Gunsmoke - The Last Apache (1990)

 Good Joe Lara vehicle
I got this movie in VHS, long before it was offered online and it was tough to find in the video store. When I first saw it I had no clue about Matt Dillon's history with Michael Yardner until one day I saw the original Gunsmoke episode. I confess, I got this movie because of Joe Lara who plays Mandac, whom I didn't know of when I first saw this movie on television. It wasn't until Mr. Lara played in Tarzan: The Epic Adventures that I began to collect his movies, this being one of them--and I might add, in my collection only this movie and another of his are worth watching. When I was a fan I learned that mixed with some other things, Mr. Lara has--ta daaa--Apache in him though from which side, he never revealed. Joe played Mandac well as the brooding, slightly surly, yet gentle sort. Dillon's daughter, the nasty Beth, was an idiot who didn't realize how lucky she was to be in Mandac's clutches who treated her a lot better than any man would've. Sadly, the movie didn't focus enough on Mandac and Beth whose characters should've been more developed as we already know who Dillon was, who really cared about her mother, or about scout, Chalk Brighton, who exhibited stupid jelousy for Dillon. Throughout the whole movie Mandac is made the bad guy, not even a tragic hero.Then he gets shot in the end because he was an Indian! Beth's mother wouldn't have shot him had he been a white man who kidnapped her daughter and then decided to come back for a last visit. Mandac rides off and would Dillon leave it alone despite Beth telling him Mandac didn't hurt her? Noooooo! Dillon had to track him down. Why? Because the writer decided to make Mandac the eternal bad guy who didn't even deserve the dignity of going off to die without being bothered. Without Joe Lara, this movie wouldn't have been worth watching because an aged James Arness isn't a pretty sight. March 26, 2007

 Would like all five on DVD
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie except for two things. Now that Matt is done with the law why didn't he go after Kitty and marry her or something. The other being the length of Matt's hair, they finally cut it in the other movies. We see that Matt hasn't changed much except his clothing and residence, his values are still the same and he's as tough and resourceful as ever. June 20, 2006

 Glad it's being released on DVD.....but
I'm so glad these Gunsmoke movies are being released on DVD. But, can someone tell me why this wasn't released as a 3 DVD set and not indivdidual DVD's. Like the "Sarah Plain and Tall" 3 movie saga. It was released with all 3 movies together in one case. I'm pretty sure most people are going to purchase all 3 movies of gunsmoke. I'm thinking "SPACE", "ROOM" to keep all these DVD's that are being released or have been released. Not everyone has all the space in there home for so many shows being released on DVD. To the manufactures of these movies: Next time do a survey to find out what people would like. I sure would of liked all 3 Gunsmoke movies in one case (jacket). March 4, 2004

 FANTASTIC!!!!
Charles Correll directed a stupendous flick!My favorite! All characters were superb. Mandac was a character who was extremely memorable. I watch this dozens of times and always see something new. Hats off to a brilliant movie and a brilliant director!! April 27, 1999

 Gunsmoke reunion movie No. 2
Gunsmoke - The Last Apache -- James Arness as Matt Dillon returns for the second of the Gunsmoke TV movies. Again the story reaches into Matt's past. Matt receives a letter from a woman he hasn't seen in 20 years -- Mike played by Michael Learned. (Flashback scenes from Gunsmoke are presented. From the episode "Matt's Love Story" -- a wounded Matt Dillon loses his memory and falls in love with a widow.) Mike requests his return in the urgent letter. Matt arrives to find her ranch in flames following a raid by the Apache Indians. He is stunned to learn that he and Mike have a daughter named Beth. Beth has been kidnapped by Wolf, a warrior chief for Geronimo. Wolf is played by Joe Lara (star of the syndicated TV series Tarzan: The Epic Adventures). Richard Kiley and Hugh O'Brian also guest star. Color. First aired on CBS in 1990 as a two-hour Gunsmoke movie. Very entertaining. January 4, 1999

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