Indians in Lonesome Dove

In June 2008 I watched Lonesome Dove, supposedly one of the great Westerns of all time. Unfortunately, the treatment of Indians in this 1989 mini-series is hugely problematical.

Here's a synopsis of the story:Retired Texas Rangers Gus McRae and Woodrow Call are content to live out their remaining years in the tiny Texas town of Lonesome Dove. Then their old friend Jake comes to town, and tells them about the incredible oppurtunities for cattle ranching in Montana. Encouraged by this, Call convinces Gus and many other townspeople to go on a perilous cattle drive to Montana. Gus has another agenda though: his former sweetheart now lives in Nebraska, and he hopes for a second chance with her. As the drive goes on it takes on an epic scale, ultimately becoming what could well be called the central event in the lives of all involved.How bad is Lonesome Dove in terms of Indians? Let's take a look:

By my count, eight of the 12 named characters who die are killed by Indians. (Three others are hanged and one is bitten by a snake.)

The murderous Blue Duck and his gang of Indians are pure evil. The fact that they're "renegades" is irrelevant since they're the only Indians given significant time.

Blue Duck is played by Frederic Forrest, who doesn't look remotely like an Indian--not even a "half-breed."

The only Indians not presented as killers and rapists are a starving band of stragglers. But even one of them kills when confronted by a stranger.

About the only positive mention of Indians comes when Gus says the West is less interesting without them.

When Call and Gus drive their cattle from Texas to Montana, they probably cross several Indian reservations and violate several Indian treaties. But these considerations aren't even mentioned. In Lonesome Dove, Indians are like criminals lurking in alleyways: outcasts from civilized society with no beliefs or rights of their own.

Incredibly, when Call finds a place in Montana he likes, he simply declares it his. The story takes place at the peak of the Indian Wars, around the time of Little Bighorn, so everyone should've been aware of tribal treaty rights. But again, there's no mention of the land belonging to anyone--not the federal government, other settlers, or Indians.

Lonesome Dove's Manifest Destiny

According to Lonesome Dove, America's land was free for the taking. Anyone who was brave, strong, and true enough could simply take it. This is the dark, ugly side of American history encapsulated in one story.

Lonesome Dove is one of the most myopic examples of American myth-making in the last half century. Its pro-cowboy, anti-Indian philosophy would've fit nicely in the worst Westerns of the 1940s and 1950s. Yet Larry McMurtry published Lonesome Dove in 1985 and the mini-series appeared in 1989. If there's a valid excuse for his paean to Manifest Destiny, I don't know what it is.

I haven't read McMurtry's books, but I've seen the Comanche Moon and Lonesome Dove mini-series. Judging by them, McMurtry is badly prejudiced against Indians. I suspect he loved Westerns when he was young and John Wayne's Red River was one of his favorites.

Other than its negative take on Indians, Lonesome Dove isn't bad. Though the people who consider it the best Western ever have grossly overrated it, it's worth watching. Rob's rating: 7.5 of 10.

For more on the subject, see Indians Owned the United States and TV Shows Featuring Indians.