TELL THEM WILLIE BOY IS HERE
US, 1969, 98 minutes, Colour.
Robert Bedford, Katharine Roes, Robert Blake, Susan Clark, Barry Sullivan, John Vernon.
Directed by Abraham Polonsky.
Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here is a modest Western that achieves considerable success. It has as much excitement in its action-chase as any Western; but its interest lies in its theme of the dying Indian minority. It captures the transition period of the West in the first decade of the 20th century. The theme was important in 1969-70 Westerns as The Wild Bunch, The Ballad of Cable Hague, The Good Guys and The Bad Guys, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). With cars, a touring President, and ageing Indian fighters, it implies that the end of an era is at hand and some of the old traditions and myths of the West are anachronisms. But the Indian is the victim of the transition period. Subdued and dwindling in numbers, Indians are not allowed much place 1n the emerging twentieth century, Willie Boy is not a hero; he is a vagrant with enormous chips on his shoulders. The sheriff who pursues him is an ambiguous hero. But both are forced to take a stand. Willie Boy is forced by history and the situation to take a defeatist stand.
The film received critical acclaim and marked a return to directing by Abraham Polonsky, a director of the late forties (e.g. Force of Evil), blacklisted during the Communist fears of the fifties.
1. Do you consider the film as just on ordinary Western or is there more to it? Why?
2. What does the film say about the status of Indians in 1909 - the reserves, the dedication of white workers, education, traditions?
3. Why did Willie Boy have a chip on his shoulder? Was it only his character? What goals did he have? What was the attitude of fellow-Indians to him? Did he have any chance of success in life?
4. Why did Lola go with him after the shodting? Did they love each other? What hold did they have on each other? What impact did the death ritual have? As regards their love? As regards their being Indians?
5. When Willie telte Lola to go back to the pursuers and shouts, "Tell them Willie Boy is here" is he meant to be heroic?
6. The Sheriff - dramatically, is he the equal to Willie Boy? He is presented ae cold, tough, a dedicated job man, emotionless and rootless, whose skill demands respect. How typical is he of Western heroes? How admirable? His relationship with the doctor?
7. Is the doctor admirable - in her work, her motives, her emotional confusions?
8. The film has the hullabaloo of the President's tour as background to the story - town trying to impress, trains, cars, journalists. What coment does it make on the U. S. ?
9. The Indian fighter - admirable? He did a job and enjoyed hunting Indians but has forgotten why. The film presents him as an anachronism. How does his presence comment on the 1909 situation?
10. Explain the significance of Willie Boy's death - defeat, weariness, suicide, symbolic extinction of race? Was it lack of courage, weakness or the crushing of humanity in the Indians?
