As a child in the 60s, I was obsessed with Native Americans and read everything I could get my hands on. I still have a set of colorful books for children that describe the environments in which each tribe live(d), their food, costumes, etc. On a trip to the Wisconsin Dells, I asked the tribe there if I could live with them instead (they said to ask my parents who said no, of course). From my perspective, I do not recall Native Americans being shown in a 'cartoonish' way in films except in cases where they play villains, but that's how American films frequently portray villains. (French films seem to get at the complexity of the dark side of human nature much better than American films.)

If I remember correctly, this Native American actor from "Cuckoo's Nest" was also in "Harry and Tonto." The role he plays is vital to the story ("Harry and Tonto" is a masterpiece, btw.)

One thing that gets me about this narrative -- that Americans or Westerners in general see "others" in cartoonish ways -- is that it actually goes both ways. Even when immersed in another culture, one cannot fully inhabit it. And the conflicts 'they' experience -- even if not exactly the same -- can be understood and analogized -- what "white" person has never felt alienated in their own culture? I think that's why I was so fascinated by other cultures as a child. I didn't particularly like the one I was in, and yet must field constant presumptions as to the way I view these other cultures, or the ways in which they are "portrayed" as if the audience weren't savvy enough to realize that there's a lot more to it than a 90-minute film could capture.

My last point is that I don't quite understand this essay -- it reads like a summary without analysis.