has surprising depth. Hondo admires his Indian counterparts, but doesn't deify them. And he remarks sadly at that cultures passing at the end of the movie.
PS. Great to see Geraldine Page as the young(and pretty hot)mother.
Yes this film was definitely ahead of its time and gave a more balanced view of Native American life. Recall when speaking of the Apache Wayne's character says:
"We broke that treaty, us whites. There's no word in the Apache language for lie.
And they've been lied to."
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Although the Apache's did later urge Hondo to lie to the other tribe, and he refused. But yeah, a respectful but unsentimental depiction.
shareMost of Wayne's movies tended to portray Native Americans in a realistic light. Fort Apache comes to mind as another good example.
shareThe Chief tells Hondo to lie. Hondo refuses. The Chief tells the woman to hold onto her man (Hondo) because he is a good man. As the Chief walks away Hondo tells the woman the Chief was only testing him--that Apaches detest lies.
"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."--Oscar Wilde
To be precise it is the film's depiction of Apaches. There are no other Indians in Hondo. No Iroquois, no Pawnee, no Yakimas, no Paiutes, no Comanche, no Sioux, no Crows. there aren't even any other Arizona Indians like Navajos, Pimas, Mohaves, Yumans, Maricopias, Hopis, etc.
shareI read the novel and saw the movie a few times (Loved Both) If I Recall Correctly wasn't he part Indian?
this website says Hondo was Part Indian.
https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/hondo-quintessential-john-wayne-a-quintessential-western-in-3-d
If I Recall Correctly wasn't he part Indian?Yes, it's in the scene where Hondo describes all the smells he can detect from Geraldine Page.