Another good Native film despite Winterhawk being played by a white actor. In fact, there were no real Native actors playing the Native roles. That's what happens when Hollywood keeps stereotyping them. At least this one wasn't filmed in Hollywood but rather out in Montana and Colorado. So this had an appropriate setting. But the opening and closing songs really romanticized the film although Winterhawk was the main protagonist.
This one views the Blackfeet in a more positive light in that they respected the mountain men a lot and their knowledge of Blackfeet cultural ways as it showed in the beginning when all the re-enactors participated at that rendez-vous event.
Rendez-vous is a large gathering where historical re-enactors all converge into one large camp for a few days and target practice with their blackpowder guns, tomahawks, knives, etc., trade goods with each other, participate in Seneca runs, etc. I did that myself for a little while but it just got too expensive with all the clothing, equipment and everything so I stopped. But it is a real cool hobby for history buffs.
But getting back to the film itself: the main character Winterhawk only wanted to find the smallpox remedy for his people who were dying. So he went to the rendez-vous camp to ask where he could find it. Two of them then almost led him to his death by attempting an ambush in the nearby woods. Fortunately though, Winterhawk was not fooled by their trickery. But one of his warriors got shot and for that, Winterhawk rightfully sought revenge by kidnapping Dawn Wells' character and her little brother.
Those same two mountain men also raped Pale Flower. So for those 2 major mistakes, Winterhawk and his Blackfeet warriors sought revenge. That one mountain man played by Leif Erickson nabbed the one who killed that one warrior as well as Pale Flower. So Winterhawk didn't have to worry about him per se. But I loved how Winterhawk stood his ground there towards the end and vowed not to return Dawn Wells and her brother back to the mountain men UNLESS he was given the smallpox medicines. The end fight did turn sad since the boy got loose and ended up getting in the middle and eventually injured. I'm just glad he didn't die. Overall, the action picks up more than halfway through when the girl and her brother get kidnapped.
Anyway, this one earns an 8 out of 10 in my books.
This one views the Blackfeet in a more positive light in that they respected the mountain men a lot and their knowledge of Blackfeet cultural ways as it showed in the beginning when all the re-enactors participated at that rendez-vous event.
Rendez-vous is a large gathering where historical re-enactors all converge into one large camp for a few days and target practice with their blackpowder guns, tomahawks, knives, etc., trade goods with each other, participate in Seneca runs, etc. I did that myself for a little while but it just got too expensive with all the clothing, equipment and everything so I stopped. But it is a real cool hobby for history buffs.
But getting back to the film itself: the main character Winterhawk only wanted to find the smallpox remedy for his people who were dying. So he went to the rendez-vous camp to ask where he could find it. Two of them then almost led him to his death by attempting an ambush in the nearby woods. Fortunately though, Winterhawk was not fooled by their trickery. But one of his warriors got shot and for that, Winterhawk rightfully sought revenge by kidnapping Dawn Wells' character and her little brother.
Those same two mountain men also raped Pale Flower. So for those 2 major mistakes, Winterhawk and his Blackfeet warriors sought revenge. That one mountain man played by Leif Erickson nabbed the one who killed that one warrior as well as Pale Flower. So Winterhawk didn't have to worry about him per se. But I loved how Winterhawk stood his ground there towards the end and vowed not to return Dawn Wells and her brother back to the mountain men UNLESS he was given the smallpox medicines. The end fight did turn sad since the boy got loose and ended up getting in the middle and eventually injured. I'm just glad he didn't die. Overall, the action picks up more than halfway through when the girl and her brother get kidnapped.
Anyway, this one earns an 8 out of 10 in my books.