2017 Directed by Susanna White
In 1890, Catherine Weldon, a painter from New York, travels to North Dakota to paint a portrait of Sitting Bull and becomes involved in the struggle of the Lakota people to get the Government respects their rights over the land where they live.
Jessica Chastain Michael Greyeyes Sam Rockwell Ciarán Hinds Chaske Spencer Bill Camp Willy RunsAbove Louisa Krause Robert Mirabal Monika Crowfoot David Midthunder Rulan Tangen Robert Moreno Sr. Ben Ziegler Boots Southerland Ben Black Bear Rachel Singer Andersen Kee Cosme Duarte Rod Rondeaux Luce Rains Debbie Black Lance Makayah Starley Crowfoot Sharon Anne Henderson Lyle Sandoval Jacob Browne Kindall Charters Susan Conklin Brenda Wehle Show All…
Andrea Calderwood Edward Zwick Marshall Herskovitz Richard Solomon Peter Hampden Norman Merry Susan Kirr Rory Aitken Erika Olde Lisa Wolofsky
Wilhelm Pfau Scott Christopher Clark Kevin Duran Rachel Lively Chris Reisz Joshua Swanson Brooke Peters
Uma mulher exemplar, Die Frau, die vorausgeht, Mulher segue à frente, A nő, aki előttünk jár, 앞서 걷는 여인
Is a film still considered a “white savior” story if its white protagonist never actually saves anything? In the case of Susanna White’s “Woman Walks Ahead,” it’s certainly not for lack of trying. A listless but lustrously shot biopic about the 19th century New York widow who traveled to North Dakota, painted the Sioux chief Sitting Bull, and then served as an advocate for his tribe as they fought the United States government’s attempts to expropriate their land, the movie almost credits Caroline Weldon as being solely responsible for the Native American resistance to the Dawes Act. Moreover, it also forgives her role in the massacre that followed. On their own, those issues are more frustrating than fatal. As a self-contained story, however, the film suffers enormously from its slippery grasp of history, all of its narrative thrust slipping through the cracks between fact and fiction.
Films Watched in 2020 - Film 209
A24 Ranked
Not too engaging, feels exactly like The Nightingale and both are slightly problematic in the white saviour/likening the issues of a white woman to the issues of natives whose own land has been taken over element, at least in my opinion.
Overall it’s predictable and I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve forgotten it all by tomorrow.
“Go away. I'm writing to my congressman.”
The film was set in a time where women and Native Americans were devalued. It was a slow burn, but eventually got pretty good toward the end. I'm not sure about Jessica Chastain's accent, but the performance ended up being pretty powerful.
Vegan alerts:
-Discussions about buckskins and moccasins made of "soft" buckskin
-A discussion about using buffalo's brains to soften the hide
-Buffalo bones on the hillside
-Riding horses
Note: there is also violence shown toward humans as well (people roughed up and also shot).
really don't know how to feel about this one.... it's really well shot and i was engaged the whole time but the ending feels so underdeveloped?? the more i read about the real history behind the film the more i feel like it just wasn't handled very well in the end, which is a shame because i do think there's a fair bit to admire here. i am glad this film brought these events and the admirable catherine weldon to my attention but i just wish it was handled better and told more from the perspective of the lakota people as it ultimately feels like it is their story to tell.
Having no idea about the film or it's story I just saw it had Jessica Chastain and wanted to watch it.
Based on a true story.
Story was good and sad.
🎨
"The only battle I've fought has been insignificance."
Caroline Weldon, a wealthy widowed portrait artist, sees some paintings of Native Americans and is inspired to ask Sitting Bull if she can paint him. Meanwhile, the growing United States conspires to steal yet more land from the aboriginal people living on it, and Ms. Weldon quickly becomes entangled in these struggles against the imperialist American government. So yeah, it's one of those movies. The struggle of a non-racist ally in a racist land.
For whatever it's worth, it does a good job presenting the struggles of the Native American people, whose welfare is controlled by white folks who would rather they didn't exist, alongside the struggles of those few brave enough…
It loses steam in the middle, but you can bet that this history pic is anything but boring. Jessica Chastain and Michael Greyeyes do well together as Caroline Weldon and Sitting Bull, and their chemistry together is impeccable. The camerawork is absolutely gorgeous, and the last 15 minutes hit you really hard.
Me, 5 minutes in, realizing that this was going to be a rough watch: 😔
Me, 10 minutes in when Sam Rockwell came on screen: 😯🥰
Me, sticking through the entire runtime because Michael Greyeyes gives an incredibly exceptional performance and is truthfully the only worthwhile part of the entire film: 🙂
A24 has tricked me into watching yet another movie of the western variety in my quest to watch all of its filmography. I ask as I have previously, why does A24 distribute so many Westerns?
If it has one strength it’s the cast. Jessica Chastain, is all kinds of sassy, and I love it. She offers more of a reserved approach than Im use to but the lady knows what the role needs and she nails it. How she manages to create such a balance of strength and frailty all in the same breathe, and with such conviction, still wow’s me every time. And then there’s Sam Rockwell who doesn’t endear himself to many audiences. Often playing the hard soul. The slanted heart that exhibits just enough pulse to see his human side. Perhaps relate or at least feel sorry for the guy’s circumstances. The rest of the cast fills out the supporting parts admirably.…
Woman Walks Ahead could have easily become another white saviour story, but while Catherine Weldon and her fight for Native American rights is at the forefront, it's Sioux Chief Sitting Bull's story that's the essence of the film. The true story of a painter who gets embroiled in the Lakota people's fight for their land is an important part of history, but a narrative that doesn't allow for anything groundbreaking. But you can never go wrong with a woman at the helm of an A24 picture filmed under gorgeous prairie skies.
