Dances with Wolves is a big, ambitious Civil War epic that tries to do something rare: make a war movie about peace. Based on Michael Blake’s novel, the film follows John Dunbar, a Union soldier who volunteers for a remote outpost assignment in 1864, only to find himself living among the Lakota Sioux. Directed by Kevin Costner, who also stars, the movie runs nearly three hours and moves slowly at first before finding its rhythm. It won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and remains a touchstone of Hollywood’s late-’80s and early-’90s fascination with historical epics.
Trailer, via Oscars.
Dunbar’s Solo Journey
John Dunbar is a man out of step with his own war. He is a captain in the Union Army, but he volunteers for a posting far from the front lines, somewhere in the Great Plains. His decision is simple: he wants to be alone. The film opens with Dunbar walking across an empty prairie, and that image sets the tone for the entire picture. He is a solitary figure, and the movie spends its first hour establishing exactly why he needs that solitude.
Costner plays Dunbar with a quiet intensity. There is no bravado, no need to prove himself. He is a man who has found a purpose that is not military, and the film trusts the audience to sit with that purpose without rushing it. The early scenes are slow, but they are deliberate. They are meant to ground us in a world that is vast, open, and mostly untouched by civilization.
The film’s pacing is its biggest weakness. The first hour can feel like a long wait for the payoff, and some viewers will struggle to hold their attention through the setup. But the patience pays off once Dunbar encounters the Sioux, led by Kicking Bird (Graham Greene) and his nephew, Wind In His Hair (Rodney A. Grant). The chemistry between Dunbar and Wind In His Hair is the heart of the film, and it takes time to build.
Wind In His Hair and the Sioux
Wind In His Hair is the character who brings the film alive. He is young, curious, and completely unafraid of the white man who has appeared among them. Their friendship develops gradually, and the film tracks it with care. Wind In His Hair teaches Dunbar the language, the customs, and the way of life of his people. Dunbar, in turn, shows Wind In His Hair a different kind of curiosity — a hunger to understand a world that is utterly foreign to him.
The relationship is not sentimental. It is built on mutual respect and genuine wonder. Wind In His Hair is not a noble savage; he is a boy who is learning about the world around him, and Dunbar is the vehicle through which he learns about white people. The film never romanticizes the Sioux. It presents them as a people with their own hierarchies, their own fears, and their own conflicts.
The film’s message is simple: cultures are not monolithic. There is no single way to be Native American, and there is no single way to be white. The characters in Dances with Wolves are individuals first, and members of a tribe second. That is a valuable lesson, even if the film does not always deliver it with the nuance it deserves.
Stands With A Fist
Stands With A Fist is the film’s most controversial element. She is a white woman who was captured by the Sioux as a child and raised among them. She is married to Ten Bears (Terry Chen), a respected elder, and she is deeply loved by her people. When Dunbar arrives, she is drawn to him immediately, and the film explores their bond with a tenderness that borders on the erotic.
The problem is that Stands With A Fist is not given enough agency. She is a character who exists to be rescued, and her arc is one of captivity rather than liberation. She rarely gets to speak for herself. This is a significant flaw, and it is one that has been criticized for decades.
The film also handles her past in a way that feels exploitative. Her capture is treated as a tragic backstory, but it is never fully explored. We see glimpses of her trauma, but we never get the full picture. The result is a character who is defined by her status as a captive rather than by her own desires and experiences.
The Romance Between Dunbar and Stands With A Fist
The romance between Dunbar and Stands With A Fist is the emotional core of the film. It is a love story set against the backdrop of a war that neither of them understands. Dunbar is drawn to her because she is different from anyone else he has ever met. She is a woman who has lived among the Sioux her entire life, and she carries the weight of that experience with her.
Their scenes together are intimate and tender. Dunbar teaches her English, and she teaches him about the Sioux. The film captures the moment when they finally communicate, and it is a powerful scene. It is a moment of connection that transcends cultural barriers, and it is one of the best parts of the film.
But the romance is also problematic. Dunbar is a white man who is being taught by a Native woman, and the power dynamic is unequal. The film does not address this directly, and it leaves the viewer feeling uncomfortable. The relationship is presented as pure, but it is set against a history of colonialism that the film barely acknowledges.
The Battle at the End
The film’s final act shifts gears dramatically. After months of peaceful coexistence, the Sioux are attacked by the U.S. Cavalry, led by Major Fambrough (Bob Gumbert). The battle is intense, and it changes everything. Dunbar is forced to choose between his loyalty to the Union and his loyalty to the Sioux. He chooses the Sioux, and the film ends with him riding away from the battlefield, leaving behind the soldiers who had once been his comrades.
