Another to Conquer

Camera: Robert Cline
Sound: Clarence Townsend
Consultant: Ruth Underhill, Ph.D., a noted Southwestern anthropologist
Editor: H. E. Mandal
Establishing shot:  A night scene in which Navajo people dance around a campfire in full frame. In a quick cut, the camera is then positioned closer to the campfire as the men circle.
Named locations: No named location
Major themes covered: The impact of tuberculosis on Native Americans, particularly the Navajo
Native activities shown:  Another to Conquer  includes footage of what looks like a Navajo “Fire Dance,” also known as the Corral Dance, possibly as a part of the “Mountain Way Chant.” In addition to this, a second “social” dance is shown, with men and women dancing side by side. For more on the Corral Dance see: Navajo Night Dances.

This film includes footage of a “sheep dip” attended by the local community.

Individuals Named: Cast: Howard Gorman (Slow-Talker), Sammy Day (Don, his grandson), Geraldine H. Birdsbill (Nema, his granddaughter), Richard Hogner (Robert, a friend), W. W. Peter, M. D. (Doctor); Zonchee (the children's mother, who has already died–only mentioned).
Native language spoken: Yes, sung during a campfire scene and spoken by Navajo elder, Slow-Talker (Howard Gorman);
Audible: Good quality audio
Noteworthy elements: An interesting, scripted film that attempts to explain why the Navajo must fight their new enemy, tuberculosis.

Howard Gorman from the Navajo Nation was on the founding council for the National Congress of American Indians (1944).
Other notes:  Made in cooperation with the United States Office of Indian Affairs.

1970 Oral History of Howard Gorman on file with University of New Mexico Digital Collections: http://econtent.unm.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/navtrans&CISOPTR=245&CISOBOX=1&REC=4#metajump

Edgar G. Ulmer (1904-1972) was a prolific director of stylistic cinematic films; his filmography includes “The Black Cat” (1943), “Detour” (1945) and “The Man from Planet X” (1951). The website Senses of Cinema offers an in-depth biographical entry on Ulmer including an exhaustive filmography. See: http://sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/ulmer/.  The Oxford University Press’s website for the reference work, “Learning with the Lights Off: Educational Film in the United States” has an entry on Ulmer’s extensive work on Tuberculosis films, complete with links to the films preserved on the Internet Archive (http://www.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780195383836/examples/chapter13/?view=usa

--Mikel Stone 2012