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Ulzana's Raid
Genres: AdventureWest
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Richard Jaeckel, Gladys Holland, Richard Bull, Bruce Davison, John Pearce, Karl Swenson
Director(s): Robert Aldrich
Country: USA
Year:1972
IMDB Rating: 7.1

Report reaches the US cavalry that the Apache leader Ulzana has left his reservation with a band of followers. A compassionate young officer, Lieutenant DeBuin, is given a small company to find him and bring him back accompanying the troop is McIntosh, an experienced scout, and Ke-Ni-Tay, an Apache guide. Ulzana massacres, rapes and loots across the countryside and as DeBuin encounters the remains of his victims, he is compelled to learn from McIntosh and to confront his own naivity and hidden prejudices.

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Visitor Reviews: (20)

bux 17 May 2012

One of the better post 1960 Westerns


If there is a moral to this story or if it was served up as allegory, itpassed by me. This is a good action western-sure it has some bigotry (notas bad as "Arrowhead"(1953) but the characters are well developed and thestory flows along nicely. The scene in which the trooper shoots the womanto save the child is disturbing, but only adds to the realism. I passedonwatching this one for many years, as I don't care much for post 1960Westerns, I was in error in not catching this earlier...it's a good one.

TrevorAclea 17 May 2012

Whichever way you cut it, a great film


It's well worth tracking down Robert Aldrich's Ulzana's Raid – orrather, Burt Lancaster's Ulzana's Raid, since there are two versions incirculation: the one currently released on DVD is actually thedirector's US cut while the one on video is Burt Lancaster's Europeancut, which has the same running time but some additional footage at theexpense of some deleted scenes.It follows a cavalry patrolled by Bruce Davison's idealistic butinexperienced West Pointer and guided by Lancaster's scout in theirpursuit of a small band of Apaches who have left the reservation torekindle their 'power' by torturing and killing as many settlers asthey can find. It's a stark, brilliant film that is a notable influenceon Walter Hill's Geronimo (which even borrows from it directly on acouple of occasions), but has a level of cruelty that the later filmlacks. Unlike its contemporaries which took up the Native Americancause, this never idealises or demonises either side: even Lancaster'sscout proves catastrophically less competent in matters of strategythan in tracking or attempting to explain the enemy's way of thinking.For the most part it's a conflict between two different cultures thatcan never understand or tolerate each other, carried out almost withoutmalice despite its brutality. As Lancaster points out, "It's just theway they are. It's like hating the desert because there ain't any waterin it." With a superb screenplay by Alan Sharp, a fine Frank De Volscore and muscular, unsentimental direction by Aldrich that takes noprisoners, it's one of the key Westerns of the Seventies, even if partsof it proved too shocking for audiences for it to gain much of areputation at the time. It's strong meat, but it's more than worth theprice of admission.

NewEnglandPat 13 May 2012

A grim, violent cavalry-Indian western


This cavalry-Indian western doesn't depart from its predictable formulaof reservation-jumping Indians who rampage, plunder, ambush and commitatrocities until the cavalry catches up with them. Burt Lancaster, inone of his last good performances, is a tired, dusty scout whose taskit is to steer a greenhorn officer straight and keep him out of harm'sway, in spite of himself. The film has lots of action and great visualbeauty, with graphic bloodletting thrown in for good measure. BruceDavison is miscast in this picture, not at all believable as a cavalrylieutenant. Davison is eager enough to get the assignment of capturingUlzana but after being outfoxed by the fugitive chief reluctantlydefers to Lancaster and Jorge Luke, the latter who is great as anApache scout, and turns out to be the real hero of the film. Thepicture has Indians fighting other Indians, which isn't new in westernsbut when its all over this movie leaves a bad taste.