The battle is the climax of the film, and it is a powerful sequence. It is shot with intensity, and it shows the brutality of war. The cavalry charge is a terrifying spectacle, and the film does not shy away from the violence. It is a reminder that the world of peace that Dunbar had found is fragile, and it can be destroyed in an instant.
The ending is bittersweet. Dunbar has made his choice, and he has paid for it. He has lost his comrades, and he has lost his home. But he has also gained something: a sense of purpose that comes from standing with a people who were once strangers to him. The film suggests that this is a better fate than the one he had before.
The Technical Craft
The technical elements of Dances with Wolves are impressive. The cinematography, by Dean Semler, is stunning. The film was shot on location in the Badlands of South Dakota, and the landscapes are breathtaking. The wide shots of prairie grass blowing in the wind, the sun setting over distant hills, and the buffalo grazing in the distance are all rendered with a painterly quality.
The score, composed by John Barry, is also excellent. It is a sweeping orchestral piece that captures the grandeur of the setting. The music swells during the battle scenes, and it quiets during the quieter moments. It is a score that complements the visuals without overwhelming them.
The editing, by Richard Marks, is sharp. The film moves at a deliberate pace, but the cuts are clean. The transitions between scenes are seamless, and the film never feels disjointed. The sound design is also strong, with the sounds of nature — the wind, the animals, the distant thunder — woven into the mix.
The Cast and the Direction
The cast delivers uniformly strong performances. Costner is the center of the film, and he carries it with conviction. He is a commanding presence, and he makes Dunbar a character we care about. Greene and Grant are excellent as Kicking Bird and Wind In His Hair, and they bring depth to their roles. Chen is effective as Ten Bears, and he grounds the film in its cultural specificity.
The supporting cast is filled with talented actors. Gumbert is menacing as Major Fambrough, and he makes the cavalry commander a credible threat. The Sioux actors, including Tantoo Carroll as Stands With A Fist, are all committed to their roles. The film treats them with dignity, and it is clear that they are respected members of the production.
Costner’s direction is confident. He knows what he wants to say, and he says it clearly. The film is well-paced, and it avoids the excesses that sometimes plague epics. It is a directorial debut that announced Costner as a filmmaker to watch. The film is not perfect, but it is ambitious, and it is executed with skill.
The Legacy of Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves was a major cultural event when it was released. It was a box office success, and it received critical acclaim. Its seven Academy Awards were a validation of its artistic merit. The film was praised for its technical achievements, its performances, and its willingness to explore difficult themes.
The film has been influential. It paved the way for other films about Native American history, and it showed that Hollywood could make serious, thoughtful movies about the past. It also established Costner as a leading man who could carry a film on his own. The film’s success gave him the confidence to direct other projects, and it secured his place in the pantheon of American cinema.
The film has also been criticized. Some reviewers have argued that it is too simplistic, and that it romanticizes the past. Others have pointed to the problematic representation of Stands With A Fist. These criticisms are valid, and they should be considered when evaluating the film.
The Final Word
Dances with Wolves is a flawed masterpiece. It is a film that tries to do something important, and it largely succeeds. It is a beautiful, moving, and thought-provoking work of art. But it is also a film that has its blind spots, and it is a film that reflects the limitations of its era.
The film is worth watching. It is a rewarding experience that rewards patience. The first hour is slow, but the payoff is real. The central relationship between Dunbar and Wind In His Hair is one of the great friendships in cinema, and the film’s exploration of cultural difference is ahead of its time.
But the film is not perfect. The treatment of Stands With A Fist is troubling, and the pacing of the first hour can be frustrating. These are flaws that cannot be ignored, and they reduce the film’s overall impact.
| Element | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Central relationship | Tender and complex | Unequal power dynamics |
| Cinematography | Stunning | None |
| Score | Sweeping and effective | None |
| Battle scenes | Intense and brutal | None |
| Supporting performances | Excellent | None |
| Romance | Poignant | Exploitative |
Dances with Wolves is a film that deserves its reputation. It is a landmark of American cinema, and it continues to be discussed and debated. It is a film that rewards repeated viewings, and it is a film that will be remembered for generations.
The film is a reminder that the past is not simple, and that the stories we tell about it matter. It is a film that asks us to look beyond the stereotypes and see the people behind them. It is a film that invites us to consider what it means to belong, and what it means to be an outsider.
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