Dances With Wolves
Dances with Wolves produced, directed, and starred Kevin Costner. Overall critical reviews were favorable. They should be for a film that won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Screen play is based on a novel by Michael Blake. Blake originally wrote it as a screenplay. Hollywood panned it. Costner told him to write the novel to improve its film chances. Costner then optioned the book and made the film based on Blake’s screen play. As an author, that is unheard of! The film was a box office smash, earning $424.2 million on a $15 million budget.
In 1863 Union Army Lieutenant John J. Dunbar (Costner) is wounded in battle and sent to a deserted outpost on the western frontier. He begins the solitary work of restoring his fort, where he befriends a wolf, he names Two Socks. A series of encounters with Lakota neighbors leads to friendly relations. Dunbar finds Stands With Fist (Mary McDonnell), Medicine Man Kicking Bird’s (Graham Greene) adopted white daughter, near death in mourning for her husband. He returns her to the tribe and gains acceptance. As he spends time in the Lakota camp, friendships deepen including a romantic relationship with Stands With Fist.
When the tribe plans a move to winter camp, Dunbar, now known as Dances With Wolves for his friendship with Two Socks, determines to go with them. He returns to the Fort for his diary, to find it reoccupied. He is arrested for desertion and sent east for court martial under guard. Two Sock follows the convoy and is killed by the guards. Tribal brothers attack the convoy and free Dances With Wolves. In winter camp, Dunbar realizes his presence poses a threat to the people. He and Stands With Fist leave to the epilog, ending the old ways of the people.
Much of the dialog in the film is spoken in Lakota with subtitles. The authenticity is poignant, unless you are Lakota. The language has a male gendered voice and a female gendered voice. The consultant employed on the film was female. You can guess what happened. Some criticize the film for the heroic white pose struck by the Dunbar role. Others criticize the idyllic portrayal of the Sioux. The film is listed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
Next Week: Unforgiven
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Ride easy,
Paul
In 1863 Union Army Lieutenant John J. Dunbar (Costner) is wounded in battle and sent to a deserted outpost on the western frontier. He begins the solitary work of restoring his fort, where he befriends a wolf, he names Two Socks. A series of encounters with Lakota neighbors leads to friendly relations. Dunbar finds Stands With Fist (Mary McDonnell), Medicine Man Kicking Bird’s (Graham Greene) adopted white daughter, near death in mourning for her husband. He returns her to the tribe and gains acceptance. As he spends time in the Lakota camp, friendships deepen including a romantic relationship with Stands With Fist.
When the tribe plans a move to winter camp, Dunbar, now known as Dances With Wolves for his friendship with Two Socks, determines to go with them. He returns to the Fort for his diary, to find it reoccupied. He is arrested for desertion and sent east for court martial under guard. Two Sock follows the convoy and is killed by the guards. Tribal brothers attack the convoy and free Dances With Wolves. In winter camp, Dunbar realizes his presence poses a threat to the people. He and Stands With Fist leave to the epilog, ending the old ways of the people.
Much of the dialog in the film is spoken in Lakota with subtitles. The authenticity is poignant, unless you are Lakota. The language has a male gendered voice and a female gendered voice. The consultant employed on the film was female. You can guess what happened. Some criticize the film for the heroic white pose struck by the Dunbar role. Others criticize the idyllic portrayal of the Sioux. The film is listed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
Next Week: Unforgiven
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
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