Squanto: A Warrior's Tale

Squanto: A Warrior's Tale
Squanto: A Warrior's Tale
Directed by	Xavier Koller; Christopher Stoia
Written by	Darlene Craviotto
Produced by	Kathryn F. Galan
Starring	Adam Beach; Sheldon Peters Wolfchild; Irene Bedard; Eric Schweig; Leroy Peltier; Michael Gambon; Nathaniel Parker; Alex Norton; Mark Margolis; Julian Richings
Cinematography	Robbie Greenberg
Edited by	Lisa Day; Gillian Hutshing
Music by	Joel McNeely
Production; company	Walt Disney Pictures
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures
Release date	October 28, 1994 (theatrical release)
Running time	102 minutes
Country	USA
Language	English
Box office	$3,337,685

Squanto: A Warrior's Tale is a 1994 theatrical live action Disney adventure drama film. It was written by Darlene Craviato. Xavier Koller and Christopher Stoia were the directors. It is very loosely based on the actual historical Native American figure Squanto, and his life prior to and including the arrival of the Mayflower in 1620. It stars Adam Beach as the lead role of Squanto. It was originally released theatrically on October 28, 1994 and was shot in Louisbourg and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Walt Disney Video released Squanto on VHS June 20, 1995. This movie was released on DVD September 7, 2004.

Plot

Set in the early 17th century, a Patuxet tribesman named Squnato (Adam Beach) is captured by English settlers. He is then taken to England but escapes with a group of men, along with Epenow (Eric Schweig), a Nauset from Martha's Vineyard who was also captured by the English.

When the English ship arrives in Plymouth England, Squanto and Epenow are considered as slaves after meeting the employer of the crew, Sir George. As a welcome, Squanto gets thrown in a ring with a giant bear. Their battle becomes a spectacle for the English.

Squanto is able to escape, and soon after escapes in a row boat. When he's discovered, he's lying unconscious on a rocky shore, and soon found by a trio of monks who had been fishing.

Squanto is taken into their monastery, in spite of the reluctancy of head Brother Paul. The monk who offers the most open arms, Brother Daniel (Mandy Patinkin), becomes a mentor and friend to Squanto. From Brother Daniel, Squanto learns English, and at the same time, he imparts some knowledge about his world to his new housemates, introducing them to moccasins and popcorn. Brother Paul remains skeptical of 'the pagan' and in any possibility of a "New World".

Meanwhile, Sir George firmly believes that Squanto belongs to the Plymouth printing company, and he has men on the hunt. In another cinematic sequence, Squanto pulls off an improbable escape to accompany Epenow and the crew setting sail back to America.

What Squanto returns to devastates him. His tribe (including his wife, Nakooma) has been entirely wiped out due to illnesses that the Europeans brought. Epenow wishes to turn violent against the English who mistreated them. The Englishmen and Nauset tribe are ready to do battle, but Squanto manages to settle things peacefully. The last scenes of the film portray the first Thanksgiving celebration.

Cast

Adam Beach .... Squanto
Sheldon Peters Wolfchild .... Mooshawset
Irene Bedard .... Nakooma
Eric Schweig .... Epenow
Leroy Peltier .... Pequod
Michael Gambon .... Sir George
Nathaniel Parker .... Thomas Dermer
Alex Norton .... Harding
Mark Margolis .... Captain Thomas Hunt
Julian Richings .... Sir George's Servant
Mandy Patinkin .... Brother Daniel
Donal Donnelly .... Brother Paul
Stuart Pankin .... Brother Timothy
Paul Klementowicz .... Brother James
Bray Poor .... Doctor Fuller
Tim Hopper .... William Bradford
John Saint Ryan .... Myles Standish
John Dunn-Hill .... Governor John Carver
Selim Running Bear Sandoval .... Attaquin
David Morley .... Monk
Shaun "Mavs" Gillis .... Boy in Crowd

Notes

The native language used in the film is Mi'kmaq, historically spoken in Nova Scotia but not Massachusetts. The film has been criticized for its historical inaccuracies. Incidentally, the following year Disney released Pocahontas, an animated film which was also about a historical Native American figure, Pocahontas, and was also highly criticized for its distortion of history. Both films also featured Native American actress Irene Bedard in starring roles.
Two years earlier, Schweig portrayed Black Thunder in CBC's mini-series By Way of the Stars with Gordon Tootoosis who voiced Kekata in Pocahontas. It later aired on the Disney Channel.
Sioux actor, Sheldon Peters Wolfchild met Schweig again for The Scarlet Letter in 1995. During that same year, Schweig portrayed Tom and Huck's antagonist, Injun Joe.
Beach and Bedard were also cast members for "Song of Hiawatha" (1997) which starred Litefoot as the titular role. It was shot in British Columbia.
Beach and Schweig met again for HBO's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee in 2007.

External links