Eagle's Wing

source: Eagle's Wing

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Eagle's Wing

For Anthony Harvey whose work - as far as I know - consists mainly of dialogue-driven psychodramas, "Eagle's Wing" represents something like a step aside. But what a step ! The movie featuring beautiful widescreen photography, nice score, and Sam Waterston as a Kiowa warrior (audacious turn, indeed !) can be viewed as a western, although it is rather a sophisticated ethno-socio-philosophical-ethical allegory of clashing + blending cultures (a.o.). Whenever I watch "Eagle's Wing" ending, I am reminded of the last shots of Ridley Scott's unforgettable debut "The Duellists" - after all, both films have a lot of things in common. It's a shame that there's not one DVD version worthy of such a great movie. The latest, American one, despite its flaws, seems to be the best of the three known to me - at least it is transferred in the original aspect ratio.

Eagle's Wing reminds me a little of Little Big Man (Dustin Hoffman) - both movies have a strong cinematography and the stories told are sometimes absurd and mysterious, including moments of comedy. Acting and production are great - recommended if you like Little Big Man or A Man Called Horse, Jeremiah Johnson also comes to mind.

I have just read what I believe to be an analysis of this film by a lyrical Irishman. Lovely to read. However, a concise analysis of this film is that it is a interweaving of the seven deadly sins with the four types of justice. Envy, greed, pride, sloth, anger, etc. and justice in the forms of retributive, distributive, blind, and divine. I could demonstrate three examples of each, one for each of the three protagonists; however, it is much more fun to note them for oneself. This is an excellent film. Don't miss it.

"Eagle's Wing" baffles me. Visually, it is incredibly beautiful, though I do not understand the iconography and whatever symbolism plays within it. I cannot set it in a historical period though commentators have explained that aspect of the film. I am not certain who the characters are and sometimes I am not certain who the actors are. I do not see anything particularly innovative. Sometimes conventional elements, such as an intrusive musical sound track near the end of the movie, seem superfluous. I suppose the film is mythic but I am almost clueless about what that means here. There are scenes in which the trappings of wealth and power seem meaningless within the forbidding but lovely landscape. "Eagle Wings" lacks the wryness of Samuel Becket, the clarity of the monoliths or the personality of HAL from Stanley Kubrick, or the grit of John Ford but the captured girl is pretty even if she is abandoned in the wilderness. For some reason, I like this movie. It is a nihilist masterpiece.

The mere presence of Sam Waterston as an Indian, is enough to put this movie in the must-see category. He is both beautiful and very subtle, with no lines whatsoever. He is tender with his kidnappee, and yet we can see he is among the proudest of all young Indian Men. Martin Sheen is just a dumb cluck who decides to challenge Waterston (White Bull) for a gorgeous white horse. Other sub-plots are really unnecessary. I don't understand the part played by Caroline Langrishe, as the poor girl who White Bull kidnaps...I don't know how she keeps her hands off this beautiful Indian man! It's a lot of fun, though; especially if you're a Waterston fan. Man, he looks GOOD in this one!!! Harvey Keitel's role isn't even worth mentioning, to tell the truth! But, rent it and enjoy! Actually, I do believe that if the music score was better, it would've been a more dramatic film...the music is so bad, it's distracting. Still - there's Mr. Waterston!

I just saw "Eagle´s wing". I do not really know why this movie was made. What is the message of this story? Nevertheless I liked it. There are some exciting scenes in it. I appreciate a strong performance by Martin Sheen. Harvey Keitel is less convincing.

Eagle's Wing (1979) is the type of film you rarely see, filled with poetic shots of the desert landscape, it is sumptuous merely to watch. From the looks of it, it seems to be about Texas or New Mexico territories tribes, probably Comanche and Kiowa, or even the Plains Apache (also called Kiowa-Apache). Sam Waterston as White Bull is exceptional. Martin Sheen as Pike is a great contribution as well. The cast also has in tow many superb actors from all phases of cinema. I loved Eagle's Wing. The view is stunning.