I enjoyed this excursion into a different time and place in America's history.It was novel to have Indians as the main players in this dusty Western drama, and the characterizations of Slim Girl (the sultry Lupe Velez), Laughing Boy (Ramon Novarro),and several bit players were unusual.The language here is often quite interesting, as if translated from another tongue, i.e., "With you or without you, my life will be the same." Such cruel words...The climactic scene is bizarre, in that Laughing Boy shows none of the anger one might expect -- or did he? Macho man Hartshone (William B. Davidson) shows his true colors and runs. (I had to rewind several times to discern the detail in this sequence.) Adding to the poignancy of this film for me is knowledge of the real-life fates of the two stars. Look them up on Wikipedia and weep.

Singing silversmith Ramon Novarro (as Laughing Boy) attends his first annual "Great Sing Dance." He and other Navajo Natives trade and sell with Caucasian people. At night, Mr. Novarro becomes acquainted with seductive dancer Lupe Velez (as Slim Girl). She's also an American Indian, but was schooled and lived in the White Man's world (as Lily). After initial apprehension, the two become aroused and begin a relationship. Sadly, Ms. Velez is considered tainted by her past association with Whites. She has trouble being accepted as a squaw by Novarro's people, and ventures into town...It's hard to believe this film was based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (by Oliver La Farge). The story does have an intriguing conflict between the "Native" and "White" worlds, but it is not artfully brought to the film. Navarro and Velez have good screen chemistry, but do not impersonate their characters convincingly. Both were often given "ethnic" roles. One of Novarro's advantages in the "talkies" was his singing, and he is in fine voice, here. You will notice the "swastika" prominently displayed on Novarro's Indian blanket - of course, this has nothing to do with the Nazi symbol.**** Laughing Boy (4/13/34) W.S. Van Dyke ~ Ramon Novarro, Lupe Velez, William Davidson, Harlan Knight

In viewing Laughing Boy today I counted elements of Camille, Romeo and Juliet and Duel in the Sun in the plot of this Indian love story.Ramon Novarro plays the title role and he's a Navajo from way off in the rural part of the reservation. Lupe Velez is also a Navajo, but an orphan who is the live in mistress of William B. Davidson. It's doomed from the start. Lupe's been living too long in the white man's world and Ramon's family simply will not accept her. It ends bad for both of them.I've got a mixed reaction to the film. I've got to give some credit to MGM at that time for even attempting to make a film showing Indians as three dimensional people. They do in fact include some stereotypes, but give the studio credit for trying.Both Lupe and Ramon were big stars in the silent era and did make the transition to sound. They both had pleasant speaking voices. But both led lives that given the times should have been more discreet. They were both descending into B films at a steady pace. In Ramon's case the vogue for Latin lovers which crested with Rudolph Valentino in the silent era with Ramon as one of his imitators had long passed. MGM had trouble casting him. Laughing Boy might have been a better film if MGM had been trying to build Lupe and Ramon up instead of looking to be rid of both.

The combination of the two dynamic Mexican actors Ramon Novarro and Lupe Velez should have guaranteed a dynamite movie.But someone at MGM, in their wisdom, cast them as Native Americans - a disastrous decision that doomed this film to failure even before it was begun.Both struggle to make their characters even slightly believable, as they try to curb their Mexican passion into some sort of wise aboriginal spirituality. The spitfire in Lupe just can't help but surface, and all Ramon can do is try to maintain some dignity under that terrible wig. His singing is nice but anachronistic, and there is far too much of it.Hard to believe this disaster was directed by Woody Van Dyke, who had made one of Ramon's best silent movies "The Pagan". Novarro was deeply ashamed of this film, and it's no wonder. What is saddest of all about it though is the way it wastes what could have been one of the most exciting star combinations of all time. Just imagine if Novarro and Velez were playing a pair of violently passionate Mexican lovers - what fireworks we would have seen!Shame, MGM, Shame!