Geronimo Reviews

One of the best action-packed westerns of the 1930s, GERONIMO did not spare the Indian leader upon whose awful exploits this film is based. Played with a cross-eyed vengeance by Chief Thundercloud, Geronimo is profiled as living only to draw the blood of any white person, preferring to slaughter helpless women and children. Henry arrives at a remote cavalry post where his father, Morgan, is the commander. Morgan, a ramrod general and petty tyrant who lives by the book, hardly acknowledges Henry's existence, warning him that he will show no favoritism. Morgan goes out of his way to snub and hurt his sensitive son, who later goes AWOL and is followed by Foster, a seasoned officer who has taken the young lieutenant under his wing. Though Henry discloses the whereabouts of the troops commanded by his father and the route they are taking to confront the Apaches, Foster takes the blame and is tortured rather than betray his regiment. Chief Thundercloud and his Apaches ambush Morgan's troops and all but annihilate them. Foster, Henry, and Devine join the beleaguered troops who are surrounded on an island and dwindling fast. At the last minute, as the Apaches group to form a charge that will sweep over the survivors, a relief column dashes to the rescue. Foster is killed by Geronimo while saving the lives of others, and the fierce Indian leader is captured by Henry, who redeems himself. In a stirring final scene, President Grant (Crehan) awards the Congressional Medal of Honor to Foster posthumously while his saddle mates look on proudly. The GERONIMO script is wholly lifted from the successful Gary Cooper opus, LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935), and is less than inspired. It ignores fact for Hollywood fiction, savaging the savages and endorsing the racial adage that "the only good Indian is a dead Indian." Foster is solid and convincing as the hearty and experienced cavalry officer and Devine provides his usual roly-poly laughs. Morgan and Henry overact woefully, particularly in scenes where they test their father-son relationship. Chief Thundercloud has only one expression--murderous. Footage from THE PLAINSMAN, THE TEXAS RANGERS (both 1936) and WELLS FARGO (1937) is employed freely to enhance action scenes; especially effective are rear projection sequences from THE PLAINSMAN for the scenes depicting the troops under siege on the island.