My Little Chickadee (1940)

This film features both the classic wit of W.C. Fields and the captivating voice of Mae West. Filmed in 1940 it, like many other films of the period, was a means of comic relief for Depression weary Americans. The Western, as film genre, gained popularity during this period by giving audiences the opportunity to forget their troubles and step back in time when rules did not matter and adventure reigned supreme. My Little Chickadee lives up to these standards combining comedy with intense action scenes for a film that is sure to please.

On a cultural note, this film as in others of the period brings to the fore front racial prejudice as an ever present force. Bigotry finds its target in the Native American. Depicted as savages and infantile the classic image of the "Injun" is not lost in the film. This early Hollywood production is in keeping with the tradition of remaking American history, to the detriment of those groups affected by the wrongs of the past. The following trailer illustrates these points quite forcibly. Enjoy!