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The Dark Wind

  • 19911991
  • RR
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
676
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
11,541
976
Lou Diamond Phillips in The Dark Wind (1991)
A Navajo police officer is mixed up in drug smuggling and murder on the reservation.
Play trailer1:31
1 Video
2 Photos
DramaMystery
A Navajo police officer is mixed up in drug smuggling and murder on the reservation.A Navajo police officer is mixed up in drug smuggling and murder on the reservation.A Navajo police officer is mixed up in drug smuggling and murder on the reservation.
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
676
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
11,541
976
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Errol Morris
    • Writers
      • Tony Hillerman(novel)
      • Neal Jimenez(screenplay)
      • Eric Bergren(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Lance Baker
      • Betty C. Barlow
      • Gary Basaraba
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Errol Morris
    • Writers
      • Tony Hillerman(novel)
      • Neal Jimenez(screenplay)
      • Eric Bergren(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Lance Baker
      • Betty C. Barlow
      • Gary Basaraba
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 21User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:31
    Trailer

    Photos

    The Dark Wind (1991)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lance Baker
    • Mr. Archer
    Betty C. Barlow
    • Old Navajo Woman #2
    Gary Basaraba
    Gary Basaraba
    • Larry
    Billy Beck
    Billy Beck
    • Motel Clerk
    Arlene Bowman
    • Edna Nezzie
    Guy Boyd
    Guy Boyd
    • Agent Johnson
    Charlie Carpenter
    • Pilot
    Blake Clark
    Blake Clark
    • Ben Gaines
    Julia Collins
    • Old Navajo Woman #1
    Kee Collins
    • Old Navajo Man #1
    Gary Farmer
    Gary Farmer
    • Cowboy Albert Dashee
    Patrick Jensen
    • Albino Boy
    John Karlen
    John Karlen
    • Jake West
    Neil Kayquoptewa
    • Lomatewa
    James Koots
    • Taylor
    Jane Loranger
    • Gail Pauling
    Lonnie Mace
    • Man #2
    Fidel Moreno
    • Workman
    • Director
      • Errol Morris
    • Writers
      • Tony Hillerman(novel)
      • Neal Jimenez(screenplay)
      • Eric Bergren(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Errol Morris, better known for his documentary work, did not finish the film due to "artistic differences" with Robert Redford.
    • Goofs
      A microphone is visible twice: once at the bottom of the screen about 42 minutes into the film; the other at the top of the screen about 10 minutes before the end.
    • Crazy credits
      The producers would like to acknowledge the Hopi and Navajo people. Their land, culture and humor enlightened us throughout the making of "The Dark Wind."
    • Alternate versions
      UK video versions were cut 11 seconds for a "15" rating. The cinema version was uncut at the same category.
    • Connections
      Followed by Skinwalkers (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Love Letters
      Music and Lyrics by Doug Livingston and Harry Shannon

    User reviews21

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Along the Navajo Trail
    Despite the 'creative differences' with producer Robert Redford that did not allow director Errol Morris to finish The Dark Wind, the final product did not turn out half bad. Sad that it was relegated to straight to video and did not get a theatrical release.

    I liked Lou Diamond Phillips very much as Navajo Reserrvation officer Jim Chee, hero of many books by Tony Hillerman. Being part Cherokee himself, Phillips does have a very good insight into playing Indian characters as in Renegades, Young Guns I & II, and Sioux City.

    Here he's the new guy on the force and hasn't made all that good an impression on his new boss, Fred Ward when he drives into a ditch while in hot pursuit of some speeders.

    A lot of very strange, seemingly unconnected things are happening that Lou is asked to look into. A decaying body of an Navajo, the vandalism of a windmill, a plane crash in the middle of the reservation, some missing heroin from said crash, and the burglary of the Navajo Trading Post, yet all are connected. And Lou winds up on a suspect list as well.

    Location shooting on the Navajo and Hopi Reservations really helps the story along. And there are some nice performances by Gary Farmer as a Hopi Deputy Sheriff, Gary Basaraba and Guy Boyd as a pair of DEA agents, and John Karlen as the trading post owner. Besides Lou and Farmer who are American Indians, a whole lot of the supporting players and small parts are played by same.

    It's a good film, despite some filming goofs, with some very nice performances and a good story.

    Hey even Alfred Hitchcock had some goofs in some of his classics.
    helpful•18
    0
    • bkoganbing
    • Sep 13, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 15, 1992 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Navajo
      • Hopi
    • Also known as
      • Tempestad en la llanura
    • Filming locations
      • New Mexico, USA
    • Production companies
      • Carolco Pictures
      • North Face Motion Picture Company
      • Wildwood Enterprises
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16 : 9

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