History Film / DancesWithWolves

** Notably, when John first encounters an armed Lakota scout - namely, the shaman Kicking Bird - the scout tries to steal Cisco, but the moment John discovers him, he quickly mounts his own horse and and rides out, leaving a buck-naked John wondering what just happened. As he rides away, you see his bow and quiver - he could have easily done to John what the Pawnee did to [[spoiler:Timmons]], but Kicking Bird instead goes back to the Sioux camp and proposes they parlay with him.

* DramaticIrony: John goes back to the fort to retrieve his journal, fearing it would have been found and would have lead someone to the Sioux, and all the death and hardship that follows is because of this decision. The audience sees, but John doesn't, that his journal was found by a thieving, illiterate {{Jerkass}} who would have destroyed it himself eventually anyway... wiping his ass with it.

** Oh, but the special place in Hell should be reserved for Corporal Spivey. If it wasn't for him, Dunbar would have his journal, and therefore a record of all of his activities. Without it, there's no proof that Dunbar was at Fort Sedgewick, let alone what he did to make peaceful contact with the local Sioux. And why does Spivey steal the journal in the first place? No reason. Especially since '''he can't even read'''. And if it wasn't enough already, he had the ''NERVE'' to try to steal from the imprisoned Dunbar for the second time, thinking he's sleeping. Worst of it all, Spivey has no reason to keep the journal hidden once its importance is explained nor it wouldn't be hard for him to find an excuse why he kept if for himself. He never returns it, not even considers doing so, despite knowing Dunbar is going to be hanged without the notebook supporting his story.

* NameThatUnfoldsLikeLotusBlossom: All the Native Americans (except Otter). While this does somewhat reflect [[TruthInTelevision real life Indian naming conventions]], the actual names are usually ''much'' less poetic than the movie kind. Take for example that fierce Comanche warrior Toboibita, who's name translates roughly as "A Group of Men Standing on a Hill"

* NoNameGiven : Wes Studi's character, who is only credited as "Toughest Pawnee", and Lt. Elgin's commanding officer.

* TranslationConvention: Averted. While shooting half of the movie in Lakota was ridiculed during the production, it turned out to be a fantastic choice from stylistic standpoint. Both critics and audiences praised how much more real it felt thanks to Sioux talking in their language and John struggling with it.[[note]]However, as most of actors had to be coached into it, and the coach had been a woman, it turned into unintentional comedy for actual Lakota users - while Lakota lacks grammatical gender, there is still enough differences betweem "men-speech" and "women-speech" to make [[GenderVocabularySlip a warrior using female speech patterns hilarious]].[[/note]]

* BadassMustache: Elgin's escort has one SpearCarrier sergeant with a prominent mustache who gets an impressive showing in the movie despite being unnamed and uncredited. He is scouting ahead with Elgin when the other soldiers started shooting at Two Socks and abusing Dunbar, and joins the lieutenant in making them stop at gunpoint. When the Indians attack the wagon, he's also the only man to really put up a fight, taking an arrow to the chest, but riding forward, firing, before a second arrow strikes him.

* ReCut: An Extended Cut was shown in Europe that adds practically an hour to the running time. While the focus on John Dunbar is lost, all the characters get a buttload of development. Also, the precise reason why the Army camp was deserted was explained. This has been released on DVD, and is the only way to get a widescreen version of the film without eBay.

* NotSoDifferent: It is chilling when you realize that Lieutenant Elgin (young, dashing, heroic, dutiful, compassionate) is almost a carbon copy of Lieutenant John Dunbar not so long ago. (He is the first killed in the Sioux ambush/rescue)

The film also stars Mary [=McDonnell=] as Stands with a Fist, Graham Greene as Kicking Bird and Rodney A. Grant as Wind in His Hair.

Since this movie is a classic, it shouldn't be too hard to find a longer description that spoils the whole story. If seven Academy Awards don't tell you, it's worth a view. And one testament to the movie's excellent balance of fiction and cultural accuracy is the fact that Kevin Costner has been adopted as an honorary member of the Lakota Nation.

** The Lakota are portrayed as simply defending themselves, and the Pawnee as evil allies of the US government. However, it was actually the Lakota who had been the aggressors against the Pawnee, moving into the Plains in the late 1700's from the northeast, and still perpetrating massacres of Pawnee in 1843. This is actually ''why'' other tribes, such as the Pawnee, Arikara and Absaroka, were allies of the US government against the Lakota (not that it helped them later), since the Lakota had been pushing them out of their land. While the Pawnee could be brutal, they were no more so than the Lakota. This is due to the SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness, in order to define clearly good and bad guys based on their respective tribal affiliation, without complicating matters.
** Fort Hays (misspelled as "Fort Hayes") is featured. The film starts in 1863, but Fort Hays wasn't established until 1865, and didn't receive its current name until the following year.

** [[spoiler: No tears were shed over Spivey and Sergeant Bauer, considering they abused Dunbar as a captive and killed Two-Socks during the transport. Not to mention Spivey lied and stole Dunbar's journal and uses it as toilet paper.]]

* TheDogBitesBack: After being captured and abused as a prisoner before being rescued, John wasted no time strangling Spivey and drowning him to death.

** Oh, but the special place in Hell should be reserved for Corporal Spivey. If it wasn't for him, Dunbar would have his journal, and therefore a record of all of his activities. Without it, there's no proof that Dunbar was at Fort Sedgewick, let alone what he did to make peaceful contact with the local Sioux. And why does Spivey steal the journal in the first place? No reason. Especially since '''he can't even read'''. And if it wasn't enough already, he then tries to steal from imprisoned Dunbar for the second time, thinking he's sleeping. Worst of it all, Spivey has no reason to keep the journal hidden once its importance is explained nor it wouldn't be hard for him to find an excuse why he kept if for himself. He never returns it, not even considers doing so, despite knowing Dunbar is going to be hanged without the notebook supporting his story.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Lt. Elgin, who heads the squad that captures Dunbar, tries to keep his men in line, and ensure Dunbar is treated humanely. Unfortunately, nobody told the Sioux rescue party this, and he's the first to die in their raid.

* LaserGuidedKarma: The squad of soldiers who abused Dances with Wolves [[spoiler: and killed Two Socks and Cisco]] are dispatched in particularly brutal fashion by the Sioux rescue party. [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Lt Elgin's]] fate is a somewhat positive example-- he's rewarded for his fair treatment of Dances with Wolves with a swift and almost instantaneous death.

* {{Jerkass}}: Corporal Spivey lies about finding John's/Dances With Wolves' journal, and then later [[CrossesTheLineTwice uses it to help out at the latrine]].

** [[spoiler: No tears were shed over Spivey and Sergeant Bauer, considering they abused Dunbar as a captive and killed Two-Socks during the transport]].

* DirtyCoward: When the platoon of soldiers who captured John is under attack by the Sioux, Bauer immediately passes himself off as a corpse in order to make his escape, even as Edwards is screaming for the man to come to his aid less than a few feet away, however, Baur doesn't get that far.

* ForegoneConclusion: The Sioux don't get to keep their freedom and lifestyle.

** Oh, a special place in Hell should be reserved for Corporal Spivey. If it wasn't for him, Dunbar would have his journal, and therefore a record of all of his activities. Without it, there's no proof that Dunbar was at Fort Sedgewick, let alone what he did to make peaceful contact with the local Sioux. And why does Spivey steal the journal in the first place? No reason. Especially since '''he can't even read'''. And if it wasn't enough already, he then tries to steal from imprisoned Dunbar for the second time, thinking he's sleeping. Worst of it all, Spivey has no reason to keep the journal hidden once its importance is explained nor it wouldn't be hard for him to find an excuse why he kept if for himself. He never returns it, not even considers doing so, despite knowing Dunbar is going to be hanged without the notebook supporting his story.

* SoldierVsWarrior: Despite being a career officer with a hefty experience behind his belt, Dunbar is not considered "ready" to be a warrior when Sioux organise their war party. Both sides acknowledge the reasoning behind this decision without any hard feelings.

** Notably, when John first encounters a armed Lakota scout - namely, the shaman Kicking Bird - the scout tries to steal Cisco, but the moment John discovers him, he quickly mounts his own horse and and rides out, leaving a buck-naked John wondering what just happened. As he rides away, you see his bow and quiver - he could have easily done to John what the Pawnee did to [[spoiler:Timmons]], but Kicking Bird instead goes back to the Sioux camp and proposes they parlay with him.

* BadassNative: Wind In His Hair is probably the best fighter of the tribe, in a CrazyAwesome way.

* AnnoyingArrows: PlayedWith. It takes ''six'' arrows to kill [[spoiler: Timmons]] and he still lives long enough to be scalped - alive. In other situations, one arrow is usually enough, but no guarantee of instant death.

''Dances with Wolves'' is an epic-length Western film made in 1990 based on Michael Blake's book of the same title. It is directed by Creator/KevinCostner and written by Blake.

An epic-length Western film made in 1990 set in the 1860's, directed by and starring Creator/KevinCostner, about a United States Army lieutenant who gets positioned in a fort on the expanding western frontier. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the lieutenant becomes the only person occupying the fort and befriends a wild wolf while waiting for reinforcements to come. After some brief hostilities, he also comes into good terms with a neighboring Lakota community who nickname him "Dances With Wolves" for his relationship with the wolf who hangs around the fort, whom he names "Two Socks".

[[caption-width-right:323:...Tatanka...[[note]]"Buffalo" in Lakota Sioux.[[/note]]]]

An epic-length Western film made in 1990 set in the 1860s, directed by and starring Creator/KevinCostner, about a United States Army lieutenant who gets positioned in a fort on the expanding western frontier. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the lieutenant becomes the only person occupying the fort and befriends a wild wolf while waiting for reinforcements to come. After some brief hostilities, he also comes into good terms with a neighboring Sioux Tribe who nickname him "Dances With Wolves" for his relationship with the wolf that hangs around the fort, whom he names "Two Socks".

Since this movie is a classic it shouldn't be too hard to find a longer description that spoils the whole story. If seven Academy Awards don't tell you, it's worth a view. And one testament to the movie's excellent balance of fiction and cultural accuracy is the fact that Kevin Costner has been adopted as an honorary member in the Sioux Nation.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Although more accurate than previous films in its depiction of the West and native peoples, it still has inaccuracies:
** The European-American settlers are shown hunting buffaloes solely to take their skins. This was not yet the case in 1865, and would only begin in 1871. At that point, settlers still hunted buffaloes also for their meat.
** The Lakota are portrayed as simply defending themselves, and the Pawnee as evil allies of the US government. However, it was actually the Lakota who had been the aggressors against the Pawnee, moving into the Plains in the late 1700s from the northeast, and still perpetrating massacres of Pawnee in 1843. This is actually ''why'' other tribes, such as the Pawnee, Arikara and Crow, were allies of the US government against the Lakota (not that it helped them later), since the Lakota had been pushing them out of their land. While the Pawnee could be brutal, they were no more so than the Lakota. This is due to the SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness, in order to define clearly good and bad guys based on their respective Native American Tribes, without complicating matters.

** Parents of Standing With A Fist, all things considered. [[spoiler: From what little is shown, they've decided it a wise choice to antagonise a group of Pawnees and treat them like dirt, despite the tense situation, while essentially squatting on the tribe's land. It escalates into TooDumbToLive when they face the natives unarmed, trying to shoo them away like dogs and then turn their backs on the Pawnees]].
** [[spoiler: No tears were shed over Spivey and Sergeant Bauer considering they abused Dunbar as a captive and killed Two-Socks during the transport]].

** Notably, when John first encounters a armed Sioux scout - Kicking Bird - the scout tries to steal Cisco, but the moment John discovers him, he quickly mounts his own horse and and rides out, leaving a buck-naked John wondering what just happened. As he rides away, you see his bow and quiver - he could have easily done to John what the Pawnee did to [[spoiler:Timmons]], but Kicking Bird instead goes back to the Sioux camp and proposes they parlay with him.

* BadassMustache: Elgin's escort has one SpearCarrier sergeant with a prominent mustache who gets an impressive showing in th movie despite being unnamed and uncredited. He is scouting ahead with Elgin when the other soldiers started shooting at Two Socks and abusing Dunbar, and joins the lieutenant in making them stop at gunpoint. When the Indians attack the wagon, he's also the only man to really put up a fight, taking an arrow to the chest, but riding forward, firing, before a second arrow strikes him.

* BadassMustache: Elgin's escort has one SpearCarrier sergeant who applies, having been scouting ahead with him when the others started shooting at Two Socks and abusing Dunbar, and joining the lieutenant in making them stop. When the Indians attack, he's the only man to really put up a fight taking an arrow to the chest, but riding forward, firing, before a second strikes him.
* BadassNative: Wind In His Hair.

* CavalryOfficer: Both good and bad.

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: The Pawnee, who attack both the Sioux and [[ArtisticLicenseHistory Stands With A Fist's family]].
** Maybe. The Sioux raid the Pawnee earlier in the film and Stands With A Fist's family is incredibly insulting to them. Both narrow justifications for the attacks.
** It also should be noted that a ''lot'' of the antagonism from the Pawnee comes from Wes Studi's warrior, who is a BloodKnight through and through. It gets to the point that the rest of his scouting party starts grumbling that he's going to get them all killed. The way he kills [[spoiler:Timmons, unarmed and harmless, by turning him into an arrow pincushion then ''scalping him alive'']] marks him not so much a great warrior as a {{Sadist}} through and through.

A film made in 1990 set in the 1860s, directed by and starring Creator/KevinCostner, about a United States Army lieutenant who gets positioned in a fort on the expanding western frontier. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the lieutenant becomes the only person occupying the fort and befriends a wild wolf while waiting for reinforcements to come. After some brief hostilities, he also comes into good terms with a neighboring Sioux Tribe who nickname him "Dances With Wolves" for his relationship with the wolf that hangs around the fort, whom he names "Two Socks".

* TheGhost: Captain Cargill, the first commander of Fort Sedgwick is this in the final cut, being absent when Dunbar returns. He does appear in the extended version, and the original novel, which show his command being plagued by squalor, and desertion, and Cargill eventually giving up any hope of relief, and deciding to take his remaining men home ([[AFatherToHisMen thanking them for staying as long as they did]]) and accept any potential consequences for the decision, with them leaving, out of one valley, [[MissedHimByThatMuch at the same time Dunbar and Timmons are arriving with the supplies, through na adjoining valley]].

** Spivey's novel counterpart survives the novel due to not being part of Dunbar's escort in the novel.
** Major Farmborough is institutionalized after trying to give orders like a king in the novel, while in the film, he is DrivenToSuicide by his depression and delusions.