White Fawn's Devotion: A Play Acted by a Tribe of Red Indians in America

Starring: Red Wing
Directed: James Young Deer (uncredited)
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Short, Drama
Length: 11 minutes
1910

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A white man living with his Indian wife, White Fawn (Red Wing) and daughter, learns that he's inherited a fortune. When White Fawn hears of this, she realizes it will lead him to leave their family. In a moment of despair, she stabs herself. Their child returns, believing her father murdered her mother, and she runs to the tribe. Warriors there begin to hunt for the white man, who flees while proclaiming his innocence.

Review:

White Fawn's Devotion: A Play Acted by a Tribe of Red Indians in America is a fascinating little film (in addition to having a title that could never be used today). It is the earliest surviving film directed by a Native American, and it features nearly an all-Native American cast. It is so interesting because you get to see a people who have suffered greatly at the hands of civilization, back in the early 20th century. It's incredible to watch.

While the plot isn't anything original, it is a well told story that is powerful for its simplicity. The story unfolds in a nice manner, and the audience gets caught up in it. It is interesting because there's really no villain here- all the characters act nobly, even though there are some misunderstandings at work. The film features love, action, suspense, and is very thrilling in places. This is a nice piece of work.

The actors are mostly good. Red Wing is good as White Fawn. I liked the entire cast, except for the little girl. I hate to be harsh on a child from 1910, but she was just so over-the-top with her movements. She has to be a very early case of overacting. Every time she flailed around, it took me out of the moment in the film. She was so big with her gestures and her emotions that it appeared overtly silly on screen. I hate to be a jerk, but I try to call them like I see it. She was a bad actor, and the weakest link in the cast.

For a great many of these early-cinema short films, I would only recommend them to the biggest movie fanatics and fans of cinema in general. Oftentimes, they aren't easy to track down, and the payoff isn't always immediate or high. That's not true with White Fawn's Devotion. This is a well made 1910 film that can still be enjoyable for audiences today (provided they put themselves in the shoes of a 1910 filmgoer. I would recommend this little film because it's easy to watch, it's exciting, and is a nice example of an early movie. I enjoyed it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



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