Theo Robertson 12 May 2012

Not A Western - A Great Film


I hate westerns so why do I adore ULZANA`S RAID ? Simple - it`s not awestern Question : What`s the connection between M.A.S.H , TOO LATE THE HERO andCHATO`S LAND ? The answer is they`re all Vietnam allegories . The Hollywoodconservative establishment didn`t allow film makers to voice their commentson the war unless they agreed with it ( Witness the trainwreck that is THEGREEN BERETS ) so the only way auteurs could get round this was if theydressed their stories up as something else . Add ULZANA`S RAID to thelistScottish screenwriter Alan Sharp has written a great script . It has asimple premise which is usually the sign of a good film . US troops go afteran Apache war party . There that`s it the entire premise and a tightlyplotted one at that , something that is not often seen in Hollywood scriptsnowadays . And being a `Nam allegory there`s a lot of character interactionbetween a naive inexperienced officer and his men who are grizzled veterans. Sharp has also made a barbed comment on audience identification , everyonecan relate to the white American soldiers while no one can relate to theApaches murdering and raping homesteaders , but the homesteaders aresurrogate Vietnamese , so at the same time ULZANA`S RAID representscontempary America through both the white calvarymen and the Apache ,something no one seems to have picked up on , but certainly deliberate onthe part of Sharp Flaws ? Well I do think the film deserved a bigger budget than the reported1.2 million dollars , sometimes the production feels like a TVM while themusic swings between a genre western score and a romantic comedy , believeme no one will confuse ULZANA`S RAID with a rom-com . But these minor flawsdon`t stop ULZANA`S RAID from being a great film due to the script , thecast and director Robert Aldrich

ksundstrom 07 May 2012

Questioning...?


Permit an additional comment to all the others. So there will be nodescription like the worthy others - just some other views about theclash of forces that formed America. So forceful in American thinkingis Fords forceful and disdainful remark about the value of history:'All history is bunk', that Hollywood with its European talent haschallenged that thought. But in many, many comments of films on IMDbone has to observe reluctantly that history seems to have noimportance. First comment - so it will be history! Americans arrivingfrom the East, those who contributed most to American development, camefrom Europe. Europe had been ravaged by famines, wars, social classstrife, that America - the promised land in the letters sent home toEurope - appeared as the only future for a better life. Many whoarrived were formed by viscousness. There is thus plenty of this in thefilm expressed by the Americans soldiers of European origins, even morehardened and cynical after the American war of Independence. This is tobe accepted - however difficult for Americans to-day. Second comment -the destruction of the Indians. In the broad sweep of indo-Europeanhistory, this was just a minor incident in the European history. Wholeraces in Europe were exterminated from Portugal to the Urals (a widthnot much different from west to east in America) in the most brutalfashion, for example, the moguls of Gengis Khan and even the Frenchduring the Saint Barthelemy massacre 1572 or the persecution in Italyof Savonarola 1498 and the subsequent period of the Roman CatholicInquisition. This history and much more was in the backbone of theEuropeans who built up America. So the Indians and their demise wasjust part of a terrible human pageantry. Third comment - the filmraises such issues of human cruelty, survival, race, development, inthe new world of America. That is its merit par excellence, thanks tothe writer, director, actors and the photography. A film that provokesquestioning and thought.

youngfransis 07 May 2012

Didn't like it, Too Stereotypical


As you can see by a couple of comments already left, this movie is not"PC". In fact, I'd say it's a fantasy movie or, perhaps a politicalthriller? I find it funny that throughout the entire movie, the Nativesare regarded as savages. The movie makes you believe that they wereALWAYS savages and the White Man had nothing to do with it. They don'tgo into the HORROR of reservation life or the events leading to theimprisonment of these natives. Genocide was committed in that time, butlet's not talk about that. Let's make a movie glorifying the HUNT of arenegade group of Apaches trying to fight a war using the EXACT SAMEtactics their enemy uses. Let's all enjoy and rate a movie that tellsthe TRUE stories of the Calvary slaughtering woman, children, oldpeople and men. Let's rent a movie about the people and culture that nolonger exist due to the U.S. policy to extinguish the Indian populationwhile we enjoy a nice bowl of popcorn. I'm not buying the message thatis being sent through this movie.

