Themes: Culture Clash, Colonialism, Social Injustice
Main Cast: Adam Beach, Mandy Patinkin, Michael Gambon, Nathaniel Parker, Eric Schweig
Release Year: 1994
Country: US
Run Time: 101 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Native American history got the Disney treatment in this biography aimed at younger audiences. Adam Beach stars as Squanto, an Eastern Massachusetts native of the 17th century, who befriends the English settlers who are starting to colonize the region. Naively trusting his new friends, Squanto and his best friend Epenow (Eric Schweig) offer to help some sailors load a vessel that's departing for England. The two Indians are shanghaied and taken across the ocean to serve as sideshow attractions for the greedy owner (Michael Gambon) of the shipping line. Squanto quickly escapes and finds refuge in a nearby cloister, where he is protected by the kindly monks, in particular Brother Daniel (Mandy Patinkin), who teaches Squanto to speak English. Squanto learns of a ship carrying more settlers to the New World, so he stows away and returns to his homeland, where he finds that his village has been wiped out by disease brought by the colonists. Nevertheless, Squanto brokers a peace deal between his hostile brothers and the settlers, and they celebrate the first Thanksgiving together. Beach went on to star in the Native American drama Smoke Signals (1998). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Donal Donnelly - Brother Paul; Stuart Pankin - Brother Timothy; Alex Norton - Harding; Irene Bedard - Nakooma; Tim Hopper - William Bradford; Mark Margolis - Captain Hunt; Julian Richings - Sir George's Servant; Lynn Stalmaster; Sheldon Peters Wolfchild - Mooshawset; Don Carmody - Archangel Officer; John Dunn-Hill - Governor John Carver; Richard Collins - Barker
Credit
Claude Pare - Art Director, Lynn Stalmaster - Casting, Howard Jeddore - Consultant/advisor, Russell Peters - Consultant/advisor, Olga Dimitrov - Costume Designer, Michael Williams - First Assistant Director, Xavier Koller - Director, Christopher Stoia - Director, Lisa Day - Editor, Joel McNeely - Composer (Music Score), Patrick Rousseau - Musical Direction/Supervision, Gemma Jackson - Production Designer, Robbie Greenberg - Cinematographer, Don Carmody - Producer, Kathryn Galan - Producer, Anthony Greco - Set Designer, Darlene Craviotto - Screenwriter, Bob Dolman - Screenwriter
Squanto: A Warrior's Tale is a 1994theatrical live action Disney film. It was written by Darlene Craviato and directed by Xavian Koller. 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 entirely in Nova Scotia, Canada. This movie was released on DVD September 7, 2004.
Set in the early 1600s, a New England Indian is captured by English settlers. He is then returned to England but escapes with a group of men that sell him back to New England. When in New England it seems the English and Squanto's Indian followers have an argument, leading to the crew being massacred at night. He then finds his village sacked and destroyed and thus meeting the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, he stops a war from breaking out between them and another Native American group.
The film has been criticized for its historical inaccuracies. Incidentally, the following year Disney released Pocahontas, an animated film which was also about an 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.
