Dances with Wolves (1990)
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A Union soldier finds himself isolated on the American frontier and forms an unexpected bond with a group of Lakota.
The story
In 1863, Union army Lieutenant John J. Dunbar is wounded in a battle in Tennessee and is subsequently assigned to a remote outpost on the American frontier. After his commanding officer dies and his supplies are lost, Dunbar finds himself isolated at Fort Sedgwick. While attempting to survive and maintain the post, he encounters a group of Lakota. He begins to forge a relationship with them, learning their language and customs, while they offer him a new way of life away from the military's structure.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being wounded in Tennessee, Lieutenant John J. Dunbar is assigned to the remote Fort Sedgwick. Following the death of his commander and the loss of his supply lines, Dunbar becomes isolated. He encounters a group of Lakota and, through the mediation of a white Sioux woman named Stands With A Fist, begins to integrate into their culture. He earns a Sioux name, 'Dances With Wolves', and eventually marries Stands With A Fist. However, the encroachment of white settlers forces the tribe to move. Dunbar attempts to retrieve his diary from the fort to warn the army of their location, but he is captured by Union soldiers who believe him to be a deserter. His horse, Cisco, is killed, and he is sent back to Fort Hays. His Lakota friends eventually rescue him and take him to their winter camp, where he remains with his new family, even as he is branded a traitor by the U.S. Army.
- First release year
- 1990
- Runtime (minutes)
- 181
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Lakota; Pawnee
- Directors
- Kevin Costner
- Writers
- Michael Blake · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Kevin Costner · Lt. John J. Dunbar/Dances With Wolves; Mary McDonnell · Stands With A Fist; Graham Greene · Kicking Bird; Rodney A. Grant · Wind In His Hair; Floyd Westerman · Chief Ten Bears; Tantoo Cardinal · Black Shawl; Jimmy Herman · Stone Calf; Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse · Smiles A Lot
- Genres
- Western; historical drama
- Themes
- cultural identity; assimilation; nature vs. civilization
- Tone and mood
- epic; poignant
- Premise and plot tags
- Western; Revisionist Western; Historical Drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1988 novel Dances With Wolves by Michael Blake
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised the direction, performances, and production values. It was a commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing independent film to that date and a significant influence on the revitalization of the Western genre.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 8/10 · scale: 10 · review count: 131; Metacritic · score: 72 · scale: 100 · review count: 20
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · Win; Academy Award · Best Adapted Screenplay · Win; Academy Award · Best Film Editing · Win; Academy Award · Best Cinematography · Win; Academy Award · Best Original Score · Win; Academy Award · Best Sound Mixing · Win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · Win
- Production trivia
- It is one of only four Westerns to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.; The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2007.; The character Stands With A Fist was based on Cynthia Ann Parker.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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