Anti Racist Westerns

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ken123
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Anti Racist Westerns

Post by ken123 »

Other than the John Ford's Fort Apache, The Searchers, Two Rode Together, Sergeant Rutledge , Cheyenne Autumn, Judge Priest, and The Son Shines Bright, the best anti racist Western is the Henry King Directed Ramona, co = scripted by Lamar Trotti ( Ox - Bow Incident ), and Dudley Nichols ( The Informer ),starring Loretta Young and Don Ameche. I hope to hears some comments on any anti - racist Western Films.
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Post by SSO Admins »

"Broken Arrow" with Jimmy Stewart has long been a personal favorite.
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ken123
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Post by ken123 »

I agree ! Davies, Stewart, Chandler, and Will Geer as a very bad guy in top form. Debra Paget, as Stewart's Bride does very well also. :wink:
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ken123
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Post by ken123 »

Cheyenne Autumn while not the director's best and roundly panned by the critic's when it was released packs a wallop in it'message and is among my favotite Westerns. It's depiction of the Red Man vs. White Man struggles is truer than what most ( conservative ) Americans would care to believe. :wink:
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Dewey1960
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Post by Dewey1960 »

One of the strongest (if not THE strongest) anti-racist western films is DEVIL'S DOORWAY, a 1950 MGM film directed by Anthony Mann and beautifully photographed in black & white by John Alton. In it Robert Taylor plays Lance Poole, a Shoshoni Indian who also happens to be a decorated Union Army veteran (Congressional Medal of Honor). He returns to Wyoming after the Civil War in order to realize his dream of turning the land his father left him into a successful cattle ranch. But before long his land is seized from him thanks to the machinations of a thoroughly corrupt and overtly bigoted lawyer (well-played by Louis Calhern). It's a gut-wrenching struggle for Taylor and his Shoshoni kin that ensues and the depiction of it is nothing short of memorable--thrilling and suspenseful without a shred of morbid sentimentality. Taylor is outstanding (not to mention utterly believable) in this role and Alton's stunning photography rivals anything seen in any 1950s western. Why this film isn't more widely known is truly a mystery to me. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favor and check it out the next time it airs on TCM.
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ken123
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Post by ken123 »

Thank You Dewey, I usually avoid Robert Taylor films, but this one sounds interesting. :wink:
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