Mangas Coloradas (Lex Barker), an Apache chief and white trader Luke Fargo (Ben Johnson) are bound by friendship and their mutual love for Riva (Joan Taylor), a Mexican-Native American girl rescued from horse thieves. Riva marries Mangas, who teaches her the warrior's ways and she later warns the Apaches of an ambush by white soldiers. When Fargo, who did not intend an attack, is injured, Riva helps him - a kindness he must choose whether or not to return when war with the Apaches erupts.
Judging by some of the reviews I read about this 1957 western you would think this is a below par western, but in my opinion it's a really good film with a sympathetic portrait of the Apaches. Here they are the ones clearly wronged, and it also depicts the clashes between Mexicans and Apaches in the beginning, which isn't always covered. It balances action, drama and conflict and even a bit of romance really well. Of course, it's not historically accurate, but I didn't expect it to be. If anything, with its colours and costumes, it looks like a comic strip, but the acting is far from juvenile- Lex Barker is really good as Mangas Colorado, giving him a human element as well as a warrior one, Joan Taylor as the Mexican who becomes his wife is given a refreshing role as a female warrior, but it's Ben Johnson who really adds some depth here as Mangas Colorado's friend. What I think was needed was a longer running time and more character developing, but I'm nitpicking. It's a really good western.
Judging by some of the reviews I read about this 1957 western you would think this is a below par western, but in my opinion it's a really good film with a sympathetic portrait of the Apaches. Here they are the ones clearly wronged, and it also depicts the clashes between Mexicans and Apaches in the beginning, which isn't always covered. It balances action, drama and conflict and even a bit of romance really well. Of course, it's not historically accurate, but I didn't expect it to be. If anything, with its colours and costumes, it looks like a comic strip, but the acting is far from juvenile- Lex Barker is really good as Mangas Colorado, giving him a human element as well as a warrior one, Joan Taylor as the Mexican who becomes his wife is given a refreshing role as a female warrior, but it's Ben Johnson who really adds some depth here as Mangas Colorado's friend. What I think was needed was a longer running time and more character developing, but I'm nitpicking. It's a really good western.