From Savage to Nobleman [Hardcover]

Michael Hilger (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0810829789 | ISBN-13: 978-0810829787 | Publication Date: August 28, 1995

The focus on Native American characters gives a unique perspective for understanding stereotypes and the interplay of racism, sympathy, and empathy in the historical periods of narrative film. Hilger traces the portrayal of Native Americans, from the silents and early sound films through films of each decade, covering over 800 films. An introduction discusses the traditional images of the Noble Red Man and Savage. The final chapter discusses new images based on tribal identities in recent films such as Powwow Highway. Each of the historical chapters begins with detailed interpretations of representative films such as The Vanishing American, They Died With Their Boots On, Cheyenne Autumn, and Dances With Wolves. With a film title index. This book will be useful not only to students of film but also of history, popular culture, sociology, social work, education, and ethnic studies.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hilger, a professor at the University of Wisconsin^-Eau Claire, teaches courses on the American Indian in literature and film. He is also the compiler of a filmography, The American Indian in Film (Scarecrow, 1986). The first chapter of his new book presents a broad overview of the topic, outlining the two major images of the Noble Red Man and the Savage, which Hilger notes often exist side by side in a film or are sometimes exhibited in different films by the same director. The eight subsequent chapters trace these images chronologically through the history of film, from silent films to the films of the 1990s.

Each of the chapters begins with an examination of representative films from the time period that display dominant themes and images of the era. This essay is followed by a list of films that typify the Native American as Savage and another for the Noble Red Man. Each of these lists is further subdivided by topic, for example, under the Savage, Attacks on Covered Wagons, Kidnapping. Each entry includes the date of release, the film company, and the name of the director, followed by a capsule plot summary that focuses on the role of Native Americans in the film. Occasionally there are quotations from film reviews. Some entries note actors in starring roles. One is in error--the part of True Son in The Light in the Forest was played by James MacArthur, not Douglas MacArthur. A final chapter discusses new images of Native Americans in film. There are film-title and subject indexes. The latter includes names of film companies, Indian tribes, and people mentioned in entries.

There are other filmographies of Westerns (Parish and Pitts' Great Western Pictures, Scarecrow, 1976) but none that treats the role of Native Americans in this way. A welcome addition to the film literature, libraries may want to use this book as a selection tool for their video collections.

Review

Each of the successive chapters opens with a detailed analysis of Native American images in a work representative of a particular period in filmmaking.....

A welcome addition to the film literature, libraries may want to use this book as selection tool for their video collections.....

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press (August 28, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810829789
• ISBN-13: 978-0810829787
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,032,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Good chronological overview of this genre, September 28, 2009

By 

Deborah Verlen "Deborah" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: From Savage to Nobleman (Hardcover)

Don't let the title of this book put you off reading it especially if you have an interest in the portrayal of Native Americans in film. Hilger writes an excellent reference tool.

Written in 1995, you'll find an in-depth discussion of how Native Americans are portrayed both stereotypically as the noble red man or alternatively as a savage. Hilger also gets into the atypical portrayal in the final chapter.

Over 800 films are referenced from silent and sound productions and are discussed chronologically. Although this is written more as a textbook, for the film aficionado who focuses on the celluloid image of Native Americans, the listings of films is a wonderful reference. A short bibliography is also included as well as a good general index and a film title index. Remember this was written in 1995, so the last fifteen years are not profiled. All in all, this is a wonderful listing of films within this genre.