Davy Boone, Dan'l Crockett & the "Noble Red Man"

OK, here’s the stuff I alluded to yesterday, in my review of Davy Crockett, Indian Scout. Turner Classic Movies presented this as one of several films depicting the treatment of the “noble savage” in Hollywood.

But those words are barely out of host Robert Osborne’s mouth before he turns to his guest pontificator, a professor, writer and film maker of seemingly Native American descent, and asks if “noble savage” is okay to say.

No, opines the prof. “Noble red man” is politically correct. You can no longer say “noble savage,” just like you can no longer say “redskin” or “squaw.”  The professor goes on to define this character type as the friendly Indian companion of the non-Indian hero.

Discussing Davy Crockett, Indian Scout in particular, the prof says, “This is a Davy Crockett who is the Fess Parker Davy Crockett’s uncle.”  (Actually it’s the other way around. The real Davy, played later by Fess, was the uncle of the character in Davy Crockett, Indian Scout.) Now, it’s possible the prof just got his thoughts twisted and mispoke, and I’d be tempted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but in light of further comments I’m not so sure.

The two go on to discuss the character as if he’s actually the Davy we know, and Osborne clearly has no clue that Robert Montgomery is playing old Davy’s nephew.

Davy (Fess Parker) with his NON-Indian companion, George Russell.

Moving on, they discuss the friendly Indian companion as personified by Jay Silverheels, and neither Osborne or the prof seem aware the Tonto character existed before the Lone Ranger TV series. After tossing around phrases like “a benign but subservient relationship” and “a throwback to the slave mentality,” the prof tells us that Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) “is the beginning of that in the movies.” I guess the serials The Lone Ranger (1938) and The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939) don't count.

After the movie plays, they‘re back. “This is an interesting take on the Davy Crockett character,” says Osborne, “compared to the way Fess Parker played him on television for so many years.” While proving that he wasn’t paying attention to the film, and still doesn’t know George Montgomery was not playing old Davy, Osborne also demonstrates how little he knows of Fess Parker. Parker played Davy in a total of five episodes of the Disney show. Five.

But our film experts aren't done. “Davy Crockett has been portrayed in something like 40 films. Has he always had a sidekick like Red Hawk in all the Davy Crockett movies?”

Yes, the prof says, “an Indian helper, someone who helps them find their way through the forest.” More crap.

While its true Davy has been portrayed on film over 40 times, most of those movies were about the Alamo, and were Indian-free. Of the rest, four are “lost” silent films, but there is no indication they featured Indian companions. Most others are minor made-for-TV productions with - again - no Indian companions. Long after Disney’s original Crockett series, they made another five episodes in 1988-9 starring Tim Dunigan, still without a Tonto.

Daniel (Fess Parker) and his Indian companion Mingo.

I can only guess that Osborne and the prof don’t know the difference between Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. (Yes, Fess Parker did play Boone on television for many years, with his faithful companion Mingo, played by Ed Ames.)

You’d think that would be enough, wouldn’t you? Nope. Osborne then turns to the viewer and says, “Now, continuing our examination of the noble savage . . .”

Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950)

Owlhoot Dale Goble sent me a copy of this film recently, which he recorded from Turner Classic Movies. (Thanks Gobe!) I’d never seen it, and found it mighty interesting.

The action takes place out West long after the fall of the Alamo, so the Davy we know is long gone and his namesake nephew is carrying on the tradition.

Nephew Davy is scouting for a wagon train, which is lucky enough to have a cavalry escort. Naturally, an Indian war party is out to ambush them, so Davy and the officers much choose one of two passes, hoping to fool the hostiles. Trouble is, the Indians have a spy on the train, and Davy’s pilgrims roll right into the ambush.

George Montgomery makes a decent Crockett, and I would have liked to see him playing the real one. His backwoods dialogue is packed with plenty of reckons and ain’ts and his buckskin shirt has about the right amount of fringe on it. And I can’t complain about his wearing a broad-brimmed hat, because there is a coonskin cap in the picture, worn by his sidekick Tex (Noah Beery Jr).

The film’s second lead is Phillip Reed, playing Davy’s Indian companion Red Hawk. Red Hawk is the noblest of savages – so noble that his constantly beatific demeanor would be more at home in a Biblical epic. Fourteen years earlier Reed had played the title role in The Last of the Mohicans, so I suppose that gave him Indian credentials.

The film delivered four surprises. First, that both Davy and Red Hawk fall for the same girl, a pretty young schoolmarm who joins the wagon train. Second, that the girl is secretly one-quarter Indian. Third, that she seems to prefer Red Hawk to Davy. And finally (and here comes a SPOILER), though I expected she would eventually wind up in Davy’s arms, she eventually rides off into the sunset with Red Hawk. Geez. How often do you see the Indian sidekick get the girl?

TCM presented this movie as one of several examples of the “noble savage” in Hollywood, and I found the inane comments of the series’ host and guest professor almost as entertaining as the film. I’ll be yapping about that tomorrow, right here on the Almanack.