Run Time: 11 minutes. Studio: Pathé Frères. Director: James Young Deer. Writers: James Young Deer. Main Cast: Lucille Young
Despite being little remembered today, White Fawn's Devotion has a significant historical importance as the first known film directed and written by a Native American and starring a mostly Native American cast.
This short borrows much of its story elements from the 1905 stage melodrama, The Squaw Man (which would be adapted for the screen multiple times by Cecil B. DeMille). In this film a young girl is the child of a white man and a Native American Woman. When her father inherits a fortune out East, the mother believes that he is going to leave her. She then attempts suicide. The daughter walks in and thinks that her father has killed her mother. She tells the tribe about this, and they come after the father to kill him.
This is more than a simply historic curio. It is a solid melodrama that still holds up pretty well today. Though it may not have the advanced technical filmmaking you might see in a D.W. Griffith Biograph short, it manages to tell a concise and easy to follow story in only 10 minutes with very few intertitles. A lot happens in this short little movie, but it never once loses its audience. More than this the story is quite engaging and the action scenes (while simple and straightforward) are pretty exciting.
Pathé had made a series of westerns in Europe, however they were often criticized for their European, especially in the clothing. The response to this was to create something more authentic by hiring a Native American director and shooting in the U.S. (though it was still filmed in the East). The director and writer would be James Young Deer. Born in Nebraska of Winnebago ancestry, Deer had quite a career. He started had toured with Wild West shows and circuses. He would eventually land a career appearing in movie westerns, sometimes alongside his wife Lillian St. Cyr (who sometimes used the stage name Princess Redwing). As well as starring in films, Deer would also write for them. Despite how little known he is even among cinephiles, he is believed to have directed approximately 120 films between 1910 and 1913. Sadly, he was never credited for any of these films.
The interracial marriage was quite daring for its time. What is more incredible is the ending. I usually wouldn't discuss spoilers on this blog but since the last few feet of film are missing, I feel that it is important to do here. Still if any of you haven't seen the film, I recommend watching it before reading further. The girl's mother has attempted suicide but only wounded herself. Luckily it is found out that she is actually alive just before the tribe can kill the father. This is where the film now ends. Luckily Pathé publicity tells us what happens after this. "The Combs take their departure and return to their home, for he feels he will be happier with his family on than if he goes out East to claim his legacy." This type of happily ever after ending for an interracial couple was unheard of in fiction at this time, making this quite remarkable.
When in a later film (which is unfortunately lost today) called Red Deer's Devotion (1911), Deer switched the sexes of the interracial couple, this was met with much criticism. Moving Picture World wrote, "Another feature of this film would not please a good many. It represents a white girl and an Indian falling in love with each other. While such a thing is possible, and undoubtedly has been done many times, there is still a feeling of disgust which cannot be overcome when this sort of thing is depicted as plainly as it is here."
James Young Deer was not the only American filmmaker making films about Native Americans. In fact, from 1908 to 1912 there were a slew of pictures about Native Americans. Unfortunately, by 1913 Moving Picture World stated, "Indian dramas ... are played out." They were not alone in this sentiment. Film Companies were now hanging signs stating, "No Indians Wanted." Sadly, this meant that James Young Deer's movie career was coming to an end.
For anyone interested in watching this film, you can do so below.
Resources Used
Liner notes for the DVD box set, Treasures from American Film Archives by Scott Simmon
Despite being little remembered today, White Fawn's Devotion has a significant historical importance as the first known film directed and written by a Native American and starring a mostly Native American cast.
This short borrows much of its story elements from the 1905 stage melodrama, The Squaw Man (which would be adapted for the screen multiple times by Cecil B. DeMille). In this film a young girl is the child of a white man and a Native American Woman. When her father inherits a fortune out East, the mother believes that he is going to leave her. She then attempts suicide. The daughter walks in and thinks that her father has killed her mother. She tells the tribe about this, and they come after the father to kill him.
This is more than a simply historic curio. It is a solid melodrama that still holds up pretty well today. Though it may not have the advanced technical filmmaking you might see in a D.W. Griffith Biograph short, it manages to tell a concise and easy to follow story in only 10 minutes with very few intertitles. A lot happens in this short little movie, but it never once loses its audience. More than this the story is quite engaging and the action scenes (while simple and straightforward) are pretty exciting.
Pathé had made a series of westerns in Europe, however they were often criticized for their European, especially in the clothing. The response to this was to create something more authentic by hiring a Native American director and shooting in the U.S. (though it was still filmed in the East). The director and writer would be James Young Deer. Born in Nebraska of Winnebago ancestry, Deer had quite a career. He started had toured with Wild West shows and circuses. He would eventually land a career appearing in movie westerns, sometimes alongside his wife Lillian St. Cyr (who sometimes used the stage name Princess Redwing). As well as starring in films, Deer would also write for them. Despite how little known he is even among cinephiles, he is believed to have directed approximately 120 films between 1910 and 1913. Sadly, he was never credited for any of these films.
The interracial marriage was quite daring for its time. What is more incredible is the ending. I usually wouldn't discuss spoilers on this blog but since the last few feet of film are missing, I feel that it is important to do here. Still if any of you haven't seen the film, I recommend watching it before reading further. The girl's mother has attempted suicide but only wounded herself. Luckily it is found out that she is actually alive just before the tribe can kill the father. This is where the film now ends. Luckily Pathé publicity tells us what happens after this. "The Combs take their departure and return to their home, for he feels he will be happier with his family on than if he goes out East to claim his legacy." This type of happily ever after ending for an interracial couple was unheard of in fiction at this time, making this quite remarkable.
When in a later film (which is unfortunately lost today) called Red Deer's Devotion (1911), Deer switched the sexes of the interracial couple, this was met with much criticism. Moving Picture World wrote, "Another feature of this film would not please a good many. It represents a white girl and an Indian falling in love with each other. While such a thing is possible, and undoubtedly has been done many times, there is still a feeling of disgust which cannot be overcome when this sort of thing is depicted as plainly as it is here."
James Young Deer was not the only American filmmaker making films about Native Americans. In fact, from 1908 to 1912 there were a slew of pictures about Native Americans. Unfortunately, by 1913 Moving Picture World stated, "Indian dramas ... are played out." They were not alone in this sentiment. Film Companies were now hanging signs stating, "No Indians Wanted." Sadly, this meant that James Young Deer's movie career was coming to an end.
For anyone interested in watching this film, you can do so below.
Resources Used
Liner notes for the DVD box set, Treasures from American Film Archives by Scott Simmon
