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Bury My Heart At
Wounded Knee
Directed by: Yves Simoneau
Starring: Adam Beach
Genre:
Drama
Run Time: 133
min.
Release Date:
May 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED
KNEE is a somber retelling of the events leading up to the massacre
at (what is now) the Wounded Knee Memorial. But this isn’t a
documentary. This is a made-for-TV fictional retelling, and it is the
“made-for-TV” bit that makes this important American event lose some of
its composure.
The entire production flags because of the TV aspect, many of the film
shots losing their impact either because of lack of attention to detail
or funds (or probably both). Either way this could’ve been an extreme
visual recollection for most viewers but instead it lacks the depth I
would’ve liked to have seen.
Regardless, there are some stellar appearances and acting within it.
August Schellenberg as Sitting Bull undeniably has the most impact.
Recent movie viewers will probably remember him from his portrayal as
Powhatan in THE NEW
WORLD. The contrast between the character in The New
World and here in Wounded Knee shouldn’t be lost, either. Without
Powhatan and Pocahontas, the white settlers at Jamestown would’ve
perished within the first few winters. And now, in Wounded Knee, it is
the white man who destroys what is left of Native American life; a
terribly stark (and bloody) reality.
The other notables are Adam Beach (FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS) as Charles
Eastman, and Aidan Quinn as Senator Henry Dawes. They spend a lot of
time together on film and they played against/off each other
exceptionally well. Charles being the “new wave” Indian who melds into
the white man’s way of life until exposed to reservation life at Pine
Ridge. Henry Dawes seeing himself as “The Great White Savior Of The
Indians” by passing legislation that loops a few nooses around the necks
of the Plains Indians’ way of life without even realizing it.
But other actors have little to offer. Anna Paquin (X-MEN) as Charles’
white love interest (and eventual wife) is seen too infrequently so the
relationship between the two has little impact. She does a good job of
acting but the script stymied any possibility of real success. From here
the acting dips into the drab and boring. I have to give mention to
Senator Fred Thompson (currently a Republican runner for the U.S.
Presidency) who plays President Ulysses S. Grant. We see maybe four
frames of film with him in it and then he’s gone. This surprised me
greatly since it was Grant’s administration that doomed Native Americans
by rounding them up and placing them on reservations.
Despite my misgivings about the script, cinematography and acting, this
is a vital story that needs to be told, and it isn’t something that is
normally taught in grade school or higher. Europeans (us) conquered this
land and its people, and pushed them into holding pens where they, to
this day, await justice for our multiple treaty violations and massacres
of their men, women and children (I will say that the scenes depicting
large-caliber rifle bullets ripping through young kids was filmed well
and was equally hard to watch).
So the story gives this film a higher rating than anything within it,
which is unfortunate, as this terrible moment in American history needs
to be remembered just as much as Germany needs to remember its
holocaust.
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Image from Bury My Heart
At Wounded Knee
DVD cost: $22.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
From Brown's encyclopedic
tome chronicling the fate of the Dakota, Ute, Cheyenne and other tribes,
the film focuses on the events leading up to the massacre of the Sioux,
which many consider one of the most grievous atrocities in United States
history.
Movie Quote: "You
must put pen to this paper or your people will perish."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee
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