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That was an excellent one.

Sadly Over-hyped

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This is a historic film that I watched in grade school, about Chief Joseph (Ned Romero) of the Nez Perce Tribe, who leads his army to fight General Howard and his army for the Wallowa Valley.It's a powerful film about action, drama, and struggles for the West, and great acting that showed Chief Joseph's battle against his adversaries and his plight for peace.Grade B

"I Will Fight No More Forever" is an overlooked Western from 1975, possibly because it was made-for-TV. Despite this, it's actually better than a lot of theatrically released Westerns from the same period or, at least, just as good.THE PLOT: When gold is discovered on the ancestral lands of the Nez Perce (in the NE corner of Oregon and border of Idaho) their treaty is broken to allow settlers to move into their lands, which results in conflict. The US Army seeks to subjugate the tribe of 800 and relocate them to a reservation, but Chief Joseph – Native name: Hinmatóowyalahtq'it – resists, winning 18 engagements against the Army with only a little over a hundred warriors. These engagements include four major battles and four fiercely contested skirmishes. The Nez Perce War lasted four months and involved a 1200-mile chase. Joseph and his tribe ultimately sought refuge in Canada. Will they make it? See the movie.Being a TV movie from 1975 I was expecting to be let down; I was anticipating white actors playing Natives and a roll-your-eyes tone, but this isn't the case at all. The main Indian characters are played by Native Americans of various tribes; even Ned Romero, who plays Chief Joseph, is Chitimacha Native American (as well as French/Spanish). The ending of the film lists the Native actors and their tribal ancestry.As for the tone, although you can't expect "Dances With Wolves" quality in a TV Western from 1975, it's not that far off. Although the portrayal of the Indians is too "Hollywood-ized" in that they're perhaps overly noble and virtuous, it rings true nevertheless. There's a great scene where a few braves break into a saloon to enact revenge on the white trash who murdered a tribesman. The warriors are painted and the patrons are convincingly scared for their lives. The ending of the sequence makes a powerful statement.James Whitmore and Sam Elliott play the general and colonel of the Army respectively and you can witness their struggle with performing their duty and doing what's right. They respect Joseph and his warriors and realize that the tribe only wants to retain their freedom, and understandably so: it was promised to them via a treaty. The officers know what they're doing is unjust, but they're under orders.Composer Gerald Fried of Star Trek fame (e.g. "Amok Time") wrote the quality score and even reprises some obvious Trekian aspects. The film runs 105 minutes.BOTTOM LINE: "I Will Fight No More Forever" inspired me to research the historical facts, which the movie is pretty good with, even supplying a screen-map detailing Joseph's 1200-mile route every step of the way. Despite being well-done, the topic is dreary and the story isn't compelling enough to give a higher grade. Still, this is a very respectable film and a must-see if you like pro-Indian Westerns and want to see the awful truth.GRADE: B+

The story itself is powerful and engrossing on its own merits. The Nez Perce who had signed a treaty with the government to inhabit the Oregon River Valley were given an ultimatum by the US government in 1877 voiding that treaty. They had four days to decide whether to move or fight. General Howard -- after whom Howard University is named -- went to Congress personally to fight against this injustice, but in the end, as a general, felt compelled to execute his orders, even though he knew them to be unjust. He hates doing this because he considers Joseph a great Chief and a friend; his wife even made a doll for Joseph's expectant wife. Meanwhile, bitter at the sting of more injustices but resigned to reality, Chief Joseph (a breathtakingly great performance by Ned Romero) decides that it is in the best interests of the tribe to acquiese. But a civilian volunteer shoots and kills two of the Nez Perce delegation under a flag of truce, and the tribe fights for its survival. Now, even though General Howard (sympathetically portrayed by James Whitmore) knows the Army's volunteers fired first, he is compelled to attack the Nez Perce to attempt to round them up to the reservation. Too late. The Nez Perce have already left, attempting to find freedom, eventually trying to cross the Canadian border, while every step of the way, the Army tries to hunt them down and capture Chief Joseph. The movie, wisely, maintains its focus on the this journey and struggle. Gallantly, the tribe scales impossible terrain. Joseph frustrates the Army with false trails, games of cat-and-mouse, and resisting revenge. As the frustration wears on and the newspapers catch wind of the story, General Howard's life becomes a living hell. What was supposed to have been a two-week maneuver has been become a five-month campaign with hundreds of soldiers and Indians killed in the process. The General gets moral support from Colonel Miles (portrayed by Sam Elliott perhaps just a little bit too earnestly and emphatically); he speaks Nez Perce and Sioux and is disgusted by his government's lack of morals. His character will get on the nerve of those viewers who dislike "preachy" films. Every thing else feels amazingly authentic. The tribal counsels and increasing weariness as the struggles continue are vividly and unforgettably portrayed by a mostly Native American cast. The score and cinematography are quite gripping. Some of the technical support and cuts however do reflect the film's made-for-TV roots. This is one of the best historical movies I have ever seen, made-for-TV, or otherwise. I strongly recommend it to all readers of this review.

This movie is one of my favorites because Chief Joseph is one of my favorite men in history. Here was a man possessed with great intelligence and character. He led his people and suffered great loss. This film shows the inhumanity of man to his fellow man and how one truly great man can rise the the occasion of greatness in the middle of great danger. An excellent film to watch.