A 1993 historical Western movie directed by Walter Hill, starring Wes Studi as Geronimo before his surrender to First Lt. Gatewood in 1886.
The film also stars Jason Patric, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Matt Damon, and Pato Hoffmann.
Tropes for the film:
- Army Scout: Al Sieber is the chief Army scout, being a companion of the main character, and seeing Geronimo as a Worthy Opponent. Several Apache scouts with Conflicting Loyalty also take part in the hunt for Geronimo.
- Death by Adaptation: Seiber is killed in a showdown with bounty hunters in 1886 rather than dying in a construction accident in 1907.
- Defiant to the End: A rancher who's been wounded and captured by the Apaches tells one of his friends not to bother begging, as Geronimo is going to kill them anyway. He then challenges Geronimo's moral right to do so, claiming to be doing more with the land than the Apache ever would. Geronimo has everyone but him shot.Geronimo: You are a fool, but at least you are brave.
- Downer Ending: Geronimo is forced to surrender, and with him the last free Native American tribe is subjugated by the United States.
- Friendly Enemy:
- Gatewood shows concern for Geronimo's safety and is capable of making conversation with him.
- General Crook has a great deal of respect for Geronimo and invites him for coffee after his first surrender.
- Historical Domain Character:
- Geronimo, a prominent leader of the Apache people and resistance leader.
- Al Sieber, Chief of Scouts and Civil War veteran.
- Chato, an Apache chief.
- Britton Davis, an American soldier who assists in locating Geronimo.
- Made of Iron: Seiber has been shot with bullets or arrows seventeen times in as many years and insists on riding after Geronimo despite a fresh injury.Lieutenant Davis: How’s that wound, Mr. Sieber?Sieber: Which one?
- Oppressed Minority Veteran: After Geronimo surrenders to the Americans, All Apache and other Natives serving as scouts or in other offices (including Chato, a major character instrumental in getting Geronimo to surrender) are stripped of their rank and forcibly relocated. The final scene shows the few remaining tribesman in a train being relocated, and a despondent Chato concludes that Geronimo was right to fight the Americans and that everything they told him were lies.
- Period Piece: Takes place in 1886 during the Indian Wars.
- Still Fighting the Civil War: Both Southern Gentleman Lieutenant Gatewood and many Texas settlers voice distaste for the "bluecoats."
- Straw Civilian: General Crook claims that the civilian populace sees the Army as just a weapon and has no patience for the negotiations he's conducting to make the Apache surrender without destroying their culture or causing needless deaths on both sides.
- Tyrant Takes the Helm: Friendly Enemy and Frontline General Crook's replacement, General Miles, remorselessly punishes the entire Apache community for Geronimo’s actions and fires the Apache scouts, which greatly hampers the manhunt.
- Would Not Shoot a Civilian: General Crook times his attack at the beginning to reduce the risk of harming the Apache women and children and just has them gently surrounded. Unfortunately, other Indian fighters don't feel the same way.
