House Made of Dawn (1987)

Director:

Richardson Morse

Writers:

N. Scott Momaday (novel), N. Scott Momaday (screenplay),

Stars:

Larry Littlebird, Judith Doty, Jay Varela

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Larry Littlebird	...	Abel
Judith Doty	...	Milly
Jay Varela	...	Benally
Mesa Bird	...	Grandfather
Philip Kenneally	...	Martinez
Wright King	...	Father Olguin
Skeeter Vaughan	...	Albino and Old Man (as Skeeter Vaughn)
Teddy García	...	Abelito
Herb Robins	...	Los Angeles Foreman
George Burdeau	...	John
Charlie L. Bird	...	Tom
Preston Jefferson	...	Cruz
Wilson Peshlakai	...	Wilson
Jack Kane	...	New Mexico Foreman
James Sargent	...	Judge

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

pulitzer prize source | based on novel | independent film

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Also Known As:

Ritos de Vida

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Firebird Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

User Reviews

A kiva of missed opportunity

Since as a novel, "House Made of Dawn" was Pulitzer-Prize material, the inspiration must be there, somewhere. But the film adaptation is a clunker in every act, every scene, every frame. "Dawn" is little more than in essay in the depression of a young Native American man who is forced to relocate to Los Angeles after his release from prison for his murder of another Indian suspected of shape-shifting and witchcraft.

Characterization is virtually nil. The main character, Abel, portrays the "strong, silent, frustrated warrior" stereotype, Benally, his friend in the city epitomizes the "meek,Uncle Tom, paying-protection-money-to-survive" stereotype. Of course, there's Millie, playing the "requisite blond girlfriend" stereotype. The only interesting character is Tosamah, a Native American Church priest played by the conspicuously Anglo-Saxon John Saxon. Despite that, Tosamah distinguishes himself by actually being able to articulate thoughts with a non-monosyllabic vocabulary.

The music is singularly bad, an atonal flute score that sounds like it was composed by a first-year composition student a few hours after a lesson on Schoenberg. Pass on this one.