I believed this film to be quite accurate throughout with one blemish. The last major scene ... the one of the actual massacre. The film portrays it as starting "by an accidental shot" by one of the villagers holding a gun. I believe that to be wrong! The fact is that the soldiers just went right in there to shoot and kill! Not one mention was made of this in the film. There was NO prelude, if you will, to the mass murders because right after Sitting Bull was shot and killed the soldiers/police went straight to the village to murder all his supporters. It was Sitting Bull who rose up again with his Lakota ppl in defiance of the whites because he still felt there was still a chance to salvage the old ways. So, right after Sitting Bull was shot, the soldiers weren't satisfied. So they proceeded to that village so that they could have killed more Lakota!! The massacre DID NOT start by an accidental discharge as it's portrayed in the film! You noticed that soon after the head commander told Charles Eastman that they "did not fire the first shot, I swear by the almighty God" ... those were the words right after he helped murder the Lakota. So not only did he help murder them but he also lied to Eastman! This film is a classic portrayal of murder, treachery and deceit by the whites as is ALWAYS the case! And Dawes was NOT a friend of Eastman's! Dawes just USED HIM to get what he wanted and what every white man wanted .... Lakota land, resources and wealth, that's all!! There was no such thing as "friendship" between whites and Native ppl in those days! If there was, it was usually the white person only wanting to use and abuse him/her, usually for land, money, resources; you know, the usual shebang.
But... ANYWAYS... this was still a great movie to watch for those interested in Native history and I would strongly recommend you watch it.
But... ANYWAYS... this was still a great movie to watch for those interested in Native history and I would strongly recommend you watch it.