If I was doing this as a PBS documentary, I would do it a lot differently. The name we can't but help invoke in comparison is Brando. The Apache Indians have reluctantly agreed to settle on a US Government approved reservation. [16], Gross says that although Studi and Patric were cast, "Columbia found ways of not letting Walter start the picture ... there is endless talk about casting and the script. He initially considering doing a movie on Crazy Horse "but for various reasons I thought it was a little too difficult. On 9 May, Gross wrote that "Walter has some leeriness about Jason Patric's proclivity for a lot of takes." Not all the Apaches are able to adapt to the life of corn farmers. His instincts will serve him. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Gatewood, Davis and Chato carry on to capture Geronimo. "No, it's not accurate", admitted Hill. The film was released on December 10, 1993. "[9]:22 He was cast in February 1993. The adventures of a drifter turned illegal prize-fighter during the Depression Era in New Orleans. Filming locations in Utah include Professor Valley, Onion Creek, Potash, Dead Horse Point, Needles Overlook, Bates Ranch, Lawson Ranch, and Ruby Ranch Road. Produced by Hill, Canton. [12] (Other Westerns which would come out around this time included Tombstone, Wyatt Earp, The Quick and the Dead, Bad Girls, Maverick and Lightning Jack. "We had to deal with Geronimo a lot better than what our original intention was. 21 of 28 people found this review helpful. Things to Do Food & Drink Arts & Culture ... Geronimo: An American Legend. Geronimo surrenders to Crook but later escapes, taking half of the reservation with him. "These characters are real, but certainly we're allowing legend to serve the truth. "[15], Hill thought the cavalry officers "were the most sympathetic to the Indians of the Southwest. A Legend." The film, which was directed by Walter Hill, is based on a screenplay by John Milius. Then he pulled himself together and went back to the premiere. What can you say, `My Geronimo has better locations?' Hill says when he started pushing the script there was pressure to cast a white actor in the lead. Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Milius said he thought the script was changed because "We don't want to see our heroes getting drunk and running off. As others have said, this is an excellent example of a revisionist Western, successful both as a 'quest' film and as history. "I love the Apaches and Geronimo was the ultimate Apache. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. The implications are just staggering ... That kind of casting became unthinkable after Dances With Wolves. The film loosely follows the events leading up to the surrender of Geronimo in 1886. They both feared him and liked him. He said, "The first thing I heard was, 'Why can't we have X or Y Caucasian put on makeup and play Geronimo? Pushed over the edge by broken promises and necessary actions by the government, Geronimo and thirty or so other warriors form an attack team which humiliates the government by evading capture, whi Not all the Apaches are able to adapt to the life of corn farmers. Go to the content Go to the footer. A 1993 historical western movie directed by Walter Hill, starring Wes Studi as Geronimo before his surrender to First Lt. Gatewood in 1886.. At the same time you have to be rigorous enough to say that both sides did terrible things; they did heroic things, they did terrible things. "[9]:22 Gross added that "I think his inclinations and dispositions match the story and the material. A Leader. He recalls reading Milius' script in 1988 when Hill was working on Johnny Handsome. The film, from 1993, is a powerful, beautifully filmed and very authentic feeling story about the last great Native American warrior to fight the usurpation by the white man of his lands. In 1929 he published a memoir of the time called The Truth About Geronimo. The story of the Apache chief and his armed resistance to the U.S. Government's subjugation of his people. The film, from 1993, is a powerful, beautifully filmed and very authentic feeling story about the last great Native American warrior to fight the usurpation by the white man of his lands. [26] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 48% based on 21 reviews. The next day Gatewood, Sieber, Davis and Apache Chato come across some slaughtered Indians. Rob Hartill. Walter Hill had a development deal at Carolco. Geronimo: An American Legend is a 1993 historical western film starring Wes Studi, Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, and Matt Damon in an early role. "But we're not telling the story of the spiritual Sioux", wrote Gross. The audience doesn't go to a movie for a history lesson; it wants entertainment. Geronimo: An American Legend recounts the proud history of the famous Apache warrior who refused to accept the destruction of his people and, through his resistance and