''Redskin'' is a 1929 American film with a synchronized score and sound effects, filmed partially in

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

. Its final six minutes were shown in Magnascope, an enlarged-screen projection novelty. The film, directed by

Victor Schertzinger Victor L. Schertzinger (April 8, 1888 – October 26, 1941) was an American composer, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. His films include '' Paramount on Parade'' (co-director, 1930), ''Something to Sing About'' (1937) with James C ...

, stars

Richard Dix Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

and was produced and released by Paramount Famous Lasky Corp. Though not well remembered among the general public, the film is regarded highly by film historians for presenting sympathetic portrayals of Native Americans in the silent film era.

Plot

After years of attending preparatory school and college in the

Eastern United States The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...

, Wing Foot (

), who after graduating finds out that he is an outcast in an overwhelmingly white society because of his race, returns to his

Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest fe ...

tribe and renounces their customs and beliefs, becoming an outcast among his own people. He later secretly visits the village of a rival tribe in order to see Corn Blossom (Julie Carter), his sweetheart, who has also been to school in the East. Her people discover his presence, and he is forced to flee into the desert, where he discovers oil. White prospectors also find the oil, and Wing Foot races them to the claim office, filing his claim first. Faced with marriage to a man she does not love, Corn Blossom takes refuge in the Navajo village. Her people come to take her back, and a pitched battle between the tribes is averted only when Wing Foot arrives and tells both tribes of the new good fortune of the Indian nations. He then claims Corn Blossom as his own.

Cast

as Wing Foot * Julie Carter as Corn Blossom *

Jane Novak Jane Novak (born Johana Barbara Novak; January 12, 1896 – February 3, 1990) was an American actress of the silent film era. Background Jane Novak was born Johana Barbara Novak in St. Louis, Missouri to Bohemian immigrant Joseph Jerome Novak a ...

as Judith Stearns *

Larry Steers Lawrence Wells Steers (February 14, 1888 – February 15, 1951) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 550 films between 1917 and 1951. He was born in Indiana, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Partial filmography * ...

as John Walton *

Tully Marshall Tully Marshall (born William Phillips; April 10, 1864 – March 10, 1943) was an American character actor. He had nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience before his debut film appearance in 1914 which led to a film career spanning alm ...

as Navajo Jim * Bernard Siegel as Chahi *

George Regas George Thomas Regas ( Greek: Γεώργιος Θωμάς Ρεγάκος; November 9, 1890 – December 13, 1940) was a Greek American actor. Biography Regis was born in the village of Goranoi near Sparta, Greece, the brother of actor Pedro R ...

as Chief Notani *

Augustina López Augustina López (born Augustina Romero) was a Mexican actress of indigenous ancestry who appeared in a string of Hollywood films later in life. She reportedly broke into the industry through an association with actress Delores Del Rio. Select ...

as Grandmother Yina *

Noble Johnson Noble Johnson (April 18, 1881 – January 9, 1978), later known as Mark Noble, was an American actor and film producer. He appeared in films such as ''The Mummy'' (1932), ''The Most Dangerous Game'' (1932), ''King Kong'' (1933) and ''Son of ...

as Pueblo Jim * Joseph W. Girard as Commissioner * Jack Duane as Barrett * Andrew J. Callaghan as Anderson * Myra Kinch as Laughing Singer * Philip Anderson as Wing Foot, age 9 * Lorraine Rivero as Corn Blossom, 6 * George Walker as Pueblo Jim, age 15 Source:

Production

was used for the scenes taking place on the Indians' land, while black-and-white ( sepia-toned in the original projection prints) was used for the scenes set in the white man's world. Roughly three-fourths of the film is in color.''Redskin'' at SilentEra
/ref> Location shooting took place in

Canyon de Chelly Canyon de Chelly National Monument ( ) was established on April 1, 1931, as a unit of the National Park Service. Located in northeastern Arizona, it is within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation and lies in the Four Corners region. Reflecting ...

."Notes"
on TCM.com

Home video

''Redskin'' is currently available in the United States on disc 4 of the DVD collection ''Treasures III: Social Issues in American Film, 1900-1934.''

References

External links