La gran aventura india

Our entire family has enjoyed this film for the past 20 years. Two generations of kids have all loved it. Both girls and boys are fascinated by the story and ask lots of questions about the history and culture portrayed. It's a nice change from "cowboy" movies, since it is about Indians (Native Americans) during an earlier time period, before the arrival of Europeans.

The title doesn't exactly help this, but it's still a decent observation of the growing up of a young man "Nishko" (a fresh-faced looking Johnny Crawford), the son of a chief who must contend with many of the travails a youth has to deal with - only this time, the film takes the perspective of this young native American boy. The location cinematography is glorious to look at - and there is an innocence to the plot and a simplicity to the dialogue that lends a bit of charm to the story as the young man has to make some very tough - and brave - choices that I wouldn't envy. Of course, there is little jeopardy to the plot and at times it runs to sentiment just a bit too much, but it's still quite an enjoyable, almost Disney-esque, coming of age story.

A story and expression of traditional values that have, unfortunately, been forgotten or ignored by most Native Americans that I am very familiar with in today's Northern Nevada. That is the fault of the U.S. Government and the perpetuation of life on the Reservation or Indian Colony. The film however emphasizes the values that we all want to have instilled in the ever growing minds of our children. It is an enjoyable story that has told us how Native Americans lived and loved, fought, and died as they provided for and protected their Families and their Tribe or Band.It's a worthwhile family show and time well spent. It's not a movie for nitpickers. Just enoy the story, the acting, and the cinematography.

I am surprised no one has commented in this film. Sure, it is cheesy by todays standards, and perhaps even for its time. The dialog is pretty corny, and the representation of Native American's might even be considered condescending in its naiveté, especially by our current PC standards. But what I found interesting is that it tells the story of young Indians coming of age from their own perspective. Once again this perspective isn't really theirs, its Hollywoods, but none-the-less it is a story about their life, much in the same way as "Dances With Wolves" tells the story of Indian life. Not that I am comparing the films. "Dances.." is obviously a classic and very few have even heard of "Indian Paint". Rather I am associating the themes of the films and their focus on the lives of the Indians themselves.

Not an easy one to find, but if you do, give it a shot. Set your schmaltz meter to the appropriate era and it should be entertaining enough. Plus it's got Johnny Crawford. How bad could it really be?

If Indian Paint hadn't started out with a bad historical error I might have given it a star or two higher rating. But even a B independent picture should not have made such a bad mistake. Right at the beginning the narrator says that the story is set in the time before the white man came to the western hemisphere and the Indians who are plains Indians are all riding horses.

Even high school history students know that the horse came to America first from Cortes who let his stock run free and multiply in Mexico. Horses gradually moved north or were traded north by tribes to the south to their northern brethren who envied what could be done on horseback.

Such an incredibly silly error mars a very nice story of a young Indian boy coming of age as a warrior through his love and care for a wild colt that everyone else says can't be broken. Jay Silverheels is the chief of the Arikawaha tribe and he's got considerably more dialog than what he used to have in The Lone Ranger.

Silverheels's son is Johnny Crawford two years from The Rifleman and trying to keep his career alive as a teenage heartthrob. He plays the lad trying to tame the wild colt and has quite a few adventures in the process.

Some criticism is voiced about not having American Indian players in the roles that whites have in this film. Take a look at the credits and you'll see one Robert Crawford, Sr. is the associate producer of Indian Paint. That should answer the question why his Johnny was cast in the lead. Please note that Robert Crawford, Jr. who was a regular in the Laramie series while Johnny was on The Rifleman is cast as Johnny's best friend. I think this is the last time the Crawford brothers worked together on a project.

Indian Paint was shot on a shoestring completely outdoors in Texas where the action would have taken place a few hundred years earlier. It does lack some production values that a big studio could have given, but it's still a nice story, good family viewing.

But let no one come away with the fact that horses were being ridden before Columbus got here.