This thesis is a chronological examination of the ways in which American Indians have been portrayed in American f.ilms and the factors influencing these portrayals. Beginning with the literary precedents, the effects of three wars and other social upheavals and changes are considered.

In addition to being the first objective detailed examination of the subject in English, it is the first work to cover the last decade. It concludes that because of psychological factors it is unlikely that film-makers are capable of advancing far beyond the basic stereotypes, and that the failure of Indians to appreciate this has repeatedly caused ill-feeling between themselves and the film-makers, making the latter abandon their attempts at a fair treatment of the Indians.