I should admit that I have no idea how accurate this biopic is of the legendary Native American called Geronimo. It's probably just loosely based on the real events surrounding him, so I probably should judge the movie on its entertainment level. I thought for the most part it was an okay western. While I would have preferred a real Native American to play the title role, I have to admit Chuck Connors did well, giving his character an intensity and charisma that keeps you watching and interested despite the script problems. The script problems include the movie not really going deep in his character, and ending at a point that will make you wonder what happened in real life to Geronimo afterwards. But despite these and other script problems, I have to admit that I was never bored, so I'll give this movie a pass.

***SPOILERS*** Far better the expected film about Apache Indian warrior Geronimo,Chuck Connors, who's fight against the white man spilled over the US Mexican border and caused havoc in both countries for over 30 years. With no more then a few hundred men Geronimo fought a drawn out gorilla war that cost the lives of thousand of both Mexican and US soldiers and settlers as well as hundreds of his own men. It's when Geronimo finally agreed to surrender to the US Government in Arizona Territory in 1883 that the film begins. And it's then that Geronimo learns what a bunch of back stabbing and crooked shysters he was actually dealing with.With the Arizona Territorial US Government headed by the aptly named General George A Crook, Larry Dobkin, breaking a promise with Geronimo to keep his people on the land that they were given by the Great White Father in Washington D.C. Crook and his partner in crime the half baked and phony Christian missionary Jeremah Burn, John Anderson, ended up selling the Indian land away, all 50,000 acres, to a sleazy land developer Kincaide,Joe Higgins. That had the outraged and feeling suckered, in signing a peace treaty with the white man, Geronimo go on the warpath and take his band of Apache warriors along with him.The film has Geronimo conduct a number of hit and run guerrilla attacks on both US and Mexican troops much like the Viet Cong did in Vienam at the time the movie, in 1962, was being filmed. Highly successful the attacks cause concern in both Washington and Mexico City with the Apaches trying down as much as 10,000 US & Mexican troops in trying to defeat them. It's during that time,1883-1886,that Geronimo married pretty Indian squaw Teela played by Kamala Devi the soon to be Mrs. Chuck Connors and the only full blooded Indian, born in Bombay India in 1934, in the entire cast. It's Teela who's sick and tired of her hubby's obsession with waging war against the white man which almost caused her to suffer a miscarriage. Teela also wants her soon be be born son Geronimo Jr not to grow up in a world of bloodshed and violence that his pop Geronimo Sr is so accustomed to.It's also during that period in his life that Geronimo's best friend and second in command Mangus,Ross Martin,gets himself killed in action leaving both his wife and young son widowed and orphaned. Finally seeing the light after losing almost 90% of his man from hunger disease and starvation, as well as killed in combat, Geronimo signed a peace treaty with the white man or US Government and as the film ends he together with Teela Geronimo Jr and what was left of the Apache tribe that he was the leader of lived happily ever after.P.S In truth Geronimo didn't live happily ever after but was screwed again by the hated white man and not allowed to returned to his beloved and ancestral homeland in the Arizona Territory of the USA. Geronimo instead ended up making a meager living becoming a side show curiosity in Wild West Shows with people paying to photograph or be photographed with the once brave and fearless Apache warrior. Living out his last days at the US Army base at Fort Sill Oklahoma Geronimo passed away on in the dead of winter on February 17, 1909 at the age of 79 from pneumonia. His last words were reported to have been said to his nephew saying that the biggest mistake he ever made was surrendering and not fighting to the death against the white man.