drystyx 05 May 2012

Psychological Western for the heavy thinker


This is probably more of a thinking man's Western than just about anyother Western. It involves the search for renegade apaches by a smallcavalry unit with only four characters even remotely developedthroughout the entire movie. Two are veteran cavalry men, one a veryChristian newcomer of an officer who is left with a lot of self doubtby the savagery of the Apaches, and the last is an Apache scout whoclaims he, too, is a savage, although his actions say different. Thismovie deals harshly with the native American, but in not nearly asbigoted a way as "Arrowhead," the one movie that actually was horriblyracist in the production. This movie gives the Apache the same superwarrior, super savage, super cruel persona. It does relent somewhatmore than "Arrowhead," and has no precept of self righteousness. Thefour characters struggle with their feelings. To it's credit, it is athinking man's piece, though not, as some say, much of an allegory forViet Nam. The natives here are much more cruel without reason, but thisfalls into the Hollywood stereotype of the Apache. It doesn't condemnany of the characters, but tries to get the viewer to understand thefour points of view. To it's detriment, only the four characters areeven remotely given any sort of character, which is very poor work fora full length movie. So the grade for character development goes waydown. The movie is slow paced, but as I said, it isn't meant to be anaction packed Western. The racist stereotype of the Apache is stillthere. This goes back to the glorification of Geronimo (not a characterhere, but obviously alluded to). Geronimo , historically, was more of aCharles Manson type, not even respected among normal Apaches (exceptfor naive impressionable ones). This film deals with such characters ascompletely indicative of every Apache. Certainly a false and racistattitude. There are better movies that actually deal more realisticallywith the same situations in the older Westerns, contrary to popularbelief. Many Audie Murphy movies, for example, give a more accuratealthough romanticized view. In the final analysis, I have to believe itis poor writing and directing that can only develop four characters outof dozens, past one dimension in a full length film. More against thismovie than for it, but not a complete loser.

elcoat 04 May 2012

One of the two greatest Westerns.


... the other being The Searchers, of course.Bruce Davison's Lt. DeBuin could have as easily been a new lieutenantfresh out of West Point in Viet Nam. The film educates the viewer onthe reality of those times and responsibilities and human responses tothem.Lancaster is perfectly cast as the aging scout who has come to respectand like one of the fiercest and at that time least likable NativeAmerican peoples. (There were two other Lancaster Westerns at about thetime of this one: The Lawman, and Valdez Is Coming.) But the mostfascinating and illuminating character is Apache Scout Ke-Ni-Tay,thanks to Jorge Luke's restrained acting.Indeed, it is the young Apache Scout's and young Army lieutenant'smeeting, exchanges, and ultimate mutual understanding and respect -enabled and encouraged by the wise, fatherly scout, and shared by theaudience - which is the crux of this film.This little-known film everyone should see, before they pass judgmenton those times and places and how people there handled them.Lou Coatney

TM-2 02 May 2012

Great western


Ulzana's raid is a truely excellent movie. It is gritty, often violent andintended for mature audiences. Burt Lancaster is superb in this role. Likemany of his other westerns, it has a harder edge than most people like tosee. Made about the same time as possibly the best western (in it's uneditedform) ever made "Soldier Blue", it lacks the extreme gore that resulted insevere censorship of that movie. However, Ulzana's raid does pack apunch.I find it interesting that most of the westerns from this time period endedup being heavily cut resulting in dumbed down and toned down offerings. Withthe advent of DVD I hope more of these American classics get released intheir origonal format and uncut.As for the DVD, I do own a copy despite it being a pan and scam abomination.It offered the best (and I use the word very loosly) version currentlyavailable.

steve_b33 01 May 2012

Powerful Stuff


Robert Aldrich's savage 1972 revenge western which as harrowing now asthen - a band of Apaches's have left the reservation and gone on akilling spree - Young and idealistic Lt DeBuin(Bruce Davison) is put incharge of the calvary sent out to stop them - he is joined bywily,plain speaking scout McIntosh(a splendidly grizzeled BurtLancaster) and his trusty Apache assistant Ki-No-Tay - the chase is onto stop Ulzana before he does too much killing.... DeBuin is fromdevout Christian stock and is appalled at the cruelty meted out to theApache's victim's - he starts from a point that they are no differentto himself but as the burnings,rapes and torture mount he begins toquestion how these men could have been made in God's image.McIntosh is more sanguine about it - he respects the Apache but has noillusions about the way they operate - Aldrich doesn't shy away fromthe more grisly acts but its more than the usual Injun bashing - thepoint is made that if the white man treated them better then theywoudn't feel the need to do these things - McIntosh is not so convincedand there is a factinating conversation between DeBuin and Ki-No-Tayabout why the Apache kill and how others deaths give the killer power.Along the way DeBuin has his metal tested and has to make decisionsthat affect the life and deaths of both homesteaders and his troops -Davison is good in the role and Lancaster is excellent as theolder,more experienced man who has seen it all before but knows whatneeds to be done - but still brings a warmth and humanity to thecharacter.Of course any search and destroy raiding party Western of the time canhave endless Vietnam parallels - and the fine script leaves the filmopen to more than one interpretation. Fine stuff.

planktonrules 01 May 2012

A slightly more modern and more savage western...


