If you can accept stars Burt Lancaster and Jean Peters as blue eyed Apaches, then you may enjoy this movie. It is essentially a showcase for Lancaster's athletic prowess as he leaps over rocks and runs like a deer across the frontier.
The story opens in 1886 with the surrender in New Mexico of Geronimo (Monte Blue) and his warriors for shipment off to a reservation in Florida. Massai (Lancaster) is having none of this. He claims to be the last Apache warrior and acts accordingly. Al Sieber (John McIntyre) and his Apache scout Hondo (Charles Bronson) who had brought Geronimo in are now charged with capturing the rebellious Massai. Nalinle (Peters) professes her love for Massai and stands by him as he is captured.
Massai is shipped off to Florida with Geronimo but manages to escape from the train carrying them. Massai begins his cross country trek back to his homeland in New Mexico. Along the way he meets a Cherokee farmer named Dawson (Morris Ankrum) who shows Massai how the Indian has adapted to the ways of the white man. He gifts Massai with a sack of corn seeds. Although Massai is still an Apache warrior he brings the seeds back to New Mexico and shows them to Nalinle and her father Santos (Paul Guilfoyle). Perhaps there was something to what the Cherokee had told him.
Santos betrays Massai and he is again captured by Sieber. Massai believes that Nalinle has also betrayed him and vows to kill Santos and his daughter. Massai escapes once more and wages a personal war against the world. He starts by killing evil Indian Agent Weddle (John Dehner). He kidnaps Nalinle and plans to kill her. But she persists in her love for him and gradually he comes to love her and the two marry by Apache custom (i.e. no preacher).
Massai and Nalinle hide out in the mountains and she convinces him to plant the corn seeds. A crop of corn grows and Nalinle becomes pregnant. Massai anxiously awaits the birth of his off spring. But Sieber and Hondo pick up their trail and close in. Massai hides in the cornfield and Sieber goes in after him and...........................................................................................................................
Burt Lancaster had been an acrobat prior to his movie career and kept himself in good shape as witnessed by his running and jumping and excellent physique. Jean Peters , I believe, had been one of Howard Hughes "protoges". Charles Bronson was still acting under his real name of Buchinsky at this point. Walter Sande is along as Lt. Col. Beck the fort commander and Ian Mac Donald as Clagg, Weddie's partner.
Yes, there really was a Massai who wreaked havoc and eventually disappeared into Mexico.
The story opens in 1886 with the surrender in New Mexico of Geronimo (Monte Blue) and his warriors for shipment off to a reservation in Florida. Massai (Lancaster) is having none of this. He claims to be the last Apache warrior and acts accordingly. Al Sieber (John McIntyre) and his Apache scout Hondo (Charles Bronson) who had brought Geronimo in are now charged with capturing the rebellious Massai. Nalinle (Peters) professes her love for Massai and stands by him as he is captured.
Massai is shipped off to Florida with Geronimo but manages to escape from the train carrying them. Massai begins his cross country trek back to his homeland in New Mexico. Along the way he meets a Cherokee farmer named Dawson (Morris Ankrum) who shows Massai how the Indian has adapted to the ways of the white man. He gifts Massai with a sack of corn seeds. Although Massai is still an Apache warrior he brings the seeds back to New Mexico and shows them to Nalinle and her father Santos (Paul Guilfoyle). Perhaps there was something to what the Cherokee had told him.
Santos betrays Massai and he is again captured by Sieber. Massai believes that Nalinle has also betrayed him and vows to kill Santos and his daughter. Massai escapes once more and wages a personal war against the world. He starts by killing evil Indian Agent Weddle (John Dehner). He kidnaps Nalinle and plans to kill her. But she persists in her love for him and gradually he comes to love her and the two marry by Apache custom (i.e. no preacher).
Massai and Nalinle hide out in the mountains and she convinces him to plant the corn seeds. A crop of corn grows and Nalinle becomes pregnant. Massai anxiously awaits the birth of his off spring. But Sieber and Hondo pick up their trail and close in. Massai hides in the cornfield and Sieber goes in after him and...........................................................................................................................
Burt Lancaster had been an acrobat prior to his movie career and kept himself in good shape as witnessed by his running and jumping and excellent physique. Jean Peters , I believe, had been one of Howard Hughes "protoges". Charles Bronson was still acting under his real name of Buchinsky at this point. Walter Sande is along as Lt. Col. Beck the fort commander and Ian Mac Donald as Clagg, Weddie's partner.
Yes, there really was a Massai who wreaked havoc and eventually disappeared into Mexico.