I liked the film and thought the story was solid, with strong, believable perfomances throughout, but I have to agree with another reader who questioned the black man's role at the dinner table.
Don't get me wrong, I bought the Indian as an integral part of Cusack's character's homestead, because the character lent himself to a fair and equitable role through his life. The Character "Ballard" however, was basically a rotten @#&^%! though, and in that day and age, would a black man have found reliable and somehow trusted place among other scoundrels let alone at this land "Baron's" table? Had the guy's race been white, it would have been totally believable, but at least for historical accuracy, I had to question this plausibility.
It probably might not have distracted from the film at all had I not read it here first, but I have to agree with the observation. Otherwise I liked the work.
Don't get