Upon the death of his father, who was the tribal chieftain, Joe Thunder Horse returns to the reservation of his youth, only to discover that his people are dying of various diseases and are being systematically cheated of their possessions and basic rights by crooked Indian agents. He heads to Washington in hopes of righting these wrongs, only to experience prejudice and hatred all along the way.
Acting
Barthelmess burns with controlled fury — no noble savage clichés here.
Direction
Crosland shoots Washington like a horror movie of institutional rot.
Writing
Pre-code freedom means it actually names the thieves and their systems.
Director
Alan Crosland
Richard Barthelmess
Chief Joe Thunderhorse
Ann Dvorak
Lydia
Dudley Digges
Elihu P. Quissenberry
Claire Dodd
Norma
Henry O'Neill
J.R. Dickinson
Robert Barrat
Dawson
Arthur Hohl
Dr. Turner
Clarence Muse
Sam
Sidney Toler
Thomas Shanks
Charles Middleton
Sheriff Scatters
Tully Marshall
Jake
Wallis Clark
Cochran
William V. Mong
Grandy
DeWitt Jennings
Sheriff Jennings
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made with Bureau of Indian Affairs cooperation, then suppressed when officials realized it exposed their corruption.
Barthelmess demanded the role after reading the script — his only Western, and his personal favorite performance.
US
