It’s no secret that Hollywood has been misrepresenting Native Americans for years. “Smoke Signals” (1998) is a fun, well-made film that proves they have plenty of stories to share and, when allowed their own voice, can tell them quite well.
When this movie was released, it was a significant event -- billed as the first Hollywood feature film written (Sherman Alexie, a Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian), directed (Chris Eyre, a Cheyenne-Arapaho), co-produced and starring American Indians. It performed well at Sundance, winning the Audience Award and earning a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize.
And it’s easy to see why. Alexie’s characters are realistic and down-to-earth, comfortable and natural in their surroundings. While most of the time Native American characters in films have been little more than overblown stereotypes, these characters have strong, dynamic personalities, and can ably speak for themselves.
The film is the result of Alexie’s first script, based on his collection of short stories titled “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.” Alexie is the author of 11 books and more than 300 short pieces, and after growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation is adept at capturing the eccentricities of life on the rez.
“Smoke Signals” opens on the expansive, humble plains of Idaho’s Coeur d'Alene Indian reservation on July 4, 1976. As a raucous celebration finally dwindles in the early morning hours, a ravaging fire engulfs one of the modest homes. An infant is saved when he is flung out of an upper-floor window and is miraculously caught by neighbor Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer).
“I don’t remember the fire...I only have the stories,” Thomas Builds-the Fire recalls of his rescue years later. With his parents gone and his grandmother in charge of the child-raising responsibilities by default, Thomas grows into a clumsy caricature of what might happen if a stereotypical Native American storyteller decided to enlist Steve Urkel for fashion advice.
Thomas’ getup includes thick glasses, long braided hair and a stiff black suit, and he spends his time walking around, trading “fine examples of the oral tradition” (longwinded but engaging stories of questionable veracity) for favors.
But despite his clunky appearance and tendency to babble, Thomas is as loveable as they come. He learned about Native Americans through the mainstream media, (Victor can’t believe how many times he’s seen “Dances with Wolves”) and manages to make a number of wise observations while somehow skillfully landing a number of jokes.
Arnold Joseph’s son, Victor (Adam Beach), grows into a guarded and resentful young man, who, at 22, is wholly unsure of what to become and hardly motivated to even think about it. His favorite activity is shooting hoops in a deserted gym with some pals. “Some days it’s a good day to die,” he proclaims. “Some days it’s a good day to play basketball.”
Suddenly, Victor learns he must travel to Phoenix, where his dad moved to a number of years ago after leaving Victor and Victor’s mother, Arlene (Tantoo Cardinal). Only problem is, Victor’s broke and his mother can only spare a few dollars to help him out. Thomas comes to the rescue, offering up his modest savings in turn for the opportunity to tag along, and Victor reluctantly agrees.
Their journey takes them to Arnold Joseph’s cramped, dusty trailer in the middle of a choking-dry desert, where they meet Suzy Song (Irene Bedard), Arnold Joseph’s neighbor who possesses a personality as sweet as her name. She befriended Arnold Joseph and the two became close, she explains, because they “kept each other’s secrets.”
This film’s structure is a departure from traditional Native American-themed cinema because “Smoke Signals” is a tale of their experience from their perspective. It’s a method that’s beyond rare in Hollywood, and one of the only projects prior to the release of this film is the 1966 “Through Navajo Eyes” series, which was the result of filmmakers teaching a Navajo community nothing about filmmaking techniques except basic camera operation before letting them loose to shoot.
The sequences, including “Navajo Silversmith,” is a stunning portrait of their unique method of storytelling – although this collection of shorts was never intended as a mainstream release the way “Smoke Signals” was.
But historical significance aside, the fact stands that this is a quality film that’s never dull, and certainly fun to watch as it unfolds. Despite moments of seriousness, including the inevitable appearance of racism as Victor and Thomas venture off the reservation, “Smoke Signals” never takes itself too seriously for too long. Any film making humorous reference to General Custer and “The Long Ranger” in nearly the same breath can’t be pretentious.
The film follows the form of an “on the road” movie, where two people with opposite points of view expectedly bond and gain some wisdom about themselves along the way. Critics have pointed out that the film’s plot grafts a Native American experience on to what is essentially a safe and conventional Hollywood formula. While this might be the case to some extent, this film has more depth and elicits a genuine emotional response more successfully than many lesser films of this genre have.
Another point of contention is that at times the filmmakers go out of their way to make the film stereotypically Indian. For example, Victor tells Thomas that he must change his disposition, or whites won’t take him seriously. “You gotta look like a warrior!” he says. “You gotta look like you just came back from killing a buffalo!” But it is during some of these moments that film is most successful, because it succeeds in poking astute fun at mainstream culture’s representations of Native Americans.
This is especially apparent when, at numerous points in the film, television sets in the background play black-and-white productions of old cowboy-and-Indian movies, direct from the tradition of the vilified, war paint-clad whooping savage.
Thomas provides succinct insight: “the only thing more pathetic than Indians on TV is Indians watching Indians on TV,” he says. Moments like these stir images of well-known Hollywood productions like “The Searchers” and “Little Big Man” that were made at a time when most Native American parts were played by white actors who spoke in a disjointed, broken English, and were still recognizable underneath layers of “red face” makeup.
While the film immerses itself in the realities of modern Native American reservation culture, it doesn’t assume imitate knowledge of it – instead it reaches out to a wider audience through mostly simple jokes with obvious references. The use of these references (like Custer and “Dances with Wolves”) can be seen as either a good thing for the film or a disappointment depending on point of view – good that film gains a wider commercial appeal, or bad if this is considered a sellout.
Another strong point is the film’s flashbacks, which are brief yet poignant, jumping back and forth in time while keeping the story moving. They help the audience better understand the present by revealing the past, while also injecting depth into the characters.
Adam Beach, perhaps better-known for his performance as Private Ben Yahzee in John Woo’s 2002 World War II action film “Windtalkers,” appropriately captures Victor’s energy as it sways from scowling bitterness to acceptance and understanding.
Gary Farmer is also excellent as Arnold Joseph, a man forever grappling with his overwhelming guilt and frustration at his shortcomings. Farmer is no stranger to Native American-centric “road trip” films, having starred in director Jonathan Wacks’ 1989 “Powwow Highway,” a film about two men who trek from Montana to Santa Fe. In that film he played a physically imposing but gentle and thoughtful man, and “Smoke Signals” shows he’s able to tackle a deeper and more complicated role.
“Smoke Signals” is not just a film of significance. It is also a significantly good film, able to colorfully capture the character and spirit of a subject close to the heart of its makers.
This Lake Forest property was once sold for almost $700,000. Now, it's a vacant REO that's seen better days. The street name is fairly appropriate for this one considering its sorry state....
As you can see, this house previously sold for $675,000. If you were to put 20% down in 2005 (chuckle), and you got a 5% interest rate with a 30-year fixed-rate loan (chuckle again), your monthly mortgage payment would have been $2,899. There's also the little matter of having $135,000 laying around as a 20% downpayment.
