The Navajos Look Ahead – American Indian Film Gathering

Film Details

Title: The Navajos Look Ahead
Year: 1956
Duration: 0:13:36
Director: unknown
Writer: unknown
Producer: McConnachie
Narrator: There is a male narrator, unnamed
Sponsor: Standard Oil Company (New Jersey)
Major Themes: Standard Oil Company's sponsored film emphasizes the positive impacts of oil drilling on the Navajo reservation. This film provides an overview of oil exploration and extraction carried out by Humble Oil and Refining (which later merged with Stadard Oil to become Exxon) on the Navajo Reservation. Navajos are presented as being very modern and acculturated. The financial benefits of resource leases are depicted as providing social and financial uplift to the Navajo Nation (the "march of progress").
Native Languages Spoken: No native languages spoken
Noteworthy Elements: Interesting film produced by Standard Oil Company, but not a great deal of Native activity. The financial benefits of resource leases are depicted as providing social and financial uplift to the Navajo Nation to illustrate the "march of progress."
Other: None