Refusal
When the envelope containing the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role was opened, it came as no surprise that Marlon Brando's name was listed inside. What was a shock to members of the audience at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles and viewers at home was that it was not Brando who took the stage. Instead, it was a woman dressed in traditional Native regalia who introduced herself as Sacheen Littlefeather as she refused to accept or even touch the Oscar statue. Speaking calmly, Littlefeather informed the audience that she was "representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech, which I cannot share with you presently because of time but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards, that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award." Littlefeather explained that Brando was acting in protest of the film industry's treatment of Native Americans, as well as the "recent happenings at Wounded Knee," referencing the town's occupation by the American Indian Movement. Her reference to stereotyped portrayals of Native peoples by Hollywood was met with audible protest, prompting Littlefeather to pause before continuing her speech. Despite this obvious pushback, she concluded her time onstage by stating, "I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity." Littlefeather then made her way offstage, accompanied by the audience's applause. The poise with which she presented herself to the audience is notable, particularly given the crowd's reaction to her and Brando's claims, and the fact that Littlefeather was presenting herself partly in opposition to an industry that she was fighting to join.
The next category that night was the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, presented by Raquel Welch and Gene Hackman. Exemplifying much of the film industry's reaction to Littlefeather's statement and Brando's protest, Welch remarked upon taking the stage that she hoped the winner didn't "have a cause." In essence, she viewed Littlefeather's presence as a disruption to the Oscars ceremony, and did not want to see anyone else use their platform to call for justice. Welch's statement reveals both a disregard and disrespect for Littlefeather, and it also served as a delegitimizing force on Littlefeather and Brando's actions. Instead of being presented as a justified and reasonable action, by referring to it glibly as a "cause," Welch painted the refusal as something unserious and casual and thus separated Littlefeather's protest from any sense of magnitude or importance.
This tone continued throughout the night, culminating in remarks made by Clint Eastwood as he presented the Academy Award for Best Picture to The Godfather. As he begins his speech leading up to announcing the winner, Eastwood remarked, "I don't know if I should present this award on behalf of all the cowboys shot in all the John Ford westerns over the years." In this statement, Eastwood makes reference to his long career acting in western films, which were often notorious for stereotypical and racist depictions of Native Americans. Essentially, the films for which Eastwood was known were much of what Littlefeather and Brando wanted to change. Though he quickly moved on to a more standard script, Eastwood's comment, similar to Welch's, demonstrates the levity with which Hollywood approached Littlefeather's protest. Her action was not seen as something to be taken seriously nor as an indication of broader problems in the filmmaking industry. It was instead something to poke fun at, something that was so clearly unconcerning that it could be imitated and mocked just minutes after it took place. In many ways, Hollywood's immediate reaction to Littlefeather exemplifies the very issues that she and Brando attempted to raise, effectively highlighting the bias with which Native peoples and issues were treated.