Conquest of Cochise

Sam Katzman formerly of Monogram Studios probably could not believe the budget he had with Columbia Pictures for Conquest Of Cochise. Color and location shooting. I can hear him saying I know I'm not at Monogram any more.

This story about Cochise takes place as the USA has formally taken over the Gadsden Purchase in 1853, the last bit of continental USA that we acquired. The Mexicans sold it to us for a tidy sum, it was mostly desert and its largest city was a desert settlement that was called Tucson. But it did sit across a possible southern continental railway route and we bought it for that purpose.

Now to enforce some law there because Cochise and his Chiracahua Apaches rule most of that bit of turf with Comanches occasionally raiding in there as well. That's what Major Robert Stack of the US Cavalry is sent there to do, make a treaty. Of course there are forces who don't want a treaty made.

Nevertheless Stack goes to negotiate with Cochise who is played most impressively by John Hodiak.

Broken Arrow which is set post Civil War has a lot of similarities and an actor who got great acclaim for playing Cochise. Jeff Chandler got an Oscar nomination for his performance. Broken Arrow got a far bigger budget than Conquest Of Cochise. Still what Hodiak did should have gotten more acclaim.

Conquest Of Cochise was not a bad film and for a Sam Katzman production its positively Cleopatra like.

Four disparate factions - Apaches, Comanches, the U. S. Cavalry, and established Mexicans - trying to figure each other out in and around Tucson on the eve of the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. Maj. Tom Burke (Robert Stack) leads the charge for the army, while Cochise (John Hodiak) must try to negotiate both the white man and his fellow natives in an effort to avert all-out war.

Fairly colourful and thoughtful western with a good performance by John Hodiak as Cochise and other cast members. It's got interesting take on the Mexican-Apache conflict. Throw a little Comanche in there too and you got a well-plotted western with some good action. The ending has a good shootout finale.

I don't think so, as so many Sam Katzman productions, maybe not every of them however, but most of them for sure. Watch it only as a time waster, and also only if you are a die hard movie buff. Never look for historical facts, never with Katzman, it would be foolish. Directing is always bland, actors often ridiculous but the result rather surprisingly agreeable. It is a western about Chief Cochise and it could have been about any Indian leader: Chirf Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Geronimo.... Just non sense. Here, for the one millionth time, it is question of treacherous White dude selling booze to Indians, with predictable results.... I repeat, it is bearable. Nothing more. One thing very interesting though, the explanations that John Hodiak gives about Indians customs, for instance the water in the mouth that the Indians kids, future warriors, had to keep during a long run, without swallowing it. Thats was the only interesting thing in this tepid programmer. However I have seen far far worse and lousier. Especially from Katzman productions. Forget William Castle, the future director of som many excellent horror thrillers. He was just a yes man in this kind of films.

I saw this movie when it was new, back in 1953, and the only thing I remembered about it was the final reel in which Cochise (John Hodiak) is sentenced to suffer three tortures: (1) scalded by hot steam, (2) sliced with knife blades, and (3) burned by fire. Many years later I saw the movie again and, what do you know?, the only thing worth remembering about it is that final reel. Robert Stack makes a serviceable, though undistinguished, hero, and the color photography has that "brightness" so common in early 1950's movies.

Agreeable but underrated B-movie about the famous Indian leader , being set on spectacular landscapes and attempts to adhere to historical facts concerning his life . History comes alive in color by Technicolor with passable actors and adequate action . 1853 an Army Major named Tom Burke (Robert Stack , future Elliot Ness in The untouchables) along with Capt. Bill Lawson (John Crawford) have been sent to Tucson to agree peace with the Indians. He is successful with Cochise (John Hodiak : Lifeboat , Battleground) , the Apache leader, but Cochise is unable to get the Comanches to make peace treaty . The Apaches then turn back a raid by the Comanches and white men rode into the hills to turn back the Apache tide . The cavalry officer tries to keep a lid on a volatile situation when Indian leader Cochise is being prodded into starting a warn . There is a man in Tucson that wishes the Indian war against the cavalry to go on and when a stray Army rifle is discovered and it murders Cochise's spouse, it appears the Apaches will break the peace treaty . Later on , the daughter (Joy Page who worked in Casablanca) of a Mexican wealthy owner is kidnapped by Indians and Cochise fall in love with her .

There are wonderful outdoors shot on spectacular territory and it displays action , shootouts, violence and though sometimes is slow-moving , isn't tiring neither dreary , sustaining the interest for quite a while . The movie also portrays the sensitive side of the Native American character though is dramatically slack and some moments there's nothing left to maintain viewer involvement . The film states that there were thousands Apache warriors at war in Arizona, when in fact was in the entire state and never more than several hundred fighting the white settlers and the US Army at any one time . This Indian-on-the-warpath tale is based on historical character and real events : Cochise and and the Gadsden Purchase 1853 that just brought part of Mexico into the United States . The motion picture didn't obtain success and resulted to be mediocre at box office , in spite of the appropriate sets , glimmer cinematography in Technicolor by Freulich and atmospheric musical score ; being filmed on location in Santa Clarita, Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park California, USA .

This low-budgeted motion picture was professionally directed by William Castle . He was an expert craftsman with some of the all-time great schlock names serving as the producer Sam Katzman and fondness for gimmicks as proved in his successful terror films such as House of haunted hill , The Tingler , Mr Sardonicus , Strait-jacked , Homicidal , Macabre and 13 Ghosts . Castle emulated Alfred Hitchcock , this included the practice of appearing in the trailers, and even making cameo appearances in his films . Furthermore , he made several Western such as 1955 Duel on the Mississippi , 1955 The Gun That Won the West ,1955 El Americano , 1954 Masterson of Kansas , 1954 The Law vs. Billy the Kid , 1954 Jesse James vs. the Daltons , 1954 Battle of Rogue River , 1953 Fort Ti , 1951 cave of outlaws. Rating : 5'5 . Acceptable and passable .