Harold of Orange is a comedy short film directed by Richard Weise and produced by Dianne Brennan, with a screenplay by Gerald Vizenor.[1]
Plot
Tribal tricksters Harold Sinseer (Charlie Hill) and the Warriors of Orange, embark on a mission to give a proposal to the Bily foundation. Harold and company are looking to obtain a grant to produce miniature oranges and pinch beans. In the story, Harold's proposal is presented in a way that he states will "revolutionize the reservation way of life".[2] Harold convinces both the Warriors of Orange and the foundation, that the miniature oranges and pinch beans will diminish alcoholism, spark political discussions and open the market for coffee shops across the reservation he lives.[1]
Production
The original screenplay done by Gerald Vizenor, is an example of Native American comedy[3] and examines different types of humor. There are three types of humor involved in both the screenplay and the film. Indians making fun of themselves, making fun of historical events and the most controversial, making fun of whites.[4] Through subversive satire, Harold sheds light on the irony of the bureaucracy of business between whites and the Native people. The film also touches on key issues such as the treatment of Indian remains, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and how Native Americans and whites are viewed stereotypically. Through its humorous treatment, applied to both Indians' and whites' behavior motives, the film makes an unusual multifaceted comment on contemporary Native American life.
The film received funding from the Northwest Area Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, the Archie D. and Bertha B. Walker Foundation, and assistance from: The Sundance Institute.[1]
References
^ abcdefVizenor, Gerald. "Harold of Orange: Screenplay". Nothing but the Truth. John Purdy, James Ruppert. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2001.591-619.
^Weise, Richard, Vizenor, Gerald.Harold of Orange.Film.FILM in the CITIES.Minnesota Screen Project.VisionMaker Video.2006.Minneapolis, MN.c1984.
^John Gamber. "Wild Word Hunters: Tricky Language and Literary Allusion in Harold of Orange". Gerald Vizenor: Texts and Contexts.ebook. Lee, A. Robert and Madsen, Deborah L. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2010.
