Dances with Wolves

Dances with Wolves tells the story of Lieutenant John J. Dunbar, a Union Army officer in 1863 who, after a near-suicidal act of bravery, is hailed as a hero and granted his request to be posted to the remote American frontier. He wishes to see the West "before it's gone." Arriving at the desolate Fort Sedgwick, he finds it abandoned. Through a series of misadventures, the army loses all record of his post, leaving him utterly alone.

His solitude is broken by encounters with his neighbors, a band of Lakota Sioux. Initially met with suspicion and hostility, Dunbar begins a slow, cautious process of communication. He gradually forms a bond with the tribe's holy man, Kicking Bird, and the fierce warrior, Wind In His Hair. His connection deepens through his interactions with Stands With A Fist, a white woman who was adopted by the tribe as a child and serves as his interpreter. As Dunbar learns their language and customs, participating in a buffalo hunt and helping defend the village, his allegiance shifts, and he is given the name Dances With Wolves. He finds himself torn between the world he left behind and the people who have accepted him as their own.

The core meaning of Dances with Wolves revolves around the themes of cultural exchange, the search for identity, and a critique of manifest destiny. The film posits that true understanding and humanity can transcend cultural barriers when individuals are open to communication and mutual respect. Director Kevin Costner presents a revisionist take on the Western genre, moving away from the stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans as savages and instead depicting a rich, nuanced society with deep family bonds and a harmonious relationship with nature. The film serves as a poignant commentary on the tragic and inevitable clash between Native American cultures and the relentless westward expansion of the United States, ultimately lamenting the loss of a way of life and the disappearance of the American frontier.

While widely seen as a sympathetic portrayal of Native American culture, Dances with Wolves is often interpreted through a more critical lens, particularly concerning the "white savior" trope. From this perspective, the story is less about the Lakota and more about a white man's journey of self-discovery, using a native culture as an exotic backdrop. Critics of this view point out that Dunbar doesn't single-handedly save the Sioux; in fact, they rescue him multiple times, and he ultimately leaves to prevent them from being targeted by the army. His contribution of rifles helps in one battle, but it doesn't alter their ultimate historical fate.

Another interpretation views the film as a form of romanticized nostalgia or fantasy—a portrayal of 'how we wish the West had been' rather than a historically rigorous account. It presents an idealized version of contact, where a single good-hearted man can bridge the gap between two cultures. This reading suggests the film is more of a fable about tolerance and understanding than a historical document. The simplified portrayal of the Pawnee as unambiguously villainous, in contrast to the noble Sioux, is often cited as evidence of this more simplistic, fable-like structure rather than a nuanced historical depiction.

Dances with Wolves had a profound cultural impact upon its release in 1990. It is credited with reviving the Western genre, which had been considered commercially dead for over a decade. The film's epic scope, stunning cinematography, and emotional storytelling captivated audiences worldwide, leading to a massive box office success and critical acclaim, including seven Academy Awards.

Most significantly, the film dramatically shifted the popular cinematic portrayal of Native Americans. Departing from decades of stereotypical depictions of "savages," it presented the Lakota Sioux as a complex, honorable, and humane society. Its use of the Lakota language with subtitles was groundbreaking for a mainstream Hollywood film and was praised for its attempt at authenticity. Many in the Native American community lauded the film for its respectful and sympathetic portrayal, with some Sioux leaders making Kevin Costner an honorary member of their nation.

However, the film has also faced criticism over the years, particularly regarding its "white savior" narrative, in which a white protagonist becomes the central hero in a story about a minority culture. Some critics and scholars argue that despite its good intentions, the film still perpetuates the trope of the "noble savage" and centers the white experience. Nevertheless, Dances with Wolves remains a landmark film that opened a wider conversation about the representation of Native Americans in media and challenged the foundational myths of the American West. In 2007, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Audiences overwhelmingly embraced Dances with Wolves upon its release, making it a global box office phenomenon. Viewers were captivated by its epic scale, the breathtaking cinematography of the American plains, John Barry's sweeping musical score, and the emotional, character-driven story. Many praised the film for its heartfelt and respectful portrayal of Native American culture, which was a significant departure from typical Hollywood Westerns. The love story between Dunbar and Stands With A Fist was also a celebrated element. The main points of criticism, which grew more prominent in the years following its release, centered on its long runtime and the argument that it promoted a "white savior" narrative. Some found the portrayal of the Pawnee tribe as one-dimensionally villainous to be problematic. Despite these criticisms, the overall verdict from audiences was that it was a powerful, moving, and important film that successfully revitalized a genre and offered a more humane perspective on a crucial period of American history.