Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) (TV)

Director:

Yves Simoneau

Writers (WGA):

Daniel Giat (teleplay)
Dee Brown (book)

Release Date:

27 May 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Western

Tagline:

The Epic Fall of the American Indian

Plot:

A chronicle of how American Indians were displaced as the U.S. expanded west. Based on the book by Dee Brown.

Plot Keywords:

General | Senator | Government | Sitting Bull | Assimilation

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 20 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Anna Paquin	...	Elaine Goodale
Chevez Ezaneh	...	Ohiyesa / Young Charles
August Schellenberg	...	Sitting Bull
Duane Howard	...	Uncle
Aidan Quinn	...	Henry Dawes
Colm Feore	...	General Sherman
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	President Ulysses S. Grant (as Fred Thompson)
Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse	...	One Bull (as Nathan Chasing Horse)
Wayne Charles Baker	...	Jacob
Brian Stollery	...	Bishop Whipple
Shaun Johnston	...	Col. Nelson Miles
Gordon Tootoosis	...	Chief Red Cloud
Billy Merasty	...	Young Man Afraid
Morris Birdyellowhead	...	American Horse
Eddie Spears	...	Chasing Crane

Also Known As:

Untitled Wounded Knee Project (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

Originally began development in 1995 as a two-part miniseries for ABC.

Goofs:

Continuity: The mouse that craws under the blanket is clearly not the same mouse that is hit with the pan by the Indian woman and then removed from under the blanket.

Quotes:

Henry Dawes: We cannot allow a return to incivility.
Charles Eastman: Incivility? And what has civility earned them, might I ask? Trained nurses? Even one hospital?
Henry Dawes: All things the Sioux will provide for themselves, Charles, once this plan has passed. As you yourself agreed - they must adapt.
Charles Eastman: Must they adapt, sir, to the point of their own extermination?
Henry Dawes: Extermination? I suppose you say we've exterminated your Indian heritage rather than provided to you the benefits of an entire civilization?
Charles Eastman: Senator, please sit. Sir, if every individual were taken personally under your care, as was my good fortune, I admit, the outcome might be what you seek. But I am not the example you held up to The Friends of the Indian. I am the example of nothing. I simply do not see how placing each Indian man on a desolate, 160-acre parcel of land is going to lead his children to medical school.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Death Song

Congrats, HBO

Having just spent the past 18 months studying Native American philosophy and having just returned from a week at Cherokee, learning the language and culture up close, I can say this film does help express the complex and heart-rending story of the relationship between the invaders and the conquered in our years 1870-1890.

For those who have been critical of the film (on this site), I should note from a White Woman's point of view, this is about all that Whites can absorb of the "full" story and emotions as a first contact. Yes, more can be told and should be told. But it's a start.

Perhaps this is the beginning of a revival of compassion and cross-cultural understanding.

In 1775, Dragging Canoe, a Cherokee, said, "We are not yet conquered." It has taken 200 years. Let's hope he was right.