In 1990, the cinematic landscape braced itself for what many predicted would be a monumental flop: Dances With Wolves movie. Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, this ambitious Western epic, adapted from Michael Blake’s novel, seemed destined for disaster. Alongside Costner, the film featured Graham Greene, Mary McDonnell, and Rodney A. Grant, with Dean Semler’s cinematography capturing the vast landscapes and John Barry’s score providing the emotional backdrop. Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, the narrative follows Lieutenant John Dunbar (Costner) as he journeys to a remote military outpost on the frontier. There, facing isolation and the stark beauty of nature, he forges an unexpected bond with the Lakota Indians, ultimately discovering a profound connection and sense of belonging he had never known. As Dunbar himself reflects, “I had never known a people so eager to laugh, so devoted to family, so dedicated to each other. And the only word that came to mind was harmony.”
The critical fraternity sharpened their knives, anticipating a cinematic catastrophe. An epic Western in 1990? Had Costner not learned the lessons of Heaven’s Gate, a notorious Western bomb from a decade prior? Production was lengthy and troubled; with an initial budget hovering between $15 and $22 million, Costner reportedly had to inject $3 million of his own funds to keep the project afloat. Weather setbacks, challenges in animal training, and action sequences that stretched into weeks of filming fueled the growing conviction that Dances With Wolves was doomed. “Kevin’s Gate” became a whispered moniker, a grim echo of past failures. Adding to the skepticism, the film was partially subtitled, considered a commercial risk. All signs pointed towards a critical and commercial disaster for the Dances With Wolves movie.
However, Dances With Wolves defied every prediction, galloping its way to a staggering $424 million in worldwide box office receipts. This figure excluded the subsequent earnings from VHS and DVD sales, further solidifying its phenomenal success. When the Academy Awards rolled around, Dances With Wolves emerged as a cinematic champion, clinching 7 Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture award. This victory was particularly significant as it marked the first Western to win Best Picture since Cimarron in 1931, resurrecting the genre on the grandest stage. Costner also secured the Best Director award, and the film received nominations in five other categories, including Best Actor for Costner, Best Supporting Actor for Graham Greene, and Best Supporting Actress for Mary McDonnell. In every measure – artistic, personal, and commercial – Dances With Wolves movie was a resounding triumph for Costner. One can easily imagine Costner, post-Oscar glory, relaxing on his porch, perhaps with a glass of bourbon, offering a silent salute to the critics who had prematurely written off his vision.
At its core, Dances With Wolves presents a simple narrative. Yet, this simplicity is precisely where its strength lies. The Dances With Wolves movie, the name bestowed upon Dunbar by the Sioux, is a masterfully crafted Western, arguably one of the most enchanting ever brought to screen. It embodies all the essential elements of a top-tier Western: a story rich in detail despite its straightforward premise, characters imbued with genuine depth, and a pacing that never falters, even in the extended 236-minute director’s cut. Credit must be given to Costner, who, in his directorial debut, seamlessly blends these elements with the assured hand of a seasoned master from the genre’s golden age. Every narrative thread explored yields rewarding emotional resonance, weaving together wistfulness, romanticism, and a poignant elegiac tone. The action sequences are expertly choreographed, with the buffalo hunt standing out as a truly breathtaking spectacle. Notably, the film eschews CGI, relying instead on practical effects, including animatronics for close-up animal encounters and, crucially, authentic Native American actors from the Lakota Sioux tribe. Humor is also deftly integrated, arising organically from the developing friendships and enriching the narrative flow.
For aficionados of Westerns, stunning locations and a memorable score are paramount. Dances With Wolves movie excels in both domains. Dean Semler’s cinematography and John Barry’s score both earned well-deserved Golden Baldy awards (referring to Oscars). Filmed primarily in South Dakota, around the Black Hills and Badlands, Semler’s lens captures the raw grandeur of the frontier, immersing the audience in its vastness and untamed beauty. His framing transcends mere visuals, becoming a powerful storytelling tool in itself. Barry’s score, while subtly reminiscent of A View To A Kill at times, is appropriately majestic, offering both delicate nuances in the main theme and adrenaline-pumping intensity during action sequences like the buffalo hunt and Pawnee attacks. The acting performances, recognized by the Academy nominations for Costner, Greene, and McDonnell, are uniformly outstanding. The male leads embody a quiet strength and understated emotion, deeply connected to the heart of the story and imbuing it with a sincerity often absent in epic productions. Mary McDonnell, as Stands With A Fist, a white woman raised by the Sioux after a childhood tragedy, navigates a complex emotional arc with remarkable depth and nuance, delivering a truly compelling performance. While Rodney A. Grant was not nominated, his portrayal is equally impactful, particularly in his later scenes with Costner, which powerfully underscore the film’s thematic shifts.
While Dances With Wolves movie is largely celebrated, it’s not without minor historical inaccuracies that may irk purists. For instance, the portrayal of the Pawnee as primary aggressors has been questioned. Furthermore, the romantic relationship between Costner and McDonnell, while tender, feels somewhat underdeveloped in the theatrical cut, though it gains more depth in the director’s cut. However, these minor flaws fade into insignificance when weighed against the film’s overarching vision and ambition, so successfully realized. Structured with meticulous care and imbued with a deep respect for tradition, Dances With Wolves is fundamentally a film about human connection and empathy. It’s a movie for those who appreciate genuine human stories. It’s easy to imagine that the legendary figures of the Western genre, looking down from cinematic Valhalla, would nod in approval at this remarkable achievement. A well-deserved 10/10.
