Stanton has proven them innocent. The Indians are taken.

When the higher US officials find out about what Perry did, breaking their treaty, they are not happy and order Perry out. They ask the recovered Stanton to stay on as commanding officer, but Stanton has had enough of this and refuses to have his word broken again to the Indians. Leaving his resignation, he leaves and finds Red Hawk. He’s being shipped out, but Stanton can’t let him leave without telling him that he’s sorry and that he resigned. Red Hawk turns back with a surprising answer, he insists that Stanton should stay on, because he’s the only one who can help the Indians. Stanton is shocked at this, but soon begins to realize the amount of good he can do because he believes the Indians aren’t all bad. Red Hawk goes another step further and asks Stanton to take care of Dawn, because he knows they do love each other. They part ways in peace, both knowing the other will do what’s best.

Review

A very interesting movie, looking at the side of Indian relations during the 1800s. A very sad topic and difficult for Hollywood not to point toward white righteousness and Indian savageness. Apache Rifles, however, shows a unique side. By the end of the movie, the main character (well played by Audie Murphy) has to experience a turning point in his thinking and in his life. Scarred by the memory that his father was killed by the Indians, even though he believed in them, Stanton has to make a choice to live in the now and not based off the old.

When faced with the decision to love a woman who is half Indian, to be willing to let go of the past, to help the Indians, even fighting his own white people, Stanton changes. That’s the big difference. He changes his opinion and becomes the friend that the Indians needed. It’s powerful, in that Red Hawk even sees the importance of Stanton to the cause and is willing to leave everything just so that Stanton can help change society as they know it. So, both Red Hawk and Stanton leave as friends, not as enemies like they had been, and they are changed men ready to make a difference in the world.

Although Audie Murphy plays a complex part, it is Michael Dante (Red Hawk) who plays an intriguing part. Red Hawk starts out with an undying passion and hatred for the white people, whom he does not trust. He believes they have no integrity and would just as soon destroy them. However, he loves the half-white/half-Indian woman who lives among them. She is the difference that crosses both sides. Her part is important, because she helps both sides realize how splitting the racial tensions are, and she doesn’t have to say anything.

I am amazed at the ability of Ken Lynch (Hodges) to be able to play characters that grate on your nerves. Unfortunately type casted for the roll of the annoying, angry/bitter, disgruntled man, Ken Lynch still adds so much character to the story. In fact, it’s his hatred and greed that drive the change in the other characters. An interesting dichotomy.

A good movie to watch, very much in the character of the old west. As a parent, know that there are racial tensions between the Indians and whites, a good teaching opportunity. Also, there are moments of tension that might be harsher for younger viewers, watch first and evaluate.

Ellen Nolan