Dances With Wolves: A Western That Redefines the Genre

The Western Genre and Its Evolution

From the early ages of film, directors were keen on providing their viewers with movies that could entertain, thrill, fascinate, and transport them into a different world. Several genres of film have entered and left the spotlight as public favorites, and some managed to sustain audience interest over time. Westerns are known to have been a hit until the late twentieth century; however, as time passed, audiences began to lose interest and the genre became outmoded. Some producers have not abandoned the Western, and the genre has enjoyed successful comebacks in recent years. Kevin Costner's Dances With Wolves is a film that follows most of the conventions the genre demands, while also challenging several of them.

Most Westerns set their action in the second half of the nineteenth century, following the American Civil War. The American West during that period was filled with all manner of people — from thieves and gold-seeking miners to sheriffs and bankers. Weapons were a common sight, as nearly everyone needed them for self-protection. Most Native Americans who had originally lived in the east had been pushed westward, and as a result, clashes frequently broke out between new settlers and Native tribes.

Plot Overview: Dunbar on the Frontier

The director of Dances With Wolves follows an episode from the life of a former Union Army lieutenant, John J. Dunbar, played by Costner himself. Because of an accidental act of bravery during the Civil War, Dunbar is rewarded with medical treatment for his injured leg and the opportunity to choose his next posting.

Dunbar chooses to serve on the western frontier, but misfortune follows him: the only people who know his whereabouts perish, leaving him alone in the wilderness. He begins arranging his post accompanied only by his horse, Cisco, and a wolf he names Two Socks. He is eventually approached by a group of Sioux warriors intent on stealing his horse. Over time, Dunbar and the Sioux band become friends, learning from one another.

The white man gradually joins the Sioux tribe, spending more time with them than at his garrison post. He forms a friendship with Kicking Bird, played by Graham Greene, and with Wind in His Hair, played by Rodney Grant. After several days among the tribe, Dunbar earns the trust of its leader.

As Dunbar returns to his garrison, he encounters an aggressive group of soldiers who refuse to recognize his standing as a U.S. Army officer. His horse and wolf are shot and killed, and Dunbar is captured and taken to Fort Hayes, where he is slated for execution. A party of Sioux warriors intercepts the convoy, kills every soldier, and rescues Dunbar. At the film's close, Dunbar takes Stands With a Fist and leaves the tribe, knowing that his continued presence among them poses a danger to their safety.

Costner managed to make an extraordinary Western in an era when such films are largely a thing of the past. Dunbar is presented as a man who loves life and all its rewards. He demonstrates extreme pride when he chooses death over the amputation of his leg. While most soldiers returned home after the war seeking normalcy and financial security, Dunbar chooses to remain in the military and protect an abandoned garrison on the frontier. Total isolation does not unsettle him; he adapts readily to a life of solitude, interacting only with Cisco and Two Socks. The Sioux give him the name Dances With Wolves because they observe him playing with Two Socks.

Dunbar's Relationships Within the Sioux Tribe

The most powerful connection Dunbar forms within the tribe is with Stands With a Fist, a white woman who has lived among the Sioux since she was taken from her parents as a child. This relationship strengthens Dunbar's bond with the other tribe members because Stands With a Fist serves as his interpreter, bridging the communication gap between him and the Sioux.

Dunbar and Stands With a Fist's relationship becomes central to the film's emotional core. Together they represent a pair who openly express their love — a quality that, as the film portrays it, sets them apart from the largely stoic Native characters around them. This dynamic, while effective as a narrative device, also raises questions about how fully the film humanizes its Indigenous characters.

Conclusion: Legacy of Dances With Wolves

After seeing the film, one is sure to have changed some opinions regarding Westerns that involved Indians. Dances With Wolves takes its viewers further by bringing them into the very heart of a Sioux tribe. Moreover, the film does not endorse civilization or the Manifest Destiny. White soldiers are presented as ruthless men who seek only to exploit Native American lands and destroy Indigenous culture.

Costner's success is owed in large part to his commitment to naturalism and his avoidance of excessive Hollywood clichés. The audience is captivated by impressive performances, and each scene builds tension effectively. Even without prior directorial experience, Costner produced a genuinely compelling and successful film — one that, despite its remaining limitations, meaningfully expanded what the Western genre could say about America's past.

Works Cited

Dances with Wolves. Dir. Kevin Costner. Orion Pictures, 1990.