The Paleface
The Paleface is a short silent comedy film starring and directed by Buster Keaton. The film uses stereotypes to mock early Americans in their conflicts with Native Americans. The film is written by Keaton and produced by Joseph M. Schenk.
Plot
The Native American tribe lives contently until one day, American oil men arrive. They are met by hitman who 'bought the lease for the land for a dollar' by killing the Native American who had it and giving his corpse a dollar. Soon met with a 24-hour eviction notice, the Native Chief is infuriated with the white men, threatening to kill the next white man who walks through the gate. Immediately after, an unsuspecting Buster Keaton peaks through the gate during his chase of an elusive butterfly. After catching the elusive butterfly, Keaton becomes the hunted as the Indians round him up and tie him to a stake to be burned. Buster cleverly escapes with a "Native disguise" (as seen on the right) and leads the tribe on a stunt-filled chase to a cabin, where he is able to make a makeshift fireproof suit. Although he stumbles back into the grasp of the Natives, his trusty fireproof suit keeps him unharmed by the flames. Aghast by such marvelous wonders, the Natives bow to Buster, who has now been indoctrinated 'into the red man culture."
Upon "Little Chief Paleface" (Buster's) rocky assimilation into the tribe, the Natives share their land dilemma with Buster. He immediately leads the tribe to confront the oil moguls. The tribe "does the dance," parading around the businessmen with axes, as Buster chases down stragglers, even taking one of their wigs, hilariously referencing the idea of "scalping" the white man. The Oil CEO escapes; however, and in a tense chase, Buster is cornered and forced to switch clothes with the businessman to keep the Indians off his tail. Dressed as the 'crooked white man' Buster now is forced to flee 'his' tribe and another Native Tribe who went bankrupt playing strip poker, until he again goes on a stunt-filled chase that ends at the initial camp where he is ultimately recognized. Buster then checks his coat pocket from the oil tycoon's coat, and to his surprise, finds the lease for the land inadvertently given to him by the oil man when they switched clothes. The tribe was finally saved. In a classic and final act of true heroism, Buster 'wins the girl,' by kissing the Indian Maiden for 'two years' to end the movie.
Cast
Buster Keaton as "Little Chief Paleface"
Joe Roberts as the Indian Chief
Virginia Fox as the Indian Maiden
Production
The majority of the film was shot at Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth, CA. Buster had adequate space and unique natural surroundings to perform his stunts. His stunt where he narrowly escapes with his makeshift bridge was made safer with a net to catch his would be 85-foot drop; however, the fireman who designed it broke a leg and shoulder in an earlier testing stage.
References
James Curtis, Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life (New York: Knopf, 2022), p. 201.
