I've been vaguely aware of the story of Grey Owl/Archie Belaney, and am truly glad to have come across this movie that depicts at least a part of his life. Grey Owl was one of the first "environmentalists." A hunter, trapper and guide, he gave up that life and committed himself to the preservation of nature, concerned especially with the plight of the beaver as it neared extinction and with the preservation of the forests. That in itself is interesting, but what made Grey Owl even more interesting is that he lived a lie; or, maybe more appropriately, he lived a dream, and he became that which he dreamed. "A man becomes what he dreams" were words spoken to him by a Sioux chief near the end of the movie. They apply perfectly to Grey Owl's life.
If you don't know the full story of his life, then Grey Owl is a bit of a mystery for a good part of the movie. He says he's half-Scottish and half-Apache and raised by the Ojibway, but he tells different stories about which parent was Scottish and which was Apache. There's a mystery about his past; we know only that he was adopted by an Ojibway chief and that he adopted the lifestyle of the Ojibway. He keeps to himself, lives in the wilderness, hunts and traps and guides to earn some money, and writes the odd article about life in the wilderness. His life changes when he meets Pony, and they fall in love. He's less isolated, and he gets a book published that leads to a speaking tour in England, when the mystery of his life is finally revealed.
Grey Owl was born in Hastings as Archie Belaney. Raised by aunts, he dreamed about Indians and dreamed about being one. Eventually, he went off to Canada to live the life, making up the story of being a "half- breed." His life was a lie, but in a way it was also painfully honest. As the Sioux chief said, he did become what he dreamed. This became his life, and these became his people, and the cause to which he was committed was very sincere - obviously sincere enough that, as we're told at the movie's end, the newspaper that uncovered the truth agreed not to publish the story until after his death.
I really liked Pierce Brosnan and Annie Galipeau as Grey Owl and Pony. They did great jobs in those roles, and brought an authenticity to the characters they were playing. There's an inherent sadness to both characters: Grey Owl knowing that he isn't who he claims to be, Pony wanting to rediscover who she thinks she should be. They worked extremely well together. I wouldn't call this a spectacular movie. It's directed by Richard Attenborough, but it's not one of his historical or biographical epics; it's by no means another "Ghandi." If it's lacking anything it's probably that there's no real study of "why?" or "how?" Maybe a little more of Archie Belaney's background - how he came to be so accepted by the Ojibway - would have been appreciated.
There are beautiful views of some Canadian wilderness, and the atmosphere of the movie works. It was authentic, and while the movie has little of what you might call "excitement" or "action" to draw the viewer in, it's the general atmosphere and tone and feel of the movie that does that quite effectively. A very good biography of a fascinating man. (7/10)
If you don't know the full story of his life, then Grey Owl is a bit of a mystery for a good part of the movie. He says he's half-Scottish and half-Apache and raised by the Ojibway, but he tells different stories about which parent was Scottish and which was Apache. There's a mystery about his past; we know only that he was adopted by an Ojibway chief and that he adopted the lifestyle of the Ojibway. He keeps to himself, lives in the wilderness, hunts and traps and guides to earn some money, and writes the odd article about life in the wilderness. His life changes when he meets Pony, and they fall in love. He's less isolated, and he gets a book published that leads to a speaking tour in England, when the mystery of his life is finally revealed.
Grey Owl was born in Hastings as Archie Belaney. Raised by aunts, he dreamed about Indians and dreamed about being one. Eventually, he went off to Canada to live the life, making up the story of being a "half- breed." His life was a lie, but in a way it was also painfully honest. As the Sioux chief said, he did become what he dreamed. This became his life, and these became his people, and the cause to which he was committed was very sincere - obviously sincere enough that, as we're told at the movie's end, the newspaper that uncovered the truth agreed not to publish the story until after his death.
I really liked Pierce Brosnan and Annie Galipeau as Grey Owl and Pony. They did great jobs in those roles, and brought an authenticity to the characters they were playing. There's an inherent sadness to both characters: Grey Owl knowing that he isn't who he claims to be, Pony wanting to rediscover who she thinks she should be. They worked extremely well together. I wouldn't call this a spectacular movie. It's directed by Richard Attenborough, but it's not one of his historical or biographical epics; it's by no means another "Ghandi." If it's lacking anything it's probably that there's no real study of "why?" or "how?" Maybe a little more of Archie Belaney's background - how he came to be so accepted by the Ojibway - would have been appreciated.
There are beautiful views of some Canadian wilderness, and the atmosphere of the movie works. It was authentic, and while the movie has little of what you might call "excitement" or "action" to draw the viewer in, it's the general atmosphere and tone and feel of the movie that does that quite effectively. A very good biography of a fascinating man. (7/10)