Tonight's movie was "Woman Walks Ahead"(2017), a historical Western/biopic about a painter from New York named Catherine Weldon who went to South Dakota in 1890, in search of the legendary Lakota Chief Sitting Bull. Weldon had made a name for herself painting portraits of politicians. She was also an admirer of Western Landscape artist George Catlin, and it was his work that inspired her to travel by herself, at a time when women never did so, to Sioux country, in order to meet the famous Chief and ask him to sit for her. Jessica Chastain stars as Weldon, and as the movie opens we see her riding a train to South Dakota. A tough looking soldier (Sam Rockwell) notices she is alone and quizzes her on why she is out in the middle of nowhere. "The only stop out this way is the Standing Rock Reservation. You wouldn't be headed there, now would you"? She tells him the truth, that she is an artist looking to paint Sitting Bull, but Rockwell doesn't believe her. He accuses her of being an agitator, a New York liberal who is out to stir up trouble among the Indians.
Rockwell is an agent for the U.S. Army who is trying to broker a land swap treaty with the various Lakota tribes. He is the spokesman for Washington DC. They want the Lakota people to agree to give up their land in the Dakota Territory in exchange for money and supplies. Rockwell is hoping to seal the deal at an upcoming meeting with the tribes, so he is not happy to see this East Coast woman trying to gain access to the ex-warrior Sitting Bull, who had fought General Custer so furiously at Little Big Horn, but who is now in seclusion at Standing Rock, raising potatoes in the dirt. "The Bull" has been subdued; Rockwell doesn't want this woman trying to reawaken him. He convinces the Colonel headquartered at the reservation to have her kicked out, however, she finds an ally in the Colonel's adjutant, an Americanized Indian in an Army uniform. This soldier, named Chaska, just so happens to be the nephew of Sitting Bull. He secretly wants the treaty to fail, so he takes Weldon out to meet the great man, when he's supposed to be running her off the reservation.
From there the plot takes off, only it's not a plot but a historical tale. At least it's supposed to be. Weldon meets Sitting Bull, who demands a thousand bucks for his portrait. Bull has been schooled in the ways of capitalism and has even done a tour in New York with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. He's also a macho Indian chief who at first wants to show the white woman her proper place, which is in deference to him. But as he gets to know her, he's impressed with Weldon's independent streak and begins to treat her as an equal. In fact, they form a friendship bordering on love.
During all of this, the Army is still trying to push their treaty through. They need enough Indian votes for ratification (as an aside, this detail is said to be historically inaccurate). Weldon has so far stayed out of the politics of the matter, but when Washington announces that the Indians' monthly rations of food are to be cut in half, in order to force them to sign the treaty, her blood boils. She goes to the bank and withdraws enough money to pay for the food by herself. This enrages the local townsfolk, who are bitter about their losses in the Indian Wars and want the Sioux off the land. This is to be a turning point in the film, and I really shouldn't tell you any more.
There are two factions on the Army side, however. One is represented by Rockwell the agent from Washington, which wants the treaty signed as soon as possible to serve two purposes: getting the Lakota off the property and avoiding another war. The other faction is headed up by one man, General Crook (a real life person), who has actually fought Sitting Bull in the wars of the past and has great respect for him, and for the Indian way of life. General Crook won't commit his position, but he seems to be against the treaty and in favor of allowing the Lakota tribes to continue to live in peace at their ancestral home. General Crook has seen the worst violence both sides are capable of, and wants peace.
At least he seems to.
Sitting Bull is against assimilation also, but wants peace. And, he has a fateful vision of the future.
I enjoyed "Woman Walks Ahead", though it wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I was getting more of an adventure film, an "out on the dusty trail" type of Western, but for the most part it was very much a political/ideological dialogue instead. It's really Sitting Bull's film, and should've been titled after him I think. Michael Greyeyes shines as the Chief. Jessica Chastain is quite good as always, but doesn't have much to do except react to what is going on around her. All of the decisions are controlled by the men, except when she purchases the food. That one choice, however, greatly impacts the plot, so I suppose she does "walk ahead" in that sense. Some of the story seems a little heavy handed or over dramatised, a minor complaint on my part, but you know what I'm talking about - this is a very liberal film with it's heart on it's sleeve. To be fair, however, the director Susanna White doesn't demonise the Army as you might expect. She presents the atrocities on both sides, and she gives us what was said to be the real Sitting Bull, a leader of high integrity who nonetheless had come to like money and a little bit of celebrity.
The film is beautifully shot on location in New Mexico, standing in for South Dakota. It's a little slow in places and overly talky, but all in all it tells the story of the Dawes Treaty from all sides. The treaty attempt led up to something historic, which you will discover for yourself at the film's powerful conclusion.
Two Solid Thumbs Up for "Woman Walks Ahead", with a great performance by Michael Greyeyes as noted. Sam Rockwell too, is good as always. ////
That's all for now. It's Wednesday morning, an early writing time for me. I am just about to head over to Pearl's for my new afternoon shift. I'll be back around 6pm and I'll see you back here later tonight at the Usual Time. Have a great day!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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