Dances with Wolves (1990)

Directed by: Kevin Costner | 180 minutes | drama, western, adventure | Actors: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant, Floyd ‘Red Crow’ Westerman, Tantoo Cardinal, Robert Pastorelli, Charles Rocket, Maury Chaykin, Jimmy Herman, Michael Spears, Tony Pearce

‘Dances with Wolves’ was one of the most remarkable and ambitious debut films of recent times, and was both a critical and commercial success. Kevin Costner, who before that time had become merely known as an actor, had taken on the triple role of director, producer, and lead actor for this production. And that for an epic three-hour western, at a time when this genre had practically bled to death. That shows a lot of courage.

A great passion for the project is then of great importance. As an actor, he always wanted to play in a western, and he managed to achieve this in the movie Silverado. With Dances with Wolves he was able to make his dream come true in the ultimate way by making his own western film. A western film that took a fresh look at the existing conventions of the genre.

Until then, the Indian was generally regarded in Westerns as being evil and barbaric and to be ousted or conquered by the White Man, who in turn had no blame and was completely justified in his thoughts and actions. regarding the Indians. ‘Dances wit Wolves’ breaks (partially) with these traditions. Opinions are divided on how far that split goes.

Some speak of a revisionist Western, a film that reverses the traditional roles of cowboys and Indians. Others say it’s just a milder version of the old western form. The truth will lie somewhere in the middle. The fact that a very romantic image is created of this group, while the rival Pawnee Indians take on the same role as the Indians from traditional westerns, does not mean that progress has not been made with this film and that the (negative or positive) stereotyping has not been overcome. is becoming. To start with, the (Sioux) Indians are treated here in a civilized, respectful way, which is a breakthrough in itself. The whole film is actually about getting to know (the culture of) the Sioux Indians better. In addition, there are certainly character differences in the Sioux characters, even though they are all friendly in the end; the Sioux Indian is therefore not merely portrayed as the Wise Red Man. The Pawnee Indians may be unilaterally evil, but you can also see it as an externalization of the dark side of the Indian in general, which gives the group a certain three-dimensionality. Moreover, these antagonists are simply necessary for the drama of the story. After all, not all whites are just heartless bad guys, so there’s no such thing as a complete reversal of the roles.

It’s actually a shame to waste time on this kind of analysis about the intentions and political correctness of the film and filmmaker, because it would almost miss the great power and heart of the film. The film is a wonderful exploration of communication between different cultures and an argument for overcoming prejudice and looking beyond the outward appearance of man: a plea to look for what connects us instead of what separates us. It follows from this that respect and interest in the other culture, in this case the Sioux Indian, is necessary.

We identify well with John Dunbar. This is partly due to its status as a blank slate. We actually don’t know anything about him, and are looking for his identity together with him. We, like him, are open to new experiences, and all new impressions are as magical to him as they are to us. It also helps that his voice-over involves us in his internal world. Through the voice-over he expresses thoughts that he entrusts to his diary within the story, but which he also shares with the viewer outside the story. As a spectator, this gives us a unique, personal bond with John.

The first moments he meets Indians are exciting, disarming, and in a sense recognizable. His first encounter occurs when he is washing and shaving in a nearby lake. John notices that a Sioux Indian is looking around his fortress and trying to steal his horse and decides to walk towards him, unclothed and with a face full of shaving cream. The Indian walks back in terror, falls over a fence, and quickly rides away on his own horse. The first contact has been made. The scenes later in the film, in which the Indians and John try to communicate with each other in an open way, are among the most interesting of the film. Moments in which John imitates a bison to learn the word or demonstrates the operation of a coffee grinder while the Indians watch mesmerized are recognizable in the way in which contact is made between different cultures. With gestures, good will, and patience people gradually come closer to each other.

When John helps the Native Americans hunt down a group of bison, in an otherwise beautifully filmed scene, and saves a child’s life by shooting an onrushing bison, he is completely absorbed into the group. He seems to have really found his own identity here, and considers his Native American name Dances with Wolves as his only real name.

The story is simple and somewhat (over) romantic, but is told in a very beautiful way. The images of vast landscapes are beautiful, as is the music of John Barry. Director Costner tells the story in a calm, sometimes almost poetic way. He makes you care about the characters, and makes you feel like you’re in another world for three hours. An impressive directorial debut.