10. The Light In The Forest (1958)
The movie poster sure got this one right: it is a different motion picture. Based on a great "coming of age" story, Light In The Forest tells the hair raising tale of a Young man kidnapped from his family by the Delaware try and raised for the next 11 years as an Indian. He is taught to fear and distrust the white man, and accepted into the tribe completely, to the point that they adopt him and name him "True Son". Suddenly, as part of a peace accord, he is "ransomed" back to the people he mistrusts so much, and proceeds to fight back, act out and generally be a rebel, until his heart is stolen by a young serving girl, who tames his wild heart. Although she can hold him, she cannot keep him, and he returns to his people, only to find that he doesn't fit in anymore, and so returns to his young love. And we all go "awwwwww." Sadly, this is NOT the movie they should have made. let's start with the actors, shall we? The acting is wooden at best, and the choice of the lead actor, young James MacArthur, left much to be desired. So, if we were to remake this movie today, we would need a few things, chief among them, a young talent who can not only pass for a Native American, but one who can act. I'm talking someone who can emote, can show us his hurt, confusion, his agony at having to leave his adopted family and live with the dreaded white man. also, someone who can carry off the original ending of the book instead of the "happy ever after" cliche that Disney churned out so often in the 1950's and 60's. For the record, the original ending would give rise to so many possibilities for discussion in educational settings, as True Son ends up, not in the arms of his beloved, but alone in the forest, rejected by both tribe and settler, crying at the top of his lungs, "Who is my father, then? Who am I?" Self image, racial identification, nature vs nurture, it could all be brought out, if Disney would let it.