THE LAST OF THE DOGMEN
US, 1995, 112 minutes, Colour.
Tom Berenger, Barbara Hershey, Kurtwood Smith.
Directed by Tab Murphy.
The Last of the Dogmen is a combination of action adventure and anthropology. Tom Berenger plays a widowed grizzled bounty hunter in north-west Montana. Grieving over the death of his wife, he spends the time drinking and antagonising his father-in-law, the local sheriff, played by Kurtwood Smith. When three men whom he is tracking are mysteriously killed, he starts investigating the possibility of Cheyenne Indians still living in the mountains after a 19th century massacre. He enlists the help of a professor of anthropology, played by Barbara Hershey.
Eventually, the two of them go on an expedition to find the Indians. They do so, are treated in a hostile manner at first, win over the confidence of the tribe, listen to the history of the past. Berenger dreams that the sheriff and his men will attack the Indians and he devises a detour plan when they actually come. The professor decides to stay with the Indians, living anthropology rather than theoretical. The bounty hunter is able to rescue his father-in-law when they fall down a waterfall into rapids. This was the way that his wife had died and the sheriff bore resentment. They are able to achieve a reconciliation.
Commentators suggested that this film was derivative of Dances With Wolves. In fact, there are a great number of similarities - and a sympathetic portrayal of the Indians who were persecuted and massacred unmercifully in the 19th century and are to be considered as strongly influencing the mythical heritage of the contemporary United States.
1. Interesting western, contemporary, anthropological?
2. The Montana settings, the outpost town, the mountains and the rugged scenery?
3. The title, the reference to the Cheyenne, the tradition of the special group of dog soldiers, their symbolism (and eating dogs)? The story of the massacre and its brutality, the women and children? The Cheyenne fleeing into the mountains, the assumption that they could never have survived? Gates and his research about the Indians, the discussions with Lilian? The discovery of the arrow, the presence of the Indians and the disappearances of white people? Jacko and his appearance on the railroad, his being put in the cell, running way? The discovery of the tribe?
4. The opening situation, the fleeing convicts, the sheriff, the murders, the pressure on Gates to go, threatening to put him in jail? His travel, tracking the men? Finding them dead? Finding the arrow?
5. His return to the town, reading about the professor, going to the site? Her answers, her scepticism? His return, putting pressure on her, her explanation of the background? His further reading and study? Coming into her lecture, the challenge to go into the mountains, her deciding to go herself? His chauvinistic attitude towards her?
6. The trek into the mountains, the accident and their hanging over the cliff, the dog and his getting horse to pull them out with the rope? The week going into the wilderness? The confrontation by the Indians? The arrow in the dog? Gates's anger? Lilian and the translation? Their being taken to the camp, walking, his protest and Lilian's riding, her holding the dog?
7. The camp, the tribe, their having flourished? Their story about the survival, the paintings? The chief and his being Jacko? His successor and suspicions, antagonism towards Gates? His son having been shot by the convicts? Gates going back to the town, the hold-up in the shop to get the penicillin, his riding back, the healing of the boy? Lilian left as hostage?
8. Gates's nightmare, the sheriff coming with the posse and the massacre? The sheriff in fact coming? Gates and his suggestion to lead them away? His going back, the sheriff confronting him, the pursuit up the mountain, into the tunnel, the dynamite on the bridge, the Indian firing the arrow, Gates and the sheriff falling into the rapids, Gates rescuing him - and the irony of his telling Lilian how his wife had died in the rapids and the sheriff holding this against him?
9. Lilian, her research, her work, idealism of the Indians, going on the trek? The exhilaration, almost being killed? The translation, being at home in the camp, her decision to stay and to live her anthropology with the tribe?
10. The plausibility of a tribe still surviving in the Rockies? The background of the cruelty of the massacres of the 19th century? Lilian's comment about the contribution of native American Indians to the American consciousness and culture?