"Ulzana's Raid" is a bit more modern in style than many westerns, asit's bloodier and is a bit more grim than most films in the genre.However, it's not all modern, as there is no trace of the changingattitudes towards the American Indian, as in this film the Apaches arepretty much scum. This tribe takes pleasure in torture, murder andrape--things you won't see in a more modern western...if they made themany more. I am not sure how true this depiction of this particulartribe is true as well as one soldier blowing out his brains aftermurdering a white woman to prevent them from capturing them. All I knowis that this made for a rather depressing film.Burt Lancaster plays a grizzled old scout. He is experienced in dealingwith the Apache. Bruce Davison plays a VERY young and inexperiencedCavalry lieutenant who is in charge of a small expedition that is outto chased down and kill the Apache, Ulzana, and his raiding party. Muchof the film consists of desert shots--with soldiers following Ulzana'strail. This is punctuated by period brutal scenes--brutal for 1972,though not all that brutal today.I noticed that some of the reviewers really liked this film. I found itall to be a bit ponderous and you KNEW how the film would end--onlyexactly how it got there was in question. An okay western but not amongLancaster's better films.By the way, although the film is rated R, it probably today would berated PG-13 or perhaps even PG.

Melvin M. Carter 30 April 2012

A peek at grim reality


The Apaches. Young cavalry officer. The Frontiersman. The Indian Scout.The Cavalry Sargeant. The Southwest. These ingredients have been usedas recipes in hundreds of stories and films with varying results. Fromgrade Z pulp tales and waste of filmstock to intelligent Romances ofthe Taming of the West. John Ford's famous trilogy on the US cavalryhad two dealing with conflicts against the Apaches-Fort Apache and RioGrande. But they are wrapped in a sentimental gauze of what actuallyoccurred. To be honest Ulzana would've cut the Fort Apache regiment ledby Henry Fonda's to bits in a series of ambushes and those led by JohnWayne in Rio Grande would never had made contact. Ulzana's Raid is farmore historically accurate and offsetting to those used to They DiedWith Boots On -Buffaflo Bill head on charges of war bonnet wearingIndians vs.saber armed bluecoats. It is a grim look at the reality ofwarfare through the ages: the technologically advanced settled peopleagainst the outland barbarians who value the warrior credo. If thecivilized people really want their land they'll bear the cost of takingit: Romans vs.Dacians,Chinese Vs Huns, Colonists vs. the Eastern tribesof America, British vs. Maoris and the Zulus Viets Vs. Montagnards etcetc. Some have seen an allegory with Vietnam but I see it as a story oftwo cultures colliding, neither of them purely good or evil,just humanskilling each other-the First Oldest Profession.

