Complete credited cast: | |||
Sheryl Lee | ... | Mary Ingles | |
Ellen Burstyn | ... | Gretel | |
Eric Schweig | ... | Wildcat | |
Tim Guinee | ... | Will | |
Renée O'Connor | ... | Bettie Draper | |
![]() |
Tyler Noyes | ... | Tommy Ingles |
Andy Stahl | ... | Henry Lenard (as Andrew Stahl) | |
Gabriel Macht | ... | Johnny Draper | |
Tony Amendola | ... | LaPlante | |
![]() |
Sammy D. Miller | ... | Goulart |
![]() |
Graeme Malcolm | ... | Buchanan |
![]() |
Juddson Keith Linn | ... | Deer Following |
Jimmie F. Skaggs | ... | Snake Stick |
Mary Ingles is pregnant when she and her two sons are captured from their homestead in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains by the Shawnee tribe. Her husband, Will, narrowly escapes death during the attack. Impressed by her grace under the pressure of captivity, Wildcat, the Shawnee chief, confers special privileges on Mary and her children, eventually proposing that Mary become his mate. Surprised by her attraction to the handsome brave, Mary nonetheless opts to remain faithful to Will and engineers a plan for her escape. Separated from her children, Mary joins another female settler, and together they embark on a harrowing homeward trek. Her odyssey comes full circle more than a decade later when she is finally reunited with her long-lost children. Written by <Goldenshadows@hotmail.com>
A few years ago, I was at a pub in Santa Monica, CA. Having a beer and reading John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meaney". A man was sitting next to me and we struck up conversation about the book, and if it could be made in to a movie (Which, sad to say, it sort of was in the guise of "Simon Birch", another book ruined by Hollywood, but I digress)This man then asked me what great book I had read which I thought would be a great movie, and I said "Follow the River". I explained the story to him (Mari's review is great)and even that I would cast Eric Schweig as Wildcat. Less than a year later, viola, this god-awful movie shows up on television (and I don't think it was a coincidence). This book is so beautiful, a tale of strong will and courage, overcoming great odd's. And it's turned into American-pie everyone lives happily ever after fodder. Why must Hollywood take wonderful books and ruin them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!