Blutsbrüder

This western from East Germany shows,as could be expected ,a strong anti-American feeling;but with such works as "soldier blue" and " little big man" (1971),the American cinema was also changing and it seems that finally "BLUTSBRÜDER" jumped on the band wagon.

After the first fifteen minutes ,the chase between the Indian and his prisoner- a deserter- recalls Fuller's " run of the arrow"(1956) before the movie imitates Delmer Daves and his classic "broken arrow" (1950),but without that director's knowledge of Indians 'life :for instance,everybody speaks German .

That said ,the movie is endearing and the three principals have presence and plenty of go,particularly the actor who plays Harmonica ,a pacifist idealistic but a bit naive (like all pacifist idealistic people,alas!).A good conclusion,off the beaten track ,which shows that war against oppression has barely begun.Slow motion flashbacks were frequently used at the time,and it dates the movie,but the tragic love story nearly matches that of "broken arrow".