Time to harp once again on one of my pet peeves, accuracy in historical film. I just watched a 1952 film called Brave Warrior which purports to be about the Indiana Territory just before the War of 1812. We find the Jay Silverheels plays the Shawnee Nations Chief, Tecumseh. His brother The Prophet is played by Michael Ansara. Rounding out the cast are Jon Hall as Steve Ruddell, Christine Larsen as Laura MacGregor, Harry Cording as Shayne MacGregor (Lauras father), and James Seay as Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison. According to the plot, Tecumseh, Steve, and Laura all grew up together and are close friends, so close that Tecumseh wants to marry Laura. Steve is like a troubleshooter for the American government and has been sent to Vincennes to assist Governor Harrison. Tecumsehs brother, The Prophet, is in cahoots with the British and wants to run the Americans out of the territory. We also learn early on the Lauras father is a British spy and is sending orders to The Prophet on when and where to raid. Steve begins to suspect MacGegor after he finds out a British General is visiting Vincennes out of uniform and spending a lot of time with MacGregor. Tecumseh then build Tippecanoe with the help of the Americans. Tippecanoe is a model city with wooden frame houses, stores, and even a schoolhouse. Tecumseh eventually bans The Prophet from the area and then leaves to go south to the Kentucky and Tennessee tribes to try and convince them to follow his lead and build towns where they can all live like the white people. While he is gone, The Prophet takes over Tippecanoe and then attacks the American troops under Harrison and Ruddell. Defeated in the battle he flees to Tippecanoe and puts it to the torch before fleeing to Canada. Tecumseh returns to find the town destroyed and reluctantly tells Steve and Laura (who by the way decide they are in love after her father is killed and decide to marry) that although they will always be his family, he must go north to be with his own people. Of course anyone who took history should know that Tecumseh and The Prophet fought side by side with the British against the Americans. Tecumseh led the attack and capture of Detroit in 1812 and was later killed in battle by the Americans in 1813 at the Battle of the Thames in Ontario, Canada. Tecumseh fought the Americans for many years prior to the War of 1812, at one time waging wr in what has come to be called Tecumsehs War. If you are going to make a movie based on history, at least get the protagonists correct.......
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 23:22:44 +0000