Bonanza (TV Series) The Saga of Squaw Charlie (1964) User Reviews

Prejudice is hit hard, very hard

[georgeredding · 8/10 · 3 November 2021]

In this story about an Indian being treated horribly, Squaw Charlie, as they call him, makes people mad at each other just by being himself, simply because too many people hate this man with a passion purely out of prejudice. It centers mainly around the news that a girl was allegedly killed by the Indian; I wondered how anybody could hate the precious angelic little girl, play so well by Virgie Cos (name) (?). Since Charlie is blamed for every little bad thing that goes wrong in and around Virginia City, the denizens are absolutely certain that Charlie is the guilt party. But is he? Toward the end we learn that Squaw Charlie's real name is Red Eagle.

In addition to the little Cos girl and the four main "Bonanza" stars, William Tannen, Myron Healey, and Don "Red" Barry are meaner than mean can be. (Sadly, in real life Don Barry was remote, very hard to know.) This episode, again, definitely hits hard at prejudice and can cause people to wonder how strong a person's prejudice may be.

This ranks toward the top for me personally for various reasons.

Only a Pure Heart Can See No Evil

[Scififan54 · 10/10 · 11 May 2021]

This is a genuine morality tale. A simple story of right and wrong, cruelty and compassion, intolerance and justice.

Red Eagle has been ousted from his tribe and is known as "Squaw" Charlie. He lives in town and suffers constant abuse. He is pelted with stones and taunted by vicious children and harassed by bigoted racists.

Charlie finds one of Ben's horses stuck in the mud, rescues it and sets off to bring it back to the Ponderosa. Little Joe and Hoss meet him and assume he's trying to steal it, despite his denials. This shows that even good men are not always immune to prejudice or jumping to the wrong conclusions. The question remains whether they would have made the same assumptions if Charlie had been white. Ben later scolds them sternly and they are suitably ashamed.

Other than the Cartwrights, the only friend Charlie has is a little girl called Angela Hale. She is angelic by nature as well by name, as she stands up for him against the older boys and vows she will help "his people" when he grows up. She asks "why she can't be his friend forever and ever?" Her mother, Martha, is an ignorant racist who abuses Charlie and tries to forbid Angela from seeing him. Later Angela goes missing and Charlie is instantly suspected.

While revealing no spoilers, there is a heart-breaking scene at the end between Charlie and Ben for which you will need a big box of tissues. It's one of the most poignant scenes in all Bonanza history.

When Angela asks why others cannot love him as she does, he answers: "Only a pure heart can see no evil." Her innocent goodness is in stark contrast to the evil around her.

"It's none of our business," says Adam at the beginning, before immediately contradicting himself and punching one of the bullies. It is the crux of the Bonanza spirit that it's everyone's business when injustice is done, and that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.