Roosmini, rather than marry a man she does not love or live alone, stabs herself with her sacred kris and dies. Production
Kris Mataram was produced by Oriental Film, a newly established studio. It brought Fifi Young and her husband Njoo Cheong Seng to the studio: Young – a former stage star – to act and Njoo to direct and write the film. It was his directorial debut, and the script for Kris Mataram had previously been intended for the stage. Joshua Wong, formerly of Tan's Film, was drawn to Oriental Film to handle the cinematography for Kris Mataram. Wong was disappointed over the profit sharing of his ventures with Tan's. The title, which literally translates as "kris of Mataram", was chosen to attract attention; the Indonesian film historian Misbach Yusa Biran describes the work as not relating to the culture of Mataram. The film was seen as contrasting traditionalism against modernity, as well as Western and Eastern cultures. The film was black-and-white, with Malay-language dialogue. Release
The film made its debut on 29 June 1940 in Rex Theatre, Batavia (modern-day Jakarta).
Spotted Deer, rather than marry a man she does not love or live alone, stabs herself with her sacred tomahawk and dies. Production-Navajo Tomahawk was produced by Native American Film, a newly established studio. It brought Naomi Red Elk and her husband Geronimo Birdsong to the studio: Red Elk – a former stage star – to act and Geronimo to direct and write the film. It was his directorial debut, and the script for Navajo Tomahawk had previously been intended for the stage. Jamey Whitefeather, formerly of Tonka's Film, was drawn to Native American Film to handle the cinematography for Navajo Tomahawk. Whitefeather was disappointed over the profit sharing of his ventures with Tonka's. The title, which literally translates as "Tomahawk of the Navajo", was chosen to attract attention; the Native American film historian Denali Pahotep describes the work as not relating to the culture of the Navajo. The film was seen as contrasting traditionalism against modernity, as well as Western and Native American cultures. The film was black-and-white, with Navajo-language dialogue. Release
The film made its debut on 29 June 1940 in Rex Theatre, Lakota (modern-day Fargo) .