Stagecoach by John Ford Movie Analysis

Indians are often depicted to be uncivilized, wild, savages across American media and pop culture. A well-known example of this stereotype comes from the famous film Stagecoach, by John Ford, where a tribe of Apache Indians attack a group of travelers on a stagecoach. History tends to leave out the Indian side of these conflicts. Throughout the exploration of the American West, Indians had their way of life taken from them as a result of Americans’ unquenchable thirst for land. Although myths have defined Indians as wild savages who are mindlessly out for blood, they are tragic victims of a violent and greedy America who are desperately fighting for their home and way of life while also battling to avenge their fallen loved ones.

Perhaps the most influential myth in history is that of the Frontier myth. This myth portrays the idea that the American west was an open land of opportunity waiting to be conquered by any man who had the will and desire to do so. Many Americans believed in the concept of Manifest Destiny, which proclaimed that “God has chosen the American people to expand westward across North America to the Pacific Ocean.” (Ruth) These thoughts and ideas were not true, as this land was already home to the Native Americans. However, the U.S. frontiersmen were not going to let anything stop their quest for expansion. These settlers viewed the Indians as nothing more than an object standing in their way. As the more advanced civilization, the Americans were able to dictate land disputes with the Indians. Many treaties were signed, and agreements were made, often forcefully, between the Americans and Indians. These unfair, so-called compromises forced the Indians out of what was once their home to now live on small reserves. This land, which was once granted to them by birth right, was now being taken from them by the white man. Not only was their physical land being taken from them, but the Indians’ way of life was robbed of them because of Americans’ greed and undying will to expand, no matter the consequences. These Indians were forced to fight against U.S. military and American settlers in a desperate attempt to save their land and way of life. These land disputes caused a strong resentment between the Americans and Indians that often resulted in violent conflicts such as the one in Stagecoach.

While the robbery of Indian land was devastating, the loss of Indian lives was much more grim. On many occasions, the invading Americans ruthlessly took the lives of many peaceful Indians. Perhaps the most infamous example of this came in the dreadful Sand Creek Massacre. Sand Creek was a peaceful Indian reservation occupied by the Cheyenne tribe in Colorado. These Indians were under the belief that they were protected by the US. This could not have been further from the truth as a Colorado militia attacked the unsuspecting tribe. During this ruthless assault, many Indians, including women, children and elderly, were brutally murdered and scalped. During this attack, “The soldiers slaughtered as many Indians as they could find. Babies were crushed, women knifed, the elderly ridden down and shot. The Indians pleaded for mercy and the soldiers showed none.” The heads of defenseless Indians were claimed as trophies in this unnecessary act of violence. The Sand Creek Massacre, along with several other similar events, sparked a deep resentment from the Indians towards the Americans. This hostility and desire for revenge are the reasons for the Indian attacks against the US military and against American settlers, such as the attack we see from the Apache Indians during Stagecoach. 

There are two sides to every story, and unfortunately, that of the Indians during America’s westward expansion is often forgotten. These poor and outmatched Indians had to desperately fight for their land and culture as U.S. settlers stripped it away. In addition to their loss of land, Indians had to battle for their lives as American forces slaughtered Indian tribes. Upon discovering how Indians were treated across the Frontier, you can better understand their hostility towards American settlers and realize the causes of many violent acts committed by Indians against Americans, including the Apache attack on U.S. travelers in the movie Stagecoach.