The Only Good Indian (2009)

In The Only Good Indian we peek at this particular fragment of US (and Canadian) history from First Nations point of view, and follow a tale which is just a part of the voluminous story of how Impostor Americans took place of Real Americans, after committing genocide, unprecedented in human history - Europeans exterminated possibly up to 80 million (some estimate even up to 100 million) of indigenous Americans (Real American), from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, since 1492. Plot is set in US, sometime in late 19th century or early 1900's, which makes it even harder to swallow, although with the amount and level of racism, exceptionalism, Islamophobia, and all kinds of chauvinism and discriminations in Americas today, especially in US, this statement might be redundant or dubious, maybe even unnecessary. On the other hand reaction of certain individuals here and elsewhere, placed as reviews and/or comments, are truly appalling, no mater how predictable and expected. Bottom line, the film taking point of view which is rare in American cinematography - invisible people's point of view, which shed light on inconvenient history and criminal past.

Only a young Native American child, rounded up, captured and imprisoned within the confines of a religious institution, can truly understand the many torturous indignities of the past. Viewing this unfortunate punishment inflicted on children of Canadian ancestry, brings back horrors long dormant in history. Now, director Kevin Willmott, takes the story written by Thomas L. Carmody and imprints it on the silver screen. Incredibly talented, Wes Studi gives an impressive Academy Award performance in this film called " The only Good Indian ". He plays 'Sam' an indoctrinated Indian who has come to believe the only way to succeed in the modern White Man's world is to think and act like one. To that end, he plays an American tracker and survivor of the infamous Sand Creek massacre. J. Kenneth Campbell plays McCoy, an aging, crusty face survivor of the same incident, except that he, despite his murderous participation emerged a frontier hero. Winter Fox Frank plays 'Charlie' a reluctant Indian boy who was kidnapped and taken to a religious school to transform him into a 'civilized' Indian. Along for the journey is Sally (Thirza Defoe), a young Cherokee girl who killed a white man who was assaulting her. The trio are making their way across the land, all the while being pursued and discovering the ever-changing world of the twentieth century. With the exceptional performances of the cast, this movie is filled with eye-opening scenes which explain to anyone who has a heart, the difficulties of adapting to an alien world. The end result is that it should have garnered more awards and praise, in fact it should have been released in the main-stream theaters. It is this writer's opinion that, in time, it will become a Classic. Superior acting. ****

The Only Good Indian is a tribute to the plight of the Indian during the struggles of the early 1900s. The story is artistically crafted by director Kevin Willmott who creates a constantly moving aesthetic paradigm indicating the kinds of injustice man must suffer unto man in a period of upheaval for the Native American. It is an extremely human picture that carries the weight of a whole people and raises them up to a level of justice. I loved this movie. There are so many little deft touches that come home to the human heart. A young Indian boy, Charlie (played beautifully by Winter Fox Frank) takes off from his indoctrination school, and gets hunted down by self taught detective, Sam (Wes Studi), who has hopes of becoming a Pinkerton detective. Charlie must go back to school where Sam wants to take him to collect his $10 for bringing him back on the motorcycle and sidecar that Sam has purchased from a catalogue. Along the way to bringing Charlie back to his school he sees a Pinkerton reward poster for $1000 for another runaway Indian girl, Sally, who has been accused of murder (though it turns out she killed an orderly at an insane asylum who had raped her). He finds her living in a church where she has become beloved by the pastor and his wife. Sam takes her with them. The white man's ways have nearly convinced Sam to play the game the way the new world of white man's order would have it. Along the road to bringing back his captives however, Sam gets reminded in savage ways of the white man's brutal ways. He is slowly remembering his native beginnings, as Charlie and Sally remind him in subtle ways how he once must have believed. Along the way, he turns down a Pinkerton job as he helps Charlie spring Sally from jail, runs from an ever following Sheriff, and gets re-composed toward his own true heritage. With fine cinematography and a very good cast, this picture had me teary eyed near the end, and gave me a glimpse of real sympathy into the native American heart.

GREAT movie. Well done, and though names are fictitious, there is the awful truth in the events.How can it be that we have not recognized the error of our actions, and made some restitution? The black Americans are calling for restitution for the slavery of their ancestors, have we not done worse by the Indians?Those of us who live near Indian reservations, can on a daily basis, the plight of the Indians, who are still, in this day and age, treated with scorn and distaste. Why, when our neighbor to the north, has recognized the injustice in the removal of children from their families, and made restitution, and formally apologized for their actions, can we do less.