bravery, earned the respect of those he fought against. If you do that, we'll make the movie.' [12] Philip French of London's Observer called it one of the greatest Westerns of all time. I said, 'You can't do that.' "[7], Among the changes were removing a sequence (based on historical fact) where Geromino surrendered to General Crook in Mexico in March 1886, pledging to return under escort to Arizona, where he would be disarmed and sent to exile in Florida; two nights later Geronimo got drunk and took off into the mountains again, going on a five month rampage until he surrendered once more. I thought that would be more accurate. But Geronimo was more than an Apache he was the essence of a misfit rebel and he would never give up. ""All of these Westerns are riding the backs of those", said Hill. With Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Wes Studi. John Milius - Wikipedia He is known for his roles in films such as The Lost Boys, Rush, Sleepers, Geronimo: An American Legend, Your Friends & Neighbors, Narc, The … Geronimo makes peace with Gatewood and surrenders along with the other Apache to General Miles. ", Gross said "I can truthfully say that we've had fewer bad suggestions from the studio on this film than on any I've worked on. "[32], "Q&A With Wes Studi : 'I Came Into the Business at the Right Time, "Wes 'Geronimo' Studi Wary Of Political Correctness", "Geronimo, Still With a Few Rough Edges: It's Still Geronimo, But With Edges", "The Right Geronimo? Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA Moab, Utah, USA Kayenta, Arizona, USA Monument Valley, Arizona, USA One in particular, Geronimo, is restless. The early career of legendary lawman Wild Bill Hickock is telescoped and culminates in his relocation in Deadwood and a reunion with Calamity Jane. Geronimo: An American Legend The film was shot in Utah, Tucson, Arizona, and Culver City, California. This FAQ is empty. A Milius script that was filmed was his biopic of Geronimo, Geronimo: An American Legend, for Walter Hill. Pushed over the edge by broken promises and necessary actions by the government, Geronimo and thirty or so other warriors form an attack team which humiliates the government by evading capture, while reclaiming what is rightfully theirs. [9]:22, "This movie certainly presents a heroic view of Geronimo", said Hill. "Usually you're just trying to be dramatic and you've got good guys and bad guys. Where to watch Geronimo: An American Legend in the UK? Whilst the detail of the screenplay is fictionalised, the main facts of the story about Geronimo and his Chiricahua Apache is essentially correct and the characters real. Geronimo: An American Legend Production: A Columbia release of a Walter Hill/Neil Canton production. [9]:23, Filming started in May 1993. The plot centers upon Charles Gatewood, the U.S. cavalry lieutenant charged with capturing the elusive Apache leader with the assistance of a scout leader, Al Sieber, and a young officer, Britton Davis. "[9]:24, Hill shot the film with an unusual combination of a wide screen and long, telescopic lenses to produe huge landscape filled with small, but carefully defined, human figures. Gatewood is torn by a grudging respect for Geronimo and his people, and his duty to his country. All available British streaming sites, free and paid, to watch Geronimo: An American Legend online, with English subtitles, the full film. One in particular, Geronimo, is restless. An American legend comes to breathtaking life in this explosive epic Western starring Jason Patric, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, and Wes Studi as Geronimo. DVD. "[9]:22, The part of Al Sieber was expanded when Robert Duvall was cast in the role. "[10], "Movies tend to develop a life of their own", added Hill. They knew them and understood that what was happening was a tragedy. "[9]:25, The film was a box office bomb, earning only $18 million on a $35 million budget . [30], Hill blamed this poor reception on the screening of the TV movie. The story of the Apache chief and his armed resistance to the U.S. Government's subjugation of his people. The action scenes are gritty and well filmed, and the story is thoughtful and compassionate, as well as being exciting. They understood that the imposition of the reserve system was going to have tragic consequences. The film, from 1993, is a powerful, beautifully filmed and very authentic feeling story about the last great Native American warrior to fight the usurpation by the white man of his lands. The origins, exploits and the ultimate fate of the Jesse James gang is told in a sympathetic portrayal of the bank robbers made up of brothers who begin their legendary bank raids because of revenge. They stop at a bar but there are bounty hunters there and they threaten to kill Chato for money which results in a shootout in which Sieber is shot and mortally wounded. This is a set of 30 questions to accompany the 1993 movie Geronimo: An American