Roger Burke 30 April 2012

Authentic period piece about the horrors of the Indian wars…


Robert Aldrich was a director I much admired, directing some of myfavorite films: Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – the quintessential Mike Hammerflick – Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte (1964), The Flight of the Phoenix(1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967) and others. Now, after missing it forover thirty years, I can now add this one: as a truly realistic andaccurate portrayal of what would have happened in one of manyskirmishes during the Indian wars of the late nineteenth century.This is a mature and sometimes grossly horrific account of what Apachesdid to settlers and soldiers, and what soldiers did to Apaches. Itpulls no punches in depicting how the marauding band of Apacheseviscerate the dead and play sport with the entrails of victims, howthey rape and torture wives of settlers, how they torture the menslowly and most cruelly. But, it also shows how soldiers are driven toperform cowardly, and equally cruel acts when retaliating, in the nameof justice.And caught in the middle of this mayhem is young Lt. DeBruin (BruceDavison) who's given the task of rounding up Ulzana (Joaquin Martinez)and his band of Apaches who left the reservation, stole some horses andbegan to lay a path of destruction and death across part of Arizona.Being fresh out from military college, he needs help; and so, the fortcommander (Douglass Watson) sends the grizzled Army scout McIntosh(Burt Lancaster) along to provide necessary advice and guidance –together with a company of toughened army veterans kept in check by aweary sergeant (the ever competent Richard Jaeckel). Rounding out the'posse' is the Apache army scout Ki-Ni-Tay (Jorge Luke) who providesthe young DeBruin (and the viewer) with insight into the mind of theApache.The story resolves to a cat-and-mouse game between Ulzana and hispursuers, each trying to outguess and outmaneuver the other across andthrough the wide and desolate expanse of the Arizona hills andsemi-desert. So, it's as much an entertainment as it is a lesson in thetactics necessary for the soldiers to gain the upper hand. There aresome wonderful landscape shots that illustrate just how difficult thetask was; and there are moments of sheer brilliance when Aldrich showsKi-Ni-Tay's on-foot pursuit of one of Ulzana's band, a standoutsequence of stealth and suspense.Throughout all of this McIntosh brings his long experience to bear uponDeBruin's decisions, convincing the lieutenant to set the only trapthat would fool Ulzana into making a mistake – McIntosh reiteratingmany times that "those who make the first mistake" will lose. All tootrue because things always go wrong with the best laid plans...Once again, Lancaster shows the master's touch in this role: hiscrinkly eyes, lined face and quiet voice attesting to a man who's seenit all and who just wants to get a job done and survive another day.Which makes Davison almost perfect as the cherubic – almost angelic –faced neophyte who wants to do well but who also wants to change hisworld and make it better for all – including the Apache. Such irony...The only jarring notes were the sometimes-quick cuts (which made mewonder if some scenes had been deleted); and the sometimes-peculiarmusic sound track that you have to listen to, to understand my point.Otherwise...Not recommended for children as this film does contain some graphicallyawful scenes. For all adult fans of the western genre, however, Ithoroughly recommend a viewing.

petsteph1 29 April 2012

One of the Best Westerns


It's very hard to fault this one and who would want to? Burt Lancasterwith his soft spoken burr and lots of incredible scenery and credibledialogue and action. It doesn't miss a beat and informs while itexcites. So much better than 3:10 to Yuma, Dances With Wolves andLittle Big Man for the genre, free of the self-conscious'look-we're-making-a-western' feel and genuinely thrilling and morish.Not likely to be revisited in this pathetically politically correct ageand doesn't really need it. A straightforward story of a chase afterUlzana, a renegade Apache, made by Robert Alrdich with enoughsensitivity that we understand the feelings of the hunted as well asthe hunters.

latsblaster 24 April 2012

Ulzana's Raid: Original Western


Interesting Western, made when Bob Aldrich already was an establishedHollywood-director. He had directed several Westerns, and well-knownfor his films, such as "Attack" and "Flight of the Phoenix". You cannotice his experience when you watch this film. To make this pictureAldrich needed his big director-name, otherwise I think he couldn'tdare to make "Ulzana's Raid" (althrough made during the NewHollywood-era).This wasn't just another Western, it was a serious try to make aviolent film with battle between the white and the native Americans,maybe with ambition to stay neutral or being distanced. The film didn'tsucceeded with that ambition but yet it wasn't a failure and it got arather unique mood. Burt Lancaster was a good choice in the lead, butthe character McIntosh isn't the type you learn to love from the firstframe he enters the screen (and no classic Lancaster-type), and yet heis not an anti-hero. You never get to know him. This is a veryexperienced, but rather quiet character (anti-Lancaster). You don't getto know his right hand Ke-Ni-Tay neither, and none of their enemies orallied. I think this is perfect for the film.Maybe the story could have been developed more. It is hardly one of thevery strongest Western-movies I have seen, since it isn't a film thatmakes you feel a lot of different emotions such as Ford's, Hawks' orLeone's movies did, but still a very interesting film because it isoriginal in many ways and that is reason enough to not miss it. A boldfilm, made in an interesting time.Rating: 7 of 10.

