Geronimo: An American Legend

Jason Patric Director: Walter Hill Walter Hill

Overview

Walter Hill directs John Milius's script (co-written by Larry Gross) depicting a revisionist perspective on the "Geronimo Campaign" and how Geronimo, with 34 men, managed to elude 5000 U.S. cavalry men between 1885 and 1886 before his surrender at the Canyon of the Skeletons in September 1886. The film centers upon Charles Gatewood (Jason Patric), the U.S. Cavalry lieutenant who is charged with capturing the elusive Apache leader. Gatewood is torn by a grudging respect for Geronimo and his people and his duty to his country. But then all the white men in the film have a respect for Geronimo, even as they are trying to hunt him down and kill him. General Charles Crook (Gene Hackman), charged with overseeing the forced settlement of the Apaches on reservations, has nothing but admiration for Geronimo.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/17/1998
UPC:	0043396587090
Original Release:	1993
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Sony Pictures
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Time:	1:55:00
Sales rank:	7,015

Special Features

Theatrical Trailers ; Interactive Menus ; Scene Selections

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jason Patric	Lt. Charles Gatewood
Gene Hackman	Brigadier General George Crook
Robert Duvall	Al Sieber
Wes Studi	Geronimo
Matt Damon	Lieutenant Britton Davis
Rodney A. Grant	Mangas
Kevin Tighe	Brigadier General Nelson Miles
Steve Reevis	Chato
Carlos Palomino	Sgt. Turkey
Victor Aaron	Ulzana
Stuart Proud Eagle Grant	Sergeant Dutchy
Stephen McHattie	Schoonover
Reuben Cannon	Actor
David Barry Gray	Actor
Richard Martin	Actor
John Finn	Capt. Hentig
Lee de Broux	City Marshall Hawkins
Rino Thunder	Old Nana
Hoke Howell	Billy Pickett
Pato Hoffmann	The Dreamer
Roger Callard	Sgt. Mulrey
Mark Boone	Afraid Miner
M.C. Gainey	Unafraid Miner
Michael Ruud	Chaplain
Jonathan Ward	C.S. Fly
Luis Contreras	Rurale Officer
Scott Wilson	Redondo
Sonny Skyhawk	Schoonover Gang
Michael Adams	Schoonover Gang
Anthony Schmidt	Schoonover Gang
Jim Beaver	Proclamation Officer
Jesus Franco	Native American
George Lee	Native American
Robert Erickson	Cavalryman
Michael Stein	Cavalryman
Greg Goossen	Schoonover Gang
Walter Robles	Schoonover Gang

Technical Credits

Larry Gross

John Milius

Walter Hill	Director,Producer
Lloyd Ahern	Cinematographer
Joe Alves	Production Designer
Donn Aron	Editor
Fred C. Blau	Makeup
Reuben Cannon	Casting
Neil Canton	Producer
Chris Carpenter	Sound/Sound Designer
Ry Cooder	Score Composer
Danny Costa	Stunts
Freeman Davies	Editor
Carmel Davies	Editor
Tom Elliott	Stunts
Michael S. Glick	Executive Producer
Richard C. Goddard	Set Decoration/Design
Alan Lee Graf	Stunts
Larry Gross	Screenwriter
Doug Hemphill	Sound/Sound Designer
Robert LaBonge	Camera Operator
Norman Langley	Camera Operator
Dennis Liddiard	Makeup
Bill McIntosh	Stunts
Josh McLaglen	Asst. Director
John Milius	Screenwriter
Dan Moore	Costumes/Costume Designer
Lee Orloff	Musical Direction/Supervision
Scott Ritenour	Art Director
Manilo Rocchetti	Makeup
R. Bruce Steinheimer	Special Effects
Jack Verbois	Stunts
Greg Walker	Stunts
Webster Whinery	Stunts

Editorial Reviews

One of two tragically underrated Westerns produced in the mid-'90s (the other being 1994's Wyatt Earp), this grand, sweeping adventure boasts taut direction from Walter Hill and several great performances from its male leads. While a naïve soldier well played by a then-unknown Matt Damon is ostensibly the main character here, the real heart and soul of the film is Charles Gatewood, a soldier sympathetic with his enemy nearly to the point of sedition and played with mute, feral feverishness by Jason Patric. Superlative performances are also delivered by Gene Hackman as a morally conflicted general, Robert Duvall as an uneducated scout, and particularly Wes Studi as the title character, repeating his intense, furious supporting work in the previous year's The Last of the Mohicans (1992). The sad outcome of the Native Americans' war against the U.S. Army is well known, but the film's script by John Milius focuses on key events and battle strategy -- predictably, given the screenwriter's martial interests -- making the film more textbook history lesson than emotional journey. For those seeking another Dances with Wolves (1990), the end result is sure to be disappointing, but for those seeking a more dispassionate, realistic handling of Western lore, the film is ultimately a satisfying one. The lack of audience interest in Geronimo: An American Legend may be at least partially explained by the competing made-for-TV movie Geronimo (1993), which was released the same year, necessitating a last-minute title change for this version.

All Movie Guide - Karl Williams