Gunsmoke: The Last Apache (1990)

James Arness reprises his role as Matt Dillon and gets a letter from an old acquaintance, summoning him to a ranch near the Texas-Mexico border.

The letter comes from Mike Yardner (Michael Learned), who nursed him back to health after he was shot and temporarily lost his memory years earlier.

Seems he fathered her daughter Beth (Amy Stock-Poynton) during their brief relationship. Now Mike Yardner would like his help to make sure the ranch she built survives.

The present danger comes from warring Apaches, led by the handsome young half-breed Wolf (Joe Lara). They attack the Yardner ranch and make off with Beth.

Joining Dillon in his rescue effort is grizzled cavalry scout Chalk Brighton, who’s in love with Mike Yardner and always figured to marry her, until Dillon showed up.

Complicating the situation is Bodine and his gang of scalp-hunting whites, who don’t care if the scalps they take come from peaceful or warring Apaches, from women and children or from warriors.

But Dillon has a plan. The U.S. cavalry has captured two of Geronimo’s young male relatives. He might be able to swap them for Beth.

Problem is, Gen. Miles has other plans for those prisoners. And Wolf has other plans for Beth.

Review:

Better than average TV Western that grabs your attention with lots of early action, but suffers a bit from the unlikely “tender” feelings between Wolf — the most handsome Apache you’re likely to set eyes on — and Beth, the pretty blonde he captures and wants to make his wife.

This marked the second of five “Gunsmoke” films made after the show aired on TV from 1955 to 1975. The first came 12 years later. If anything, Arness, 66 at the time, appears more comfortable in the role that made his famous this time.

He gets a capable assist from Richard Kiley as Chalk Brighton and Geoffrey Lewis as Bodine. In fact, one of the better scenes comes when those two men are about to square off in a saloon. Chalk offers an alternative, a variation of Russian roulette with six whiskey glasses, one of which contains deadly poison.

Like the first Gunsmoke film, the plot here has its roots in an episode from the TV series. In this case, it’s a 1973 episode called “Matt’s Love Story” in which Matt is shot, suffers from amnesia and falls for the woman who’s nursing him back to health. Michael Learned also played the role of Mike Yardner in that episode.

Amy Stock-Poynton, a former day-time TV star, reprised her role as Matt’s daughter in the last three Gunsmoke Westerns.

Missing this time around is Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), who had played a prominent role in the first Gunsmoke movie. She died in 1989, but receives a dedication at the end of this film.

Directed by:
Charles Correll

Cast:
James Arness … Matt Dillon
Richard Kiley … Chalk Brighton
Amy Stock-Poynton … Beth Yardner
Geoffrey Lewis … Bodine
Joe Lara … Wolf
Hugh O’Brian … Gen. Miles
Michael Learned … Mike Yardner
Sam Vlahos … Tomas
Peter Murnik … Lt. Davis
Peter Covarrubias … Bartender
Ned Bellamy … Capt. Harris
Dave Florek … Smiley
Joaquin Martinez … Geronimo
Kevin Sifuentes … Nachite

Runtime: 94 min.

Memorable lines:

Chalk Brighton, gazing at peaceful Indians being treated like hostiles: “How’d he (Gen. Miles) get them to come in?”
Lt. Davis: “First, he promised them extra rations. Then, when they got here, we surrounded them and we surrounded them and disarmed them. It was a very daring military engagement. We really oughta get medals.”

Matt Dillon: “You do have a way of helping, general. That’s why I came here.”
Gen. Miles: “Oh, really.”
Matt Dillon: “You have two Apache boys locked up in your guardhouse. Now they’re both kin to Geronimo. I have a feeling the old chief might trade them for my daughter.”
Gen. Miles: “I’m sorry about your daughter, Mr. Dillon. But tomorrow morning I’m going to hang those bloody young savages until they’re dead as a lesson to Geronimo.”

Matt Dillon, contemplating a jailbreak: “What about a fainting spell? Ever have one?”
Mike Yardner, rather indignantly: “Never.”
Matt: “Now might be a good time to start. Make sure you land close to the bars.”

Chalk Brighton: “I’m still optimistic (about his chances of winding up with Mike Yardner).”
Matt Dillon: “How’s that?”
Brighton: “Why, hell, this game ain’t half over yet. Before it is, there’s a dozen ways you could get yourself killed. Maybe more than a dozen.”

Bodine, after Mike Yardner has shot him in the ear to get Dillon and his companions out of a jam: “I’m gonna look forward to seeing you again. All of ya.”
Chalk Brighton: “Oh, I wouldn’t say that, Bodine. You ain’t got but one ear left.”

Beth Yardner to Wolf: “You can make me put on Apaches clothes. And you can make me walk behind your horse like an Apache woman. And you can make me lie with you. But that doesn’t make me Apache, that only makes me a slave.”

Chalk Brighton: “When God makes fools, he sure makes them on a grand scale.”

Peter Murnik as Lt. Davis. at an Apache treaty signing in Gunsmoke: The Last Apache (1990)

Joaquin Martinez as Geronimo, reluctantly signing a peace treaty in Gunsmoke: The Last Apache (1990)