Legend. Despite minor examples of the invariable desire of film-makers to embellish events (Al Sieber in fact died years later when a rock rolled on him while he was clearing a road) this is as close as you'll get to a historically and visually accurate movie account of the pursuit of Geronimo. The Apache Indians have reluctantly agreed to settle on a US Government approved reservation. "[6], "We had a really good script, but I couldn't make any headway with it", said Hill later. I thought he made a really great classic Western and America just wasn't worthy of the privilege. When the script got active again last fall, there was no question that we would have an Indian actor in the lead. It is an excellent movie for U.S. History classes and stars Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Wes Studi, and a very young Matt Damon. Even among his own people he was a trouble maker. Directed by Walter Hill. The film was shot in Utah, Tucson, Arizona, and Culver City, California. The Army is generally depicted as the enemy of the Apache, but in many cases, the people who were most sympathetic to their plight were those soldiers. The other star attached early on was Jason Patric, who Gross described as "a young actor everybody in Hollywood believes in, but who does few pictures and has never had a hit. Time Out says. The landscapes and skyscapes are really beautiful. Add the first question. [27], On 17 December 1993 Gross wrote in his diary that "the opening numbers are not good and I feel the dull roar of Geronimo not making money at the box office. Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) - Sony Columbia Region 2 Import Jason Patric. They were the ones being asked to fight, so there was this kind of conflict between feelings and duty."[7]. To suggest that there were only terrible things is wrong and to suggest that it was only heroic was wrong, too. However it did not include Davis's personal assessment of Geronimo: "This Indian was a thoroughly vicious, intractable and treacherous man. Directed by Walter Hill. [12], In 1992 the movie was transferred from Carolco to Columbia. It's as much about the Army as it is Geronimo. That turned out to be a mistake. Search for "Geronimo: An American Legend" on Amazon.com, Title: `Mrs. Doubtfire,' `Schindler's List' also do well", Britton Davis, "The Truth About Geronimo", 1929, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geronimo:_An_American_Legend&oldid=1001568443, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 January 2021, at 07:36. "[9]:23 He also wrote that "grappling with Jason's angst and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of his acting method is Walter's biggest 'problem' on the movie – and also, of course, his richest creative opportunity. 4.2 out of 5 stars 36. This story of epic courage and grace is a remarkable window on Native American life and the early years of the last and most feared Apache War Chief. One in particular, Geronimo, is restless. A drifting gunslinger-for-hire finds himself in the middle of an ongoing war between the Irish and Italian mafia in a Prohibition era ghost town. "[11], Hill said the title of the film should have been The Geronimo War. The narration uses many quotations from Davis that featured in his memoir, like his description of the endless search for Geronimo's camp: "At times it seemed we were chasing a spirit more than a man." [10], The film's narrator, Second Lt. Britton Davis, was a real officer who participated in these events. Not all the Apaches are able to adapt to the life of corn farmers. It's a film about. He had himself driven around for a while as he raged abot [sic] the sheer awfulness of the movie. The Apache Indians have reluctantly agreed to settle on a U.S. government approved reservation. Was this review helpful to you? Once there, they're trapped in by a black gang considering it their territory. [8] Larry Gross wrote a diary on the filming of Geronimo. Geronimo lost $40 million – far more than Last Action Hero – without a fraction of the fanfare. [6] Gross worked on the project from six to eight months in 1992. Brigadier General George Crook, charged with overseeing the forced settlement of the Apaches on reservations has nothing but admiration for Geronimo. "[15], "I don't think I ever had a movie where I was so concerned about trying to be fair", said Hill. : Native Americans call Walter Hill's 'Geronimo' the most honest look yet at the feared Apache leader, but the director is not so sure", "The Right Geronimo? He was working on it in 1989. Use the HTML below. Gatewood is transferred to a remote garrison in North Wyoming while Davis resigns from the army and Chato is shipped off to Florida with the rest of the renegades. From Oregon to Wyoming classic Western and America just was n't worthy of Apache. `` but we 're allowing Legend to serve the Truth Apache he was cast in February 1993 Apache... 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