Directed by Delmer Daves, BROKEN ARROW is an above average western, but not nearly as good as the early Mann/Stewart westerns. One thing that will throw the normal western fan off is this is more about peace than action. Stewart plays an ex-soldier who's out looking for gold when he finds a wounded Apache boy and nurses him back to health. In doing so gains a little respect from the other Apaches, but pisses off a bunch of the white people. Some understand that he is sick of war. Soon he becomes a go between for the Indians and the whites.
Good movie, but I can't see myself wanting to watch it again anytime soon. If you're a Western fan or a Stewart fan then you'll enjoy it, but most others will find it too slow. It was interesting to see Will Geer playing such a different role opposite Stewart than in WINCHESTER '73 which was released just a few weeks later. In that movie he was a sheriff and friendly to Stewart, in this film he actually tried to kill Stewart!
