| Introduction | | | | convert black/white coloring of the story into a |
| Synopsis | | | | gray continuum of characterization. All American |
| The film stars Henry Fonda farmer Gilbert Martin, | | | | whites are heroic able-minded men and women |
| who, in 1776, has returned with his wife, Lana, to | | | | who withstand hardships to witness the birth of |
| his small cabin in the Mohawk Valley. At first | | | | their nation. They are simple villagers, but in their |
| uneasy to deal with the harsh physical challenges | | | | hearts, they surrender to the savage wilderness; |
| of frontier life, Lana adjusts to farm work and is | | | | they are, in case of Lana, well-bred people who |
| soon able to help her husband in the fields. Shortly | | | | adjust to the situation for the sake of unity, love |
| after they learn that the colonies are at war with | | | | and future of their land. |
| the British, their farmhouse is attacked and | | | | The other issue of high import is that in a colonial |
| burned to the ground by a party of Tory-led | | | | community of immigrants inevitably different |
| Indians. The energetic Widow McKlennar hires and | | | | European origins have a stake; but in this film |
| shelters the couple, but soon after the Indians | | | | barely you might come across a German or Irish |
| invade their community once more. Thus, men | | | | immigrant within the community. This clearly |
| join the militia and try to win their independence | | | | proves the partiality of John Ford. |
| from Britain, and defend their community against | | | | The other interesting point about the movie is the |
| the crude wilderness and its dwellers. In the end, | | | | same theme of patriotism, fear of Indians and |
| the war has finished and the Old Glory is on the | | | | other invaders and the military power of the |
| top of the church tower. The American nation is | | | | immigrants during the colonial period. Set in the |
| born. | | | | time of the American Revolutionary War, the film |
| Cast | | | | is not only a means ofre-presenting history, but |
| This 1939 Western adventure is directed by John | | | | also indicative of what is going on in the time film |
| Ford, and is one of his typical looks into the | | | | is being produced. |
| American history of the frontier. The story is | | | | Such social factors as the Great Depression and |
| based on a book with the same title by Walter D. | | | | the World War II had their influence upon the |
| Edmonds. Its music is composed by Alfred | | | | narrative of the film; Americans were confused |
| Newman. The actors include Henry Fonda as | | | | as what their role was both internally and |
| Gilbert Martin, Claudette Colbert as Lana, and Edna | | | | universally; and this was the time when more |
| May Oliver (with her typical role play as an | | | | than ever myths came to help the American |
| energetic masculine woman). | | | | psyche find its way. |
| Setting | | | | According to Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn |
| The film is made in 1939; however, it is a broken | | | | Davies (American Dream, global Nightmare, 2004, |
| mirror through which to see the American Wars | | | | p.32)American history is infused with fears and |
| of Independence. The American frontier life during | | | | threats, and the American film industry takes the |
| the colonial period, with all its hardships and | | | | responsibility to remind Americans of such fears, |
| dangers, is the theme of the film. One American | | | | when needed. Thus, it is regarded as a |
| community is built in the Mohawk Valley in New | | | | myth-making device on the eve of the Second |
| York and the people have farm-life there. | | | | World War. Americans should first be scared, and |
| Although of the Revolutionary American era, the | | | | then called into action. |
| film mainly focuses on how whites and Indians | | | | Back to the issue of Indian Americans, it is |
| encounter each other, with obviously depicting the | | | | evident throughout the film that only one Indian is |
| Indians as untamable savages who have no | | | | presented as good, one who is Christianized and |
| mercy on white colonists. | | | | helps the colonists. Others are heartless giants |
| Analysis | | | | who are stereotypically malign, blood-thirsty and |
| Any historical account is informed by personal | | | | stupid. Ward Churchill, in his paper "Smoke Signals: |
| taste and prejudices. Reviewing history books | | | | a History of Native Americans in Cinema", points |
| gives us knowledge of the story of colonial | | | | to this fact that Indians are depicted so because |
| America becoming a nation. No doubt, the | | | | they have never had any voice in American film |
| accounts by different historians differ in details, | | | | industry. Interestingly, he makes it clear that even |
| but the essence remains significantly the same in | | | | when Indians were given trivial roles they were |
| almost all of them. However, to learn history | | | | ordered to wear heavy bleaching make-ups in |
| form the viewpoint of the silver screen is another | | | | order not to annoy the audience. |
| story. | | | | The last point is that while the song "My Country" |
| Steven Mintz in his review of the book "Past | | | | (which is heard at the last scene of the film as a |
| Imperfect: History According to the Movies" | | | | sign of American nation being born) is a patriotic |
| -edited by Mark C. Carnes- talks of the "films' role | | | | one, it highly resembles the British national anthem. |
| in the construction of cultural memory". In the | | | | What this might convey? Of course, Ford is no |
| so-called "United States of Amnesia" the history is | | | | fool not to understand the similarity of the two. |
| easily distorted, disfigured, clad-in-love scenes and | | | | Instead it seems that in 1939 it signals a future |
| presented to the audience; beautiful it is to notice | | | | possibility of the United States becoming ally to |
| how the audience digest it as authentic. If you | | | | the Great Britain in the World War II. Also, it adds |
| have a look at the non-professional review section | | | | to the patriotic theme of the film, thus provoking |
| in you will find the tragic reality come true. Many | | | | the patriotic emotions of the Americans on the |
| have found it a historical narration. Some have | | | | brink of WW II. |
| even advised history fans to go and watch it! This | | | | Conclusion |
| is the process of constructing "cultural memory" | | | | Highly propagandist in nature, Drums along the |
| by an insignificant film of 67 years ago up to the | | | | Mohawk iswell-situated on the eve of the Second |
| present. This is "gap of representation" in the | | | | World War. The American psyche once anointed |
| medium of movie. | | | | with fear gets flexible before being introduced to |
| Mintz also quotes the distinguished anthropologist | | | | a new missionary period. The Indians represent |
| Anthony F.C. Wallace criticizing the inadequacy of | | | | the European enemies, while the colonists are the |
| the film even in reproducing the original book, by | | | | contemporary Americans who should join the |
| adding that the film is a failure in "its depiction of | | | | militia to defend not only their country but also |
| Native Americans as stupid or savage killers...." | | | | their very values. |
| The simple binary division of good/bad, savage | | | | It should be noted, however, that the film is |
| Christian Indian is one of the greatest flaws of | | | | worthy of being seen; not only because of its |
| the film, though the audience might endorse it. | | | | implications but also because it is one of the first |
| Being Ford's first color film, Drums along the | | | | color films ever produced. |
| Mohawk, nonetheless, is a failed attempt to | | | | |