Redskin (1929)

Okay so I enjoyed watching this movie, it felt easier to follow. There is a huge jump with technology and just the film industry in general from Within Our Gates to Redskin. There was an early form of technicolor which made it easier on the eyes; I also really liked the color being specific to the Native Americans. I don’t know if they did that consciously but I really liked that aspect, it’s kind of artistic in a way and puts more emphasis on that part of the movie which has the main plot anyways. Speaking of plot, this plot line for me was way easier to follow then Within Our Gates, even though Redskin was a silent film they did a really good job of keeping the audience up to speed on what was going on. They utilized intertitles well, placing them only where they really need to be for the most part. I think this plot was less complicated than Within Our Gates but had enough of an arc to keep us interested.

I thought the plot was cute- boy taken away from tribe; boy meets girl who’s tribe is his sworn enemy; fall in love; go to college; get separate; boy gets kicked out of tribe; tries survive in wild; on brink of death when find oil; steals girl back (with a bad ass chase scene); give oil to the two tribes so that they don’t get killed and have a place to stay; and they live happily ever after. It was entertaining to watch.

I found it interesting that in this movie, education is also a stress but in a different way with different ramifications. In Within Our Gates education seemed like the key for the African-American race to do something for society and gained something from it. In Redskin I didn’t see him gain anything but maybe a girlfriend. In that movie I have no clue what point they wanted to get across about sending Native Americans to a boarding school; were they saying he was better off or not? Because to me going to the school it seemed to screwed him over, he went to school to assimilate into the “new age” the white culture, but when going to college they made fun of him and said the only reason he was there was because he ran fast (side note- loved the fact that his running comes into play at the end when its crucial to beat a car). But now educated he goes home and they don’t accept him because he’s used to a different culture or now has a different outlook on their traditions. The only thing I can see is that they are saying it messed up his life and was pointless to send them to that school, because to me it looks like he was completely screwed all the way throughout until the last five minutes when he gets the girl and the oil.