Natives playing Natives actually wasn't that unusual. There are examples going back to the 1910s, with Lilian St. Cyr. Jay Silverheels also portrayed Tonto on the Lone Ranger show on TV at the same time as this film.
What is unusual is a Hollywood film about Natives that takes place after 1900. This is to my knowledge is the only American film ever made about Indian boarding schools. In Canada there are at least half a dozen very well done films on the subject.
This film follows a Navajo boy fleeing the boarding schools. He is caught, forced to attend, given a white name, his hair cut off, must wear western clothing, and is forced to become culturally white in every way. He runs away and almost escapes, but decides to rescue two men pursuing him who are trapped on a mountain. The film is worth seeing for the landscapes alone.
There are some parts of true history left out, and it would be even more surprising had they been included. There was a high death rate from disease and suicides. Not just physical punishment but abuse was common, beatings, even chaining students to desks. Sexual abuse was also common. But society hadn't acknowledged such abuse of anyone yet, and wouldn't until the 1970s at least.
The narration of the boy becomes cumbersome at points. But the film and actors deserve praise for being groundbreaking in so many ways. Worth viewing for anyone interested in the history or subject.
What is unusual is a Hollywood film about Natives that takes place after 1900. This is to my knowledge is the only American film ever made about Indian boarding schools. In Canada there are at least half a dozen very well done films on the subject.
This film follows a Navajo boy fleeing the boarding schools. He is caught, forced to attend, given a white name, his hair cut off, must wear western clothing, and is forced to become culturally white in every way. He runs away and almost escapes, but decides to rescue two men pursuing him who are trapped on a mountain. The film is worth seeing for the landscapes alone.
There are some parts of true history left out, and it would be even more surprising had they been included. There was a high death rate from disease and suicides. Not just physical punishment but abuse was common, beatings, even chaining students to desks. Sexual abuse was also common. But society hadn't acknowledged such abuse of anyone yet, and wouldn't until the 1970s at least.
The narration of the boy becomes cumbersome at points. But the film and actors deserve praise for being groundbreaking in so many ways. Worth viewing for anyone interested in the history or subject.
