The issue of racial stereotypes in cinema has been widely discussed by critics throughout the history of cinema. Negative portrayal of Native Americans, for example, is rampant in the early Western film genre. Native Americans are, more often than not, depicted as ferocious savages, determined to scalp and senselessly kill as many "innocent" (white?) American settlers as possible. Individuals with darker skin color, such as African Americans, are also victims of the negative stereotypes of early cinema. They are usually described as stupid, aggressive and primitive, inferior to the "white man". Some filmmakers have attempted to revise these inaccurate portrayals of minority groups. For example, Arthur Penn's cinematic masterpiece entitled Little Big Man (1970) offers audiences a more accurate representation of mid-19th century Native Americans, both visually and historically. Similarly, an effective film that does not patronize individuals with darker skin color is Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies (1996). Hortense, a woman of Anglo-Jamaican descent, is depicted as more successful, wealthy and intelligent than the Caucasians in the film. Other directors have also attempted to portray these minority groups more accurately, but they seem to fall short of the achievements of the two previously mentioned films. For example, John Ford's The Searchers is Ford's attempt to correct the negative portrayal of Native Americans, a portrayal he is partly responsible for introducing into mainstream cinema during the mid-20th century (Nolley, 73). Despite his efforts, there is still an excessive amount of racial prejudice against Native Americans present in the film. Lee Daniels' Precious is also an act......middle of paper......t of Hortense' in Secrets and Lies, it is safe to assume that too many stereotypes can negatively influence the intended message of the film As demonstrated above, Stereotypes in cinema of Native Americans and people with darker skin colors (African Americans, Anglo-Jamaicans, etc.) have been part of the history of cinema. While the films The Searchers and Precious attempted to portray minority groups more accurately, positively and sympathetically, they ultimately fall short when compared to films like Little Big Man and Secrets and Lies, which masterfully achieved a positive portrayal of the situation. Stereotypical images of minority groups featured in films. Ultimately, the slightest hint of stereotype can come across as very strong and ultimately distort the message the director intended. They must keep in mind the powerful medium that is cinema.