A treasure of early silent films, White Fawn’s Devotion is probably one of the first films made by Native Americans. The film meditates on cultural and racial issues including but not limited to: Native Americans, white settlers, interracial marriage, and cultural loyalty. The story moves quickly, as a white settler marries a Native American and they have a daughter. Trouble ensues, however, when the settler learns he’s inherited a large sum of money and wishes to leave the more natural lifestyle that he’s chosen. Set on the frontier, White Fawn’s Devotion is unique in many aspects: it’s shot on the frontier, as opposed to the hokey sets of most of its contemporaries; it’s not from the white man’s perspective; it takes an honest look at the culture clash that occurred in early America. Above all else, White Fawn’s Devotion is a precious glimpse of America through the eyes of a sadly embittered but powerfully artistic minority.
