"Conquest of Cochise" is another low budget but competent little 70 minute western from the team of producer Sam Katzman and director William Castle. shot in glorious technicolor, it provides spectacular scenery under which the story unfolds.
A piece of Mexican territory containing Tucson is sold by Mexico to the U.S. in 1853. Army Major Tom Burke (Robert Stack) is sent to the area to make peace with the Apache led by the notorious Cochise (John Hodiak). Burke, who has an eye for the ladies, takes an interest in the daughter of rich Mexican land owner Don Francisco De Cordova (Edward Coleman), Consuelo (Joy Page).
Cochise is in favor of peace with the whites but his co-chief Takiwah (Steven Ritch) favors war with the white eye. Slick townsman Sam Maddock (Robert Griffen) who deals in arms, wants to keep the hostilities going. Consuelo's cousin Felipe (Rico Alaniz) whose wife was killed by the Apache, tries to kill Cochise when he comes for peace talks at Don Francisco's hosienda, but is stopped by Consuelo.
Maddock supplies Felipe with a new repeating rifle. Still upset with the Apache, Felipe tries again to murder Cochise but kills his young wife by accident. Tukiwah again tries to convince Cochise to go to war bekieving that a soldier was the murderer. Cochise gives Burke four days to produce the real culprit. Meanwhile Cochise holds Consuelo hostage wher an attraction develops between her and Cochise.
Cochise meanwhile, is having trouble keeping the Commanche under Chief Red Knife (Rodd Redwing) from going to war. Burke brings in Felipe as the killer with the understanding he will be tried by white man's law. Cochise again tries to make peace with the whites and the Commanche. However Red Knife takes Cochise prisoner and tortures him. Red Knife is about to put Cochise to the fire when.............................................................................................
The movie, though it has an exciting finale, kind of drags in the middle. I was expecting that Cochise would have to fight Red Knife at some point or Burke vs. Red knife or Takiwah, but that didn't happen. Maddock's early demise was unexpected.
This time Katzman and Castle had recognizable leads in Hodiak and Stack who perform competently. Joy Page makes a fetching pawn between the two leaders. Also in the cast are John Crawford as Capt. Lawson and real life Apache Charlie Stevens as one of the Apache chiefs.
Just as an aside, the rifle shown appears to be a Winchester which didn"t come along until much later. As far as I know, the U.S. Army was still using single shot rifles at this time.
A piece of Mexican territory containing Tucson is sold by Mexico to the U.S. in 1853. Army Major Tom Burke (Robert Stack) is sent to the area to make peace with the Apache led by the notorious Cochise (John Hodiak). Burke, who has an eye for the ladies, takes an interest in the daughter of rich Mexican land owner Don Francisco De Cordova (Edward Coleman), Consuelo (Joy Page).
Cochise is in favor of peace with the whites but his co-chief Takiwah (Steven Ritch) favors war with the white eye. Slick townsman Sam Maddock (Robert Griffen) who deals in arms, wants to keep the hostilities going. Consuelo's cousin Felipe (Rico Alaniz) whose wife was killed by the Apache, tries to kill Cochise when he comes for peace talks at Don Francisco's hosienda, but is stopped by Consuelo.
Maddock supplies Felipe with a new repeating rifle. Still upset with the Apache, Felipe tries again to murder Cochise but kills his young wife by accident. Tukiwah again tries to convince Cochise to go to war bekieving that a soldier was the murderer. Cochise gives Burke four days to produce the real culprit. Meanwhile Cochise holds Consuelo hostage wher an attraction develops between her and Cochise.
Cochise meanwhile, is having trouble keeping the Commanche under Chief Red Knife (Rodd Redwing) from going to war. Burke brings in Felipe as the killer with the understanding he will be tried by white man's law. Cochise again tries to make peace with the whites and the Commanche. However Red Knife takes Cochise prisoner and tortures him. Red Knife is about to put Cochise to the fire when.............................................................................................
The movie, though it has an exciting finale, kind of drags in the middle. I was expecting that Cochise would have to fight Red Knife at some point or Burke vs. Red knife or Takiwah, but that didn't happen. Maddock's early demise was unexpected.
This time Katzman and Castle had recognizable leads in Hodiak and Stack who perform competently. Joy Page makes a fetching pawn between the two leaders. Also in the cast are John Crawford as Capt. Lawson and real life Apache Charlie Stevens as one of the Apache chiefs.
Just as an aside, the rifle shown appears to be a Winchester which didn"t come along until much later. As far as I know, the U.S. Army was still using single shot rifles at this time.