Agreeable movie about the famous Indian leader and set on spectacular landscapes and attempts to adhere to historical facts concerning his life . The picture is well made , with plenty of action sequences as Geronimo and his band battle US forces , later fighting the white Americans , when they in turn, encroached upon Apache land . The film talks upon Geronimo (Chuck Connors , satisfactory in the lead) , chief of Apaches Chiricaguas and his band of rebel Indians . The continuous humiliation in reservoir of San Carlos caused the bursting of riots commanded by Geronimo , Mangus Coloradas (Ross Martin) and his group of Indians . They will confront American cavalry in charge of General Crook (Laurence Dobkin) and his officials (Adam West, Pat Conroy) . The sorrow and despair of finding his tribe starving , the sheer frustration of San Carlos ruled by corrupt Jeremiah (John Anderson) ,the hopelessness of resistance against a foe you know you can't beat originate the rebellion . Meanwhile , Geronimo falls in love with a gorgeous Indian woman (Kamala Devi in a rich characterization) .In the film there are wonderful outdoors shot on location of Durango(Mexico) territory and 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 . This Indian-on-the-warpath tale is based on historical characters : Geronimo, Mangus , Cochise and general Crook who tries to subjugate the great Apache warrior . The motion picture didn't obtain success and was a real flop in box office , in spite of the extraordinary sets , glimmer cinematography by Alex Phillips and atmospheric Hugo Friedhofer musical score . This version of the "Geronimo Legend" results to be one of the best considering some of the other attempts to portray the Apache war leader . Most of the Apache leaders of the period are also featured as Cochise, Mangus Coloradas, Nana and Juh , all relevant figures at the time and an influence in the struggle against overwhelming forces . If anybody out there is interested in Native American history , this movie is well worth a watch . The motion picture is professionally directed by Arnold Laven . Laven formed a production company along with Jules Levy and Arthur Gardner. The first Levy-Gardner-Laven movie was 1952's "Without Warning"'; in the decades since, they have produced and directed dozens of additional features . He's an expert on Western genre as cinema as television as he produced and directed several TV series including "The Rifleman," "Law of the Plainsman," , "The Big Valley" . And directed acceptable Western films as ¨The glory guys¨, ¨Geronimo¨and ¨Sam Whiskey . ¨Geronimo¨ will appeal to Indian western fans . Rating: good , the result is a pretty fair movie . Well catching , you won't be disappointed .Other version upon this famous personage are the following : 1939 Geronimo with Preston Foster , Ellen Drew and Chief Thundercloud in the title role ; 1993 TV Geronimo by Roger Young with August Schellemberg , Nick Ramus and Joseph Runningfox ; finally , Walter Hill version titled Geronimo : An American legend (1993) that is the best so far , played by Wes Studi, Matt Damon , Jason Patric and Gene Hackman and utilizing at support cast some pretty heavyweight Native American acting talents.

You have got to give a compliment to Chuck Connors for making this fine film...he was at the height of his popularity in 1961 when this film was made as "The Rifleman"...a very successful TV western....Connors checked in his rancher duds for an Indian wig and clothes and this is one of the very best westerns made in the 60s... The story concerns the Indian chief Geronimo who outfought, outwitted and outmaneuvered the US army for a few years during the 1880s in the western US and parts of Mexico. Geronimo, a fierce warrior reluctantly accepts a parcel of land for him and his warrior band as part of a peace treaty...Little did he know in this film that a crooked army captain and crooked reservation politician was scheming to sell off his land due to a crooked land deal that paid them a considerable amount of money. Geronimo learns of this crooked deal and escapes with his warrior band and goes on the run....outwitting and out fighting the US army at every turn. Pat Conway, who formerly starred as the "Sheriff of Tombstone Territory" is cast as the crooked and nasty army captain....look for a young Adam West a few years before his Batman days as a young army lieutenant with a conscience, who feels betrayed by his crooked army captain in the treatment of Geronimo and his band. A beautiful young Indian lady, Kahali Devi is the wife and lady love of Geronimo. Look for Ross Martin as the chief friend of Geronimo, Mangus......this film is nearly two hours of good solid western entertainment albeit Chuck Conners does not look the real part of an Indian, despite all the makeup. In the end the US government realizes that the Indians have been done wrong by the government and the army and submits a peace treaty with dignity that Geronimo can accept. You will really marvel at how devious in the film Chuck Connors is in making his warrior band live and learn off of the land to survive. This is a western you will not want to miss.