Comments about ‘Geronimo: An American Legend’

I enjoyed this version, no its not an epic or about the
life of Geronimo, but protrays a small segment of history.

I was thoroughly impressed with Jason Patric's performance,
haven't seem him before and Matt Damons as well the
compassion both shown was to me impressing. As with other
such stories as this (Chief Joseph, Nez Perce, and Little
Wolf, Chyenne. These stories are told not by the indians,
but by there opponents, and this is sometimes crital;
however if does show how times were, what people thought
both good and bad. I highly recommend this film not as a
epic story, but a story told through the eyes of people
involved at the time, and futher depicts a sad era in this
country's history.

Very enjoyable film for someone who loves a good western.
I thought Patric did an excellent job in portraying Charles
Gatewood. Throughly enjoyed Duval. What a great actor. I
would still like to see a western from the Indian point of
view.

Dear Sirs:
I viewed the movie version of the famous War Chief some
time ago shortly after it was first introduced to
television. I found it entertaining and the scenes quite
vivid and picturesque. It was however far from telling the
whole story let alone the truth about what really
happened.
Where Hollywood producers and directors find their
material to do biographical outlines on famous/infamous
historic people is a question that has always amazed me.
Why is it Hollywood is always so far from the truth? I
understand dramatization and causing circumstances and
situations to become exaggerated and bigger than life, but
when a very expensive piece of interpretation is
misrepresentated so badly that is a travesty.
If memory serves me correctly I can't recall but on one
scene during the entire movie was Scout/Interpreter Tom
Horn's name mentioned. Not only did Tom Horn serve the
United States Government in the capacity of scout and
interpreter, he also served as Civilian Chief of Scouts
when Al Sieber was to ill to assist the military. It was
Civilian Chief of Scouts Tom Horn, Micky Free and his
Chiricahua scouts that were credited for bringing Geronimo
back to the San Carlos Reservation, only after his band
committed depredations on the Arizona side and escaped into
the mountains of Mexico. And how often did it happen? The
band under Geronimo made a regular habit out of committing
all sorts of atrosities on either side of the border. Not
only was he hunted by the Americans, the Mexican Government
had troops out looking for him too.
The War Chief kept 3 Departmental Commander's in constant
worry: Wilcox, Crook, and Miles.
The role the U.S. Cavalry played in those campaigns to
find and destroy the chief was significant. U.S. Forces
were not very successful without assistance from Native
Americans during any campaign during the Indian Wars.
What really ercks me most is the material basis for which
the movie is played-out. The word of some second-lieutenant
fresh from West Point that realized he couldn't handle
military life afterall. My ony guess is that Hollywood
enjoys keeping myth and ledgend alive. The role of
entertainment is what matters. It's always been that way.
Most respectfully,
Patrick S. Loose,
Coldwater, Michigan.

The moive would have been great,a 5 star, if it was from an
indians view, with it coming form the white mans point of
view it is not telling what really happend. there does need
to be more moives from an indians point of view. and more
moives with indians in them, not just playing indians.

i like what you've done with this, i am native american
myself and have done many researches on geronimo. i thought
it was great that this type stuff interests you>

Overall the movie was entertaining to say the least.
However, historical accuracy is limited. In the movie it
portrays Robert Duvall's part as Al Sieber to have been
shot seventeen times in one battle and survive then die by
a single bullet later is incorrect. He was involved in a
shootout once where he was shot in the leg and was
crippled for the rest of his life but never as depicted in
the movie. Actually, he died during the construction of
Roosevelt dam by a falling boulder.

The locations of the movie were very pleasant but
inaccurate. The movie shows the great expanses of Utah
where some great John Wayne pictures were made but none of
the actual incidents took place here. I would have
enjoyed it more if it would have been filmed in southern
Arizona where this took place.