As a child I loved these old John Ford Films. Many years later, because of all the new releases to DVD and Blue Ray, we get to revisit some of these great classics. Watching this film, now, I found I could not finish it. Quannah Parker, a Commanche American Indian is so revered by his people. He was a really important figure, considered one of the great American Indian leaders of his time. In this film he is reduced to being a scalp-hunting, white child-rapist terrorist. I realize now that this vehement and terrible hatred of the American Indian is the central theme of John Ford's many films which touch this subject. I am an American Indian. Looking at this film is really painful because it fantasizes about a history that never happened. Of course, a good fiction adventure needs its enemy to work in Hollywood. That is the problem. Where can we go to find an enemy worthy of the adventures of our hero? I believe this fim should come with a warning label about its depiction of violent racism against the American Indian. This was really such a dark time for this minority in film. Maybe many in the Middle East have this same feeling when watching how Arabian people are depicted in film in this age. Seeing Quannah Parker portrayed in this way, by this horrible actor, is really tragic and emotionally painful to any reasonable American Indian. Clearly, at some point the life and character of John Ford needs to be examined more closely. There is a disturbingly violent hatred of the American Indian in these films.
