One of Whit Stillman's Spanish characters in his
Barcelona expressed amazement at the things that Americans don't know about their own country--in that case the nefarious doings of the
AFL-CIA--which might explain the popularity, in Germany, of the French actor Pierre Brice. Popular for
his portrayal of an Indian Chief;
Pierce Brice, the French actor who fascinated German fans of Western
films in his role as Apache chief "Winnetou" has died. He was the hero
of 11 films based on German author Karl May's tales of America's
colonization.
French actor, German author, Apache character.
...his stoic physical presence, memorable facial expressions and
third-person speech, turned "Winnetou" into a strong figure of
identification for Germans with the plight of America's indigenous
peoples and the ideal of untamed wilderness.
Because they had the Black Forest?
The fictional chief's death scene in "The Desperado Trail" in 1965
prompted unprecedented audience protests including threatening letters.
The production team headed by Horst Wendland brought "Winnetou" back to
life.
Why not, it's all fiction after all.
Brice, born Pierre-Louis Baron de Bris, was twice awarded German Bambi film prizes, in 1965 and 1966.
Heap big honor, we're sure.
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