Although many westerns of the pre-World War II period portrayed American Indians as hostile to the European settlers, others did show Indians in a positive light. Broken Arrow is noteworthy for being one of the first post-war westerns to portray Native Americans in a balanced, sympathetic way. However, most of the Indians were played by European American actors, with Brooklyn-born Jeff Chandler portraying Apache leader Cochise. An exception was that Native Canadian Mohawk actor Jay Silverheels was noted for his role as Geronimo in the film.[7]
Some scholars have said that the film appealed to an ideal of tolerance and racial equality that would influence later westerns and indicate Hollywood's response to the Indian's evolving role in American society.[8] Chronicle of the Cinema praised the film: "Based on verifiable fact, it faithfully evokes the historical relationship between Cochise and Jeffords, marking a historical rehabilitation of Indians in the cinema".[9]
In 1950, Rosebud Yellow Robe, a Native American folklorist, educator, and author, was hired by 20th Century Fox to undertake a national tour to promote the film. Yellow Robe explained that there were no such things as Indian princesses, and that the myth started when Pocahontas went to England and the English named her "Lady Rebecca". Yellow Robe voiced complaints about the portrayals of Indians on radio, screen, and television to "a new generation of children learning the old stereotypes about whooping, warring Indians, as if there weren't anything else interesting about us".[10]
