Themes: Race Relations, White People Among Indians
Main Cast: Charlton Heston, Jack Palance, Katy Jurado, Brian Keith, Mary Sinclair
Release Year: 1953
Country: US
Run Time: 105 minutes
Plot
Adapted from a novel by W.R. Burnett (which hadn't yet been published when the film was released), Arrowhead is a tough, uncompromising western dealing with the delicate issue of White-Indian relations. Charlton Heston is at his most truculent as Indian agent Ed Bannon, who though raised by Apaches has a very low opinion of the tribe's trustworthiness. Bannon's warnings about Indian treachery would seem to be borne out by a series of bloody raids upon the cavalry, but the officers in charge refuse to believe him. It turns out that the man behind the Apache attacks is Toriano (Jack Palance), the chief's college-educated son, who has rejected the ways of the White Man and intends to reclaim his birthright. The film boils down to a mano y mano battle between Bannon and Toriano, personal enemies from way back. Hardly politically correct, Arrowhead is worth seeing if only for the multitextured performance by Jack Palance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Arrowhead is a 1953western film directed by Charles Marquis Warren and starring Charlton Heston and Jack Palance. The film is based on the novel Adobe Walls by W.R.Burnett. The screenplay was also by Charles Marquis Warren.
Plot synopsis
Maverick scout, Ed Bannon, (Charlton Heston) is working with cavalry stationed at Fort Clark, Texas. The US army is trying to talk peace with the Apaches and move them to reservations in Florida. Bannon's activities seem counter productive to this new policy. Toriano (Jack Palance), the son of the Apache chief, returns from an Eastern education. Bannon is suspicious of his motives and their distrust of each other is eventually resolved by single combat.
