Smoke Signals (1998)

Hollywood has not exactly been kind to Native Americans. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, Native American characters appeared almost exclusively in Westerns (Key Largo was an exception).  To make matters worse, Native Americans were almost always played by white men, and the portrayals were more often than not outright stereotypes. While Hollywood still has a long way to go in its treatment of Natives, things have improved somewhat in the past few decades. The movies Powwow Highway (1989) and Smoke Signals (1998) featured Native Americans in modern day settings and as full-fledged characters rather than stereotypes. What is more, the characters were played by Native Americans.

Indeed, Smoke Signals is singularly important in the history of Native Americans on film. It was the very first film to be written, directed, and co-produced by Native Americans. It remains one of the few films with a primarily Native American cast. While Native Americans had directed films before (James Young Deer and Edwin Carewe in the early years of American film), Smoke Signals was historic in the extent to which Native Americans were involved in its production.

Smoke Signals centres on two young  Coeur D'Alene Indians, Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) and Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams). Victor is handsome and athletic, if a bit angry at life and his circumstances. Thomas is an eccentric storyteller committed to the traditions of the Coeur D'Alene. The two grew up together, but do not always get along due to the difference in their personalities. When Victor's father Arnold (Gary Farmer) dies in Phoenix, Arizona, Victor and Thomas make a road trip form the Coeur D'Alene Indian Reservation to bring back his ashes. The trip proves to be filled with self-discovery for both young men.

Smoke Signals was based on the short story "This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" by Sherman Alexie from his book  The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Director Chris Eyre had read the book and contacted Sherman Alexie about the film rights. While others had approached Mr. Alexie about the film rights before, he gave his consent to Mr. Eyre as he wanted the first film adaptation of his work to be directed by a Native American. While Chris Eyre directed Smoke Signals, it was Sherman Alexie who wrote the film's screenplay

Smoke Signals was developed through the Native American and Indigenous Program at the Sundance Institute. The Sundance Institute was founded by Hollywood heavyweight Robert Redford to support independent filmmakers. The Native American Indigenous Program was started in 1994. Given it was developed through the Sundance Institute, it should come as no surprise that Smoke Signals premiered on January 16 1998 at the Sundance Film Festival. At the Sundance Film Festival Smoke Signals took away two trophies and was nominated for another. It won the Filmmaker's Trophy and the Audience Award. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Smoke Signals  would win many more awards. Smoke Signals also received good reviews and what is more, it did respectably well at the box office for an independent film.

Of course, Smoke Signals would not have had nearly as much impact had it not been a good film. Fortunately, it is a great film. Much of this is due to the cast. Both Adam Beach and Evan Adams give fantastic performances as Victor and Thomas respectively. Irene Bedard is remarkable as Suzy Song, a friend of Victor's father Arnold. All of the performances in the film are first rate, and the fact that Native American characters are played by Native American actors gives the film an authenticity it might not have had otherwise.

While the performances in the film are great, much of what makes Smoke Signals a superior film is its script. Smoke Signals subverts several Native American stereotypes. The phrase, "It's a good day to die," long associated, rightly or wrongly, with Native Americans is toyed with throughout the film. At one point Thomas remarks, "Sometimes it's a good day to die, and sometimes it's a good day to have breakfast." Randy Peone, the DJ on the reservation's radio station KREZ, says on the radio, "It's a good day to be indigenous!" Thomas and Victor discuss which historical Native Americans would have been good at basketball and even create a song about John Wayne's teeth (which they maintain are never visible). Smoke Signals also deals with such issues as domestic violence, alcoholism, child abandonment, and the sometimes dysfunctional relationships between fathers and sons.

Smoke Signals is historic with regards to Native Americans on film, it can be enjoyed as a coming of age movie by individuals of any ethnicity. It is by turns funny, touching, and even tragic, but it is always entertaining.