1949 Indians criticize Hollywood - and Hollywood replies

Indians Criticize American Movies

1949, April 14. The Muscatine Journal and News Tribune 

     Oklahoma City -- A couple of Choctaws and a Creek -- all three members of the Oklahoma legislature -- went on the warpath Wednesday against the motion picture version of the American Indian.

1949, April 14. The Muscatine Journal
 and News Tribune 

     "When modern movie makers tire of hoodlum picture-making for coddling the blood-thirsty but unbrave masses who love cheap thrillers," said a resolution offered by the Indians in the legislature, "a change of scene portrays combat between white and Indian. It's battle if the white man wins, a massacre if the Indian is victorious."

Hollywood Replies To Indian Critics of Redskin Movies 

1949, April 21  The Daily Mail 

     Hollywood, April 21 – The villainous movie Redskin may follow his cigar store counterpart out of the American scene.

     Three Oklahoma legislators who are Indians charged that the Red Men too often are portrayed in movies as “low, mean and treacherous.”

     But Hollywood came back yesterday with these replies:

           John Ford’s “Fort Apache” told the Indian’s side sympathetically.
           The film “Tulsa” premiered under the noses of the complaining lawmakers portrays an Indian                     as a rancher wearing business clothes, and speaking excellent English.

           In “Black Gold,” Anthony Quinn plays an Indian who “was a good man, like most people.”

    Joseph Kane, producer of many horse operas said:

“Undoubtedly Indians have been represented, in many pictures as foolish or villainous. But the trend now seems to be toward showing them realistically. They were often rough characters in the old days. So were the settlers. They shouldn’t be treated as heavies without showing why.” 

1949, April 21  The Daily Mail