This is an earnest, straightforward Western drama that relates a simple story, easily followed even without title cards. (There are three, plus an insert shot of a brief, handwritten note.) As filmmaking goes, even for this early period, it's rudimentary. What is notable about The Falling Arrow, and perhaps surprising for some viewers today, is that the hero is a Native American man. More surprising still, this character is played not by a white actor in war-paint and feathers, but by a genuine Native American actor, James Young Deer, who also directed the film.
All three major characters are introduced in the opening shot, as the camera pans down a picturesque rocky wall to a stream. Felice, our leading lady, is here to fill a pitcher. Young Deer, in full regalia, helps her do this. And the villain, later identified as Jim the Outlaw, is here also, scuttling down the wall towards Felice. When he attempts to assault her, Felice makes a dash for it through the woods. She escapes Jim's clutches by flinging herself down a steep hill, but knocks herself out in the process. Young Deer arrives, hoists her over his shoulder, and carries her home to her mother.
From this fortuitous meeting, a romance develops. Felice and Young Deer practice archery together. Felice gives Young Deer a photograph of herself, which he kisses and tucks into his tunic. Later, he comes her to home and asks her father for the girl's hand in marriage. But the father becomes irate, throws Young Deer out of the house, and shakes his fist at his daughter. Soon afterwards, Jim the Outlaw breaks in, throws a pillowcase over Felice's head, ties her up, and kidnaps her. While a captive in Jim's hideaway, Felice manages to write a note on a strip of her petticoat, tie it to an arrow, and fire it out the window. (Those archery lessons came in handy!) Young Deer finds the note, and rides to the rescue.
That, in essence, is the story. Again, what's notable and of great historical value in this film is the heroic depiction of a Native American figure, and the compassionate treatment of a cross-cultural romance. I can add that I've seen a number of silent Westerns from this early period, and it's remarkable how often Indians are depicted sympathetically, whatever the background of the director. There are exceptions of course, but even so, there are far more of these positive portrayals than one might expect. At any rate, The Falling Arrow is a good, solid drama, though brief. It appears to me that there may be footage missing at the end. The last thing we see is our young couple escaping together, but I suspect there must have been a finale in which Felice's father apologizes and accepts Young Deer into the family, as the story certainly seems to be pointing in that direction.