FILM TITLE: GERONIMO DIRECTOR: WALTER HILL COUNTRY: USA 1993 CINEMATOGRAPHY: Lloyd Ahern MUSIC: Ry Cooder CAST: Jason Patric, Wes Studi, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Rodney A. Grant STORY: And screenplay by John Milius with Larry Gross SUPER FEATURES: The scenery and Wes Studi.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The sad part of this film, like most of those about the native Americans in this country, is that they look so hopeless, and their fervor for life gets taken out of them. Few of them accept that they still have their spirit, even if they are finally the caged beasts. At least they didn't suffer as many indignities as the blacks did for many years before, and during, that time.
Geronimo, is well known in the schools of military strategy, because he was able to escape for fifteen years, despite being chased by two armies for a long period of time. And it took, what might be considered a small act of treason to bring him in, on his own terms, which were fake, and non existent.
The complicated story of Geronimo starts when the American cavalry was trying to place many of the native populations in areas, which were to be called reservations ( and still are ), just to separate them from the white man settler, and imperial owner. The army's job is to uphold the government of the white man, for the white man, not for the native who is considered the abuser, and the outlaw, and in the case of this Geronimo, a rebel in every sense.
Despite the ruthlessness of the upper brass at the military, there are some individuals that retained a certain amount of dignity and human decency, who didn't take the chase of the natives as a victory for mankind. And in due time they are ( Gene Hackman in a fine role ) retired for people who 'can get the job done' . And now the full army is after Geronimo, who may be at any time either in Mexico, or in Arizona somewhere. Eventually, the army fails in its chase, and has to resort to the means which were used before to meet Geronimo, which was a guide who had spiritual tendencies, and had enough care for the life of a native, as a human. Jason Patrick sets out one final time to tell Geronimo of the deal which the army has in mind, much to the chagrin of the general who is embarrassed that several thousand men can not find a warrior, but one man can.
The film is well written, albeit very much in a film fashion, rather than a 'natural' story, still from the point of view of the white man, rather than the native warrior. We get glimpses into the mind and spirit of the native Geronimo, and his people, but they are mere flashes in the pan. One could spend much more time, EASILY, describing how Geronimo, a true medicine man, could keep away from danger, or the army.... he used his trade and tools of the spirit. The army only used ideas. It isn't the same thing.
The tiring part of the film is not the story, which is very good, or the acting which is nice, and contrasting in styles. It is the brown tone of the film, reminiscent of the old photographs whose fixer has faded and has turned the picture yellow ( the bleach fix is red, and it turns yellow when weak ), and the film does almost all of its work in this tone, even using the famous photographs taken of Geronimo and the army as a backdrop to its own scenery.
While this may be 'old' thinking on our part, or a distant 'memory' the film is just that. Probably the part which the native American is not very proud of anyway. To their credit, much of the native language is used, and not sub titled.
It is a nice film, though a bit brutal in parts.
3 GIBLOONS Member of the Internet Movie Critics Association Copyright (c) Pedro Sena 1994
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