kayaker36 23 April 2012

Nobility and Cruelty


If you listen carefully you can hear a few lines in the Apache languagenear the beginning of this picture. Before departing the reservationthe veteran scout MacIntosh (Lancaster) seeks information about hisadversary by questioning several elders of the Apache tribe through thenative auxiliary Ke-Ni-Tay.Like their cousins the Navajo, the Athabascan-speaking Apacheunquestionably migrated from the far North to the American Southwest,though just when this happened is still debated. Taller and fiercerthan the Pueblos and Yumans they found there, and possessing the arcticbow, the Apache soon dominated the whole region though they were pushedout of the easternmost part by the equally warlike Comanche. This picture presents the Apache in all their cunning and savagery, asmany other posters have noted. This is a character-driven narrativewith a straightforward plot. "Why are your people so cruel?" asksLieut. DeBuin of Ke-Ni-Tay. "You do not understand," Ke-Ni-Taycomments, to which the green and idealistic officer replies "I **want**to understand".In a less carefully written script, the juvenile role of Lieut. DeBuincould have come off simply as a spoiled brat or a clueless male ingénuewhose mistakes have to be redeemed with the blood of his men. But hehas noble qualities. These are revealed subtly and gradually as thestory progresses until the final salute, when we see this young officeras a true leader of men.Terrific performances by veteran Richard Jaeckel (catch him in theoriginal **3:10 to Yuma**), by Jorge Luke, by Lancaster and by youngBruce Davison in a sensitive portrayal of Lieut. DeBuin.

vincentorsini 23 April 2012

Not only a classic but the truth


Not only a classic western but one of only two that show the PlainsIndian tribes in their true colours (the other is 'A Man CalledHorse'). The feared Apache braves were not mad but definitely could bebad and dangerous to know. They also might have been a beautiful peoplebut at the same time were brutal and most cruel. To gain a man's powerthey would slowly torture the poor soul to death. Any soldier fightingthe Apache would hold the last bullet back for himself, rather thansuffer a fate far worse than death. Other 70's westerns liberalised theIndians to make anti Vietnam War statements. 'Ulzana's Raid' set therecord straight and is one savage history lesson about a 'War Party' onthe rampage. Beyond good and evil it's just the way they were. BurtLancaster is perfect and simply sublime as a wise Indian tracker, whowhen asked "Do you hate the Apache?" he replies "Just being afraid ofthem is more than enough". In my opinion 'Ulzana's Raid' has not beenmatched by anything before or since.

thomas196x2000 22 April 2012

Oddball Western


I remember seeing this movie as a kid and finding it truly repellent. Idon't really care about the politics of the film, or as one yakkingposter went on and on about how "unfair" the Indians were treated, blahblah blah.Lancaster is wasted here...his part could have been played by anyonefrom Warren Oates to Simon Oakland. Doesn't matter. There is not onesympathetic or even interesting character, excepted perhaps BruceDavison's. The Ulzana of the title isn't interesting, compelling orheroic no matter which "side" you might empathize with. You wish allthe characters would just go to Hell.The reality is that this is one boring film, punctuated by scenes thatare disgusting and foul. It's beyond me how some might find thisentertaining. Beware.Some movies you have never heard of for good reason. Here is an exampleof a good reason.

bkoganbing 21 April 2012

As Moral As It Can Afford To Be


If you remember in the John Wayne classic Hondo, Ward Bond comments tothe Duke about how us old scouts have to teach the young shavetaillieutenants like Tom Irish what to do with fighting the Apaches. Onjust such a mission is army scout Burt Lancaster trying to teachinexperienced young Lieutenant Bruce Davison, give him his baptism offire so to speak.Ulzana's Raid is a grim and uncompromising look at the dirty businessof what it took to subdue some of the Indian tribes. There's nothingglamorous or noble about it, nor is there any real right or wrong aboutit. A hunting and gathering society gave way to an agricultural one,the way sociologists have demonstrated since the beginning of recordedhistory. Naturally the hunters and gatherers didn't like it. In factthey downright resented it.There's ugliness and cruelty on both sides, but Davison has to learnwhat it takes to survive. Davison as the idealistic young lieutenantand Lancaster the scout have a good chemistry going. Lancaster is thevoice of experience, but Davison is in command and has to keep goodmilitary discipline among the troops. He makes mistakes, but Lancastertells him he has to live with them and learn.There is a sidebar conflict going as well between a pair ofbrothers-in- law, Joaquin Martinez in the title role as Ulzana andJorge Luke as Ken-Ni-Tay the Indian scout with the cavalry. Both theseguys are as stoic a pair of Indians as we've ever seen on film. Afavorite scene of mine from the film is when Davison tries to find outfrom Luke why the Apaches do what they do. His answers basically arethat tough living in the desert makes them that way, the differencebetween a society that's already building cities and a hunting andgathering society that's as moral as it can afford to be, especiallyagainst invaders.Ulzana's Raid is one film not for the squeamish. It's cinematography onlocation in Arizona and Nevada is first rate and Robert Aldrich getstop performances out of his whole cast. Definitely a must for westernfans.

dmgrundy 21 April 2012

a re-revisionist western


In 1954, Robert Aldrich directed and Burt Lancaster starred in'Apache', a re-consideration of the negative role accorded NativeAmericans in the western film. Just under twenty years later, theyre-united for another examination of the same subject, but therevisionism this time was as much a response to the kind of film madepossible by the likes of 'Apache', as it was to the old myths ofwhooping villains (a la 'Stagecoach'). Attention is paid to creating analmost deadpan examination of the minutiae of life in the west, with aliterate script depicting the complex moral dilemmas that were faced ina time of rough-and-ready law-and-order and rampant racism. Not onlythe settings but the characters are more believable than was the normfor the western at the time (and, given such recent efforts as there-make of '3:10 to Yuma', is the norm today as well). Thus, we havesuch closely thought-through detail as the army scout shooting himselfand the settler he's escorting back to the fort, to save them frombeing tortured by the Apaches, and the tactical manoeuvres centredaround how long horses can last during a lengthy pursuit. In addition,the scout played by Lancaster isn't (as he probably would be today) the'cynical', 'world-weary' character who must redeem himself by someheroic action; rather, he's a competent professional, a man who liveswith an Apache wife but who doesn't buy the 'Little Big Man' myths ofthe peace-loving noble savage– a hippie era antidote to the racism of'classic' westerns that actually presented a view just as distorted astheirs. 'Ulzana' is far from a one-man film, though, and it's therelations between Lancaster and other characters that make it such aninteresting picture. Most notably, there's the idealistic young officer(Bruce Davison) who leads the expedition to chase Ulzana, the Apachewho's fled his reservation in frustration and is leading a war party torape and murder local homesteaders. The son of a clergyman, the youngman believes that it's "an absence of Christian feeling" that's led tothe situation of mutual enmity between white men and Native Americans;however, when he sees the aftermath of Ulzana's raids (for instance, amutilated settler has a dog's tail placed in his mouth; as Lancasterwryly observes, Apaches have a strange sense of humour), he quicklyswings to the opposite view, and wonders how Lancaster can have dealtwith the Apache for so long without hating them. The fact that mencould be so cruel offends his notion that man is essentially good("made in God's image") – particularly so when members of his owncavalry troupe start to mutilate the corpse of Ulzana's teenage son.Lancaster, though, sees through the bullshit, implicitly pointing outthat such a 'humane' viewpoint over-simplifies the questions of cultureclash caused by the white man's invasion of Native American territory.It would be easy to characterise the tribes as mistreated innocentssuffering at the hands of bloodthirsty colonialists (the hippie view),or, as the young officer does, to believe that a little talking andgood-faith would sort things out, and that both sets of men could existtogether in peace, motivated by similar feelings of love andbrotherhood, following 'good moral principles' in harmony. What thatignores, though, is the brutality present in the tribal culture (atleast, in that of the Apaches, who were feared by other tribes as wellas by the white men); commenting on the rape of white settlers, severalcharacters note that "they don't treat their own women much better." Aculture that is based around rites of manhood (as documented in 'A ManCalled Horse') and the feats of male warriors is not all thatdissimilar to that of bloodthirsty white men masquerading behindChristianity, 'the American way', or simple lust for land. Yet just asone is not going to be able to 'understand' the Apache by caricaturingthem as evil, heathen savages, one is also not going to be able tounderstand them by trying to view them as surrogate white liberals:there is a difference, an otherness which should neither beromanticised nor ignored. Appropriately enough, all Ulzana's dialogueis presented, unsubtitled, in his native tongue: no cushy Kevin Costnercharacterisations here. One might characterise this nuanced approach asre-revisionism: a corrective both to the old Hollywood myths whicheveryone by now knew to be untrue, and to the new hippie myths whichwere perhaps more 'worthy' but were also riskily naïve.

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