Thunderheart (1992)

A young mixed-blood FBI agent is assigned to work with a cynical veteran investigator on a murder on a poverty-stricken Sioux reservation.

Director:

Michael Apted

Writer:

John Fusco

Stars:

Val Kilmer, Sam Shepard, Graham Greene

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Val Kilmer	...	Ray Levoi
Sam Shepard	...	Frank Coutelle
Graham Greene	...	Walter Crow Horse
Fred Ward	...	Jack Milton
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	William Dawes
Sheila Tousey	...	Maggie Eagle Bear
Ted Thin Elk	...	Grandpa Sam Reaches (as Chief Ted Thin Elk)
John Trudell	...	Jimmy Looks Twice
Julius Drum	...	Richard Yellow Hawk
Sarah Brave	...	Maisy Blue Legs
Allan R.J. Joseph	...	Leo Fast Elk
Sylvan Pumpkin Seed	...	Hobart
Patrick Massett	...	Agent Mackey
Rex Linn	...	FBI Agent
Brian A. O'Meara	...	FBI Agent

Storyline

An FBI man with Sioux background is sent to a reservation to help with a murder investigation, where he has to come to terms with his heritage. Slowly he rejects the intimidating tactics of his fellow FBI agents, who are not so interested in solving the crime as covering up an incriminating situation with the locals, and as he becomes more tuned to his heritage, the locals begin trusting him. Based on actual Reservation occurrences of the '70s.

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Plot Keywords:

sioux | fbi | reservation | fbi agent | murder | 

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Taglines:

Two men from different worlds. Two cops after the same killer. Together they must uncover the secrets. Together they must discover the truth.

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, and for some areas of violence

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [uk]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Sioux

Release Date:

3 April 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Coeur de tonnerre

Filming Locations:

Badlands National Park, Interior, South Dakota, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$22,660,758 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Tribeca Productions, Waterhorse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is actually a thinly veiled account of real events that occurred on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation during the early to mid-Seventies. Exploration for Uranium, disease from irradiated water, the American Indian Movement (AIM) and the "Traditional" Natives fight against the Tribal government "Guardians Of the Oglala Nation (GOON's), and the FBI's assistance to the "Goons" by providing weaponry and other assistance are some of the things that are referred to in the movie that were true and documented by Writer/Director Michael Apted when he was a regular visitor to the Reservation during that time.

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Goofs

When Maggie Eagle Bear drives off, another camera crew is reflected in the cars window pane.

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Quotes

Frank Coutelle: [shouting into CB Radio] Officer down! Officer down!
FBI Agent: Has the officer been shot? Over.
Frank Coutelle: [shouting] No, the officer's been bit by a fuckin' badger!

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Connections

Referenced in The Big Hit (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Badlands"
Written by Bruce Springsteen (1977)
Sung by Bruce Springsreen over car radio

User Reviews

Fair realism

Many have dismissed this film as 'too Hollywood' or fictionalized. Many don't understand just what went on in 'The Incident at Oglala'. Others wonder why it was so under-promoted. The US Government doesn't want anything promoted that shows their VERY dark side. Many US citizens do not know, do not want to know, or refuse to believe that their government does the exact same things that we chastise other governments for. I'm Native American myself (Cherokee/Powhattan), a tribal volunteer, and a Native Activist. The FBI has a file on me. My phone is tapped. This is what happens when you're involved in activities that reveal what your government is really up to. Yes, it is a 'fictionalized' account, but if you're familiar with the story, you know that Fred Ward is former chairman Dick Wilson, who helped the US Government to draw attention away from the fact that he was selling off 1/8 of the Pine Ridge Reservation for uranium mining, without the rest of the people knowing. Jimmy Looks Twice is vaguely based on Leonard Peltier (though I don't think anyone has claimed Leonard could shapeshift), and Maggie Eagle Bear is an excellent description of Anna Mae Aquash, who was murdered--the FBI tried to have her illegally buried under an assumed name, then just as Jane Doe, and because she had distinctive jewelry on her hands that couldn't be removed due to post-mortem swelling, they CUT OFF HER HANDS...sent them off allegedly for 'fingerprinting', and what do you know? They got lost. The book by Peter Mathiessen, "In the Spirit Of Crazy Horse" was kept from publishment for 8 years by the government who did not want the story out. Some of my fave lines? Cooch's "ARM is on it's last legs, Ray..." And Crowhorse's reaction to Ray's threat about withholding information, "So sue (Sioux) me..." And the scenery is so stark and beautiful. I cry every time I watch it. Fast action shoot-em-ups despite a yard full of kids? It happened. That's not Hollywood. The FBI was shooting up an 'encampment' full of women and kids at Oglala. They don't care. The only good Indian is a dead Indian. It's been this way for 500 years, and it continues today.