Tale of the Navajos (1949)

MGM
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

This hour-long documentary is set in the spectacular scenery of the desert southwest and shot in vivid 3-strip Technicolor. It is the story of two boys, one Indian and the other a trader, who set off across the wilderness in search of the sacred turquoise of the Navajos, whose supply has gone dry. The stones are hidden in cliff dwellings of an ancient tribe. Once there, they chip away at the stones, break some pottery and steal the turquoise, not exactly respectful behavior. The narration tells us about Navajo myths along their journey, sometimes helpful but more often intrusive. My cats enjoyed watching the eagle, owls and crow.