The signing of the Gadsen Purchase puts new land in the hands of the United States, and Maj. Tom Burke (Robert Stack) is sent to Tucson to keep the peace between the whites, Mexicans, Apaches and Comanches who live in the area.
The Mexican families living in the area are most anxious. They don’t trust the whites to treat them fairly and they don’t trust the U.S. government to protect them from Indian raids.
Maj. Burke finds Cochise (John Hodiak) more than willing to work toward peace. But he finds a greedy white trader named Maddock and a grieving husband named Felipe determined to satisfy their own goals, even if it means war.
The Comanches aren’t very interested in any such peace talks either.
Then there’s Consuelo de Cordova (Joy Page), the lovely daughter of a Mexican aristocrat, who catches the eye of the major and the Apache chief.
When Cochise’s woman is killed, Consuelo is captured and taken to the Apache camp. She soon falls in love with the dreaded chief.
Robert Stack as Maj. Tom Burke, sent West to negotiate peace with Cochise in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
John Hodiak as Cochise, favoring peace with the whites but unsure his people will agree in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Review:
Dreadful plot, too. Early on, the Apache ride to the defense of a Mexican hacienda under attack by the Comanche. Consuelo watches with remarkable calm, even plucking off a Comanche ready to kill her dad.
Later, Cochise is captured by the Comanches. He’s being tortured — put to three deaths — when the troops under Burke ride to his rescue. They, in turn, are rescued by Cochise’s warriors.
Then there’s the love affair between the Apache chief and the daughter of the Mexican aristocrat. Yep, that would happen.
Oh, and the plot isn’t helped by second-rate acting.
Joy Page as Consuelo de Cordova, the woman who captures the attention of a cavalry major and Indian chief in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Rodd Redwing as Red Knife, a Comanche chief at odds with Cochise in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Directed by:
William Castle
Cast:
John Hodiak … Cochise
Robert Stack … Maj. Tom Burke
Joy Page … Consuelo de Cordova
Rico Alaniz … Felipe
Fortunio Bonanova … Minister
Edward Colmans … Don Francisco
Alex Montoya … Jose Garcia
Steven Ritch … Tukiwah
Carol Thurston … Terua
Rodd Redwing … Red Knife
Robert Griffin … Sam Maddock
Poppy del Vando … Senora de Cordova
John Crawford … Capt. Bill Lawson
Runtime: 70 min.
Robert Griffin as Sam Maddock, figuring an Indian war might benefit his bottom line in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Rico Alaniz as Felipe, determined to avenge his wife’s death at the hands of the Apache in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Memorable lines:
Capt. Lawson to Maj. Burke, handing him a handkerchief after he’s been kissing yet another pretty young woman: “Here, major, you’ve been wounded again.”
Cochise: “Our custom forbids the husband to talk to his mother-in-law. Ever.”
Consuelo: “How strange.”
Cochise: “In some cases, the custom of the Apache is superior to the whites.”
John Crawford as Capt. Bill Lawson (right) and a colleague spot signs of potential Indian trouble in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Steven Ritch as Tukiwah, standing by Cochise though he doesn’t always agree with his views on the whites in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Carol Thurston as Terua, offering husband Cochise advice, including avoiding war with the whites in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
Robert Stack as Maj. Tom Burke and John Hodiak as Cochise, locked in battle side by side in Conquest of Cochise (1953)
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