99. Woman Walks Ahead; movie review

WOMAN WALKS AHEAD
Cert TBA
101 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

It seemed unlikely that a widow would really trek across the United States to try to paint a portrait of the most fearsome native Native American chief without any confirmed arrangement.
As it turns out, the premise of Woman Walks Ahead is poppycock.
And that is why, while it may be an engaging movie, it fails for me because of unnecessary licence taken with history.
Sure, there was a real connection between Catherine Weldon and Sitting Bull and she did paint his picture but it was not the reason she visited the Sioux people.
In reality, Weldon was a campaigner for Native American rights, had met Sitting Bull and wanted to live with the Sioux.
Another key plank of Woman Walks Ahead is the controversy over the Allotments Act but, again, there are significant  historically inaccuracies
I don't know why writer Steven Knight and director Susanna White allowed their story of Weldon to wander so far into the land of fiction when it would have been more powerful if it had been nearer the truth.
Therefore, despite the best efforts of Jessica Chastain and Michael Greyeyes as Sitting Bull, their movie lags off the pace.
As suggested, Chastain's Weldon naively catches a train to Dakota from New York in the anticipation of an audience with Sitting Bull and that the authorities would allow it.
After inevitable hiccups, she does manage to beguile Sitting Bull, much to the concern of the local head of police (Ciaran Hinds), and an army colonel (Sam Rockwell).
They are embroiled in new government policy of cutting the rations and land of the Native Americans in the final attempt to erase all of their power and, ultimately, hope.
At first, I was intrigued because I was unaware of what happened between the Battle of Little Big Horn and the massacre at Wounded Knee.
However, as it transpired, it added little to the western genre other than to draw my attention to a great defender of the Sioux people.
Unfortunately, I had to find the facts out for myself.

Reasons to watch: Jessica Chastain is always worth watching
Reasons to avoid: Will be too slow for some

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Bare bum
Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? Sitting Bull became famous after the Battle of Little Big Horn through his role in Buffalo Bill Cody’s variety show Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Though such shows were founded on the exploitation of stereotypical ideas, they were also a chance for Native Americans to make money and meet people who may be sympathetic to their cause.

Final word. Jessica Chastain: “I had never heard of Catherine Weldon, and then when I got sent the script I did a deep dive of research, and I was shocked that there wasn’t more space in the history books dedicated to her. She really was an ignored voice and I find that sometimes history books tend to ignore incredible women, so it was definitely a story I wanted to tell.” Hollywood Life

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