I never even heard of this film until it came on AMC today. I was quite impressed. I am wondering, now, if this is one of the earliest revisionist Westerns (i.e., acknowledging the horrendous oppression of the Native Americans). I'm no expert, but the only older one I can think of -- and it's only semi-revisionist IMHO -- is "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," also by Ford.
This is not exactly in the same league, but check out THE LAST HUNT, a Richard Brooks western from 1956 with Stewart Granger and Robert Taylor. Granger is the kinder, gentler buffalo hunter who is tiring of the hunt and killing, and recognizing that with the wiping out of the herds the way of life of the Plains tribes is going, going, gone. . . Taylor is the homicidal maniac type, who loves killing: Buffalo, Indians, it's all the same to him. He hires Granger's character as a guide, and the tension builds from there. Some subtle, interesting commentary on the injustice and brutality of the campaign against the Indians, especially in terms of going after their truly primary food staple, hell, everything staple, the buffalo. I only saw it once on late night TV, but it made a pretty strong impression on me.
"I'm not from here, I just live here. . ."
-James Mc Murtry
It is difficult to say for sure, but Delmer Daves' Broken Arrow should be among the first--also starring Jimmy Stewart. Ford's own Fort Apache is actually also among the first ones.
shareAnd although it's not at all a Western, wouldn't you say Buster Keaton's The Paleface is also revisionist in it's view of Native Americans.
Then earlier than that(it's tarnished by a bad ending), D. W. Griffith's The Red Man's View was also forthright about showing Native Americans as victims of Frontiersmen.
"Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs." - Nathanael West
I thought revisionist meant altering history or facts to suit ones agenda?
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