Cowboys & indians

cityontheup said:
Just had a chat with my 10 year old grandson who had no idea who/ what cowboys and Indians were. You could put this down to a generational thing, not being taught US history and not watching old westerns on the telly. I just found it amazing he didn’t know, so being a film fan, here’s a question. What 5 films would you choose to teach him about cowboys & Indians?
Click to expand...

I notice that a lot of the films being recommended are more grown up ones, and often ones which were a bit more balanced, but probably not ones which would get 10 year olds kids playing games. I'm pretty sure there was little legitimate US history in the 'cowboys and indians' stories we watched as kids.

It was likely mostly from the Saturday morning shows, or B movies, with the cartoonish, stereotypical, white man good, brown man bad, where half the 'indians' were guys with tans, or white actors in make-up anyway. If your grandson started copying the dialogue of the Native Americans in these shows, it's likely even other ten year olds would have a word.

Let him play Red Dead Redemption 2 when he's a bit older, and watch some of the classics mentioned - but at 10, just be happy he's still playing Cops and Robbers :)
 
I’d recommend the ‘Lonesome Dove’ series, I guess he might be too young foe that but Larry McMurtry has written extensively on the history of (at least) the west, both factual and history based fiction
 
If your grandson is an enjoyer of academic podcasts (you never know) The Rest is History just did a great multi part series on the lead up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn including a deep dive on some of the main players in the story, Custer, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull.

I’ve never been that interested in this part of history but I thought it was great and captured a lot of the nuances which often get lost due to the emotive nature of the subject matter.
 
cityontheup said:
Just had a chat with my 10 year old grandson who had no idea who/ what cowboys and Indians were. You could put this down to a generational thing, not being taught US history and not watching old westerns on the telly. I just found it amazing he didn’t know, so being a film fan, here’s a question. What 5 films would you choose to teach him about cowboys & Indians?
Click to expand...
“All join up for....”
 
cityontheup said:
Just had a chat with my 10 year old grandson who had no idea who/ what cowboys and Indians were. You could put this down to a generational thing, not being taught US history and not watching old westerns on the telly. I just found it amazing he didn’t know, so being a film fan, here’s a question. What 5 films would you choose to teach him about cowboys & Indians?
Click to expand...
Well firstly it's Cowboys and Punjabis and secondly, any Bollywood blockbuster.
 
Admittedly missing Indians (or Native Americans as we should say these days) I'd recommend that timeless classic, Shane, starring Alan Ladd as the itinerant gunslinger trying to escape his past and Jack Palance as the ultimate cold-hearted villain. Any 10 year old viewer couldn't help but identify with the homesteaders' son who hero worships Shane, hired to fight an evil cattle baron and his henchmen intent on driving the family off their land. Exciting and poignant in equal measure, Shane is not only a classic Western but, in my view, one of the best movies ever made.
 
Last edited:
urban genie said:
nothing with john wayne
Click to expand...
With the exception of The Searchers in which Wayne plays an unapologetic racist thereby proving that art does indeed imitate life. Setting aside my dislike of Wayne's dubious political views though, it is undoubtedly a classic of the genre.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top