Sometimes
we all have to give into a film that we aren't particularly interested in seeing but our loved one is. This was the
case with Dances With Wolves. Westerns are not my favorite genre, murder mysteries and romantic comedies are.
I was blown away by this movie, when I found myself cheering for the Indians and booing the white man there was a total
appreciation for the movie and story I had just seen. I was a great joy when Kevin and DWW won 7 Academy Awards out
of 9 nominations. This movie was criticized by Hollywood and by people who supposedly know how to turn out a good movie.
This was Kevin's first attempt at directing and he walked away with Best Director Oscar and Best Motion Picture of 1990 which
he also was given the Oscar as producer. Twelve years later as I write this there are people who don't get how Kevin
could have done this great feat.
It
isn't any easier to write about this film in a condensed version then it was for Kevin to edit it to 3 hrs. 1 min. But
I will try. This film is suppose to come out on DVD sometime this fall (2002) as the Director's cut which will be 4
hours plus and this is the way that Kevin always wanted everyone to see his film.
The
movie opens with a gruesome sight of an Army Field Hospital in the Civil War. Our hero Lt. John J. Dunbar has a foot and leg
wound that will require him losing his foot at least. But he won't have any of that, when the surgeons leave him alone
for a break, he puts his boot back on and goes to where he thinks the fighting is. He doesn't want to fight, what he
wants is a Johnny Reb to finish the job. These two armies aren't fighting they are aimed at each other across an open
field but no one is firing. Standing straight up near the fence that is the front line a Rebel bullet doesn't even come
close to him. So he decides that he will give them a moving target. He mounts a horse and gallops up and back
in the field. Bullets wiz by him but none hit their mark, he sustains only a minor graze wound to his head before he
collapses off the horse. But the one thing he does accomplish is getting the two sides fighting. A Commanding
Officier watches the whole thing from a hilltop and goes to Dunbar's aid. He gets Dunbar the medical attention he needs
and promises him that he will not loose his leg or foot. Dunbar is awarded his mount and post of his choice for showing
such leadership on the battlefield.
Dunbar
chooses the frontier. He wants to see it before it is gone. He rides to Fort Hayes where he is to learn of his
next post. At Fort Hayes he is met with sarcasam and actual mockery by the Fort Hayes Commanding Officier, Major Fambrough.
The man is totally despondent by Dunbar's youth and valiance. He gives Dunbar a post at what he calls the outer realms
of the nation. Fort Sedgewick. He also tells him that the mule team wagon supplier will show him the way to Fort
Sedgewick. Major Fambrough then committs suicide leaving only Dunbar and the wagon driver Timmons knowing
where Dunbar has been posted.
Dunbar
keeps a daily journal. He writes in it one night that he would be having the time of his life if it weren't for his
companion Timmons who he says has to be the foulest man he has ever met.
Upon
arrival to Fort Sedgewick he finds that it is deserted and in shambles. He doesn't understand what happened to the soldiers
that were there. There are bridles still hanging in the makeshift stable area. Munition are around and a terrible
scattering of debris. He insists that Timmons leave him there it is his post.
Timmons
unloads supplies for Fort Sedgewick and heads back to Fort Hayes saying he will tell the Army that he is posted at Fort Sedgewick.
Timmons is killed by Pawnee on his way back to Fort Hayes and now only Lt. John J. Dunbar knows where he is posted.
When
Dunbar goes to the pond to bring back fresh water he finds a huge debris field just over the ridge from the sod cabin he calls
home and post. There are caves dug into the hillside but are empty. He doesn't understand what happened to this
post and its soldiers. When he goes to dip his bucket in the pond he sees a deer carcass just lying there in the pond.
Dunbar assigns himself clean up duty and hauls away with Cisco's help loads of debris and burns it. He then realizes
that the smoke will signal any Indians in the area that someone is living at Fort Sedgewick. Too late it is done.
He notices a wolf as he heads back to the one room cabin. At first he takes aim and then stops when he notices the wolf
makes no attempt at threatening him, Cisco or his food.
The
next day Dunbar decides it is time for personal clean up and takes a bath and shave in the pond. While returning to
the cabin he sees an Indian in the corral with Cisco. He isn't armed and he is buck naked. He yells at the Indian
who trips all over himself to get back to his horse and ride away. Dunbar looks down at himself naked and realizes what
a frightening sight that must have been.
Kicking Bird returns to the village and
gives a report about his encounter with one white man at the soldier's fort. Wind In His Hair says there are more coming
and they should kill this one before the others arrive. Ten Bears (Chief) says no they should wait and see how many
arrive. Three young boys are under the tent listening to the elders and decide they will impress the elders by stealing
the white soldier's horse.
Dunbar is awaken by Cisco and goes out with
revolver in hand, he foregot just how low that door jam is on the sod cabin and knocks himself out cold. The boys do
steal Cisco, but Cisco pulls the one that has a rope rein in his hand off his pony. Boys being boys argue about
how their parents will punish them for their adventure that ended up with one being injured and no horse to show for it.
Cisco returns home.
The next morning while Dunbar is shaving
and putting cold water on his forehead that nows has a cut and is swollen is alerted by Cisco once again that someone
is trying to steal him again. This time it is Wind In His Hair and he is going to run the white man off by intimidation
if he isn't allowed by the elders to kill him.
Well Dunbar and Wind In His Hair have a
confrontation without either one knowing what is being said because neither ones knows the others language. Wind In
His Hair throws a spear at Dunbar's feet and Dunbar is brandishing his Army revolver, but neither makes any attempt to wound
or kill the other. Wind In His Hair rides away with anger and joins the other four in his party who have riden away
with Cisco. Half way back to joining up with his war party he meets Cisco running back to Fort Sedgwick. Once
again Cisco has pulled the rider off his pony who was stealing him. Dunbar then collapses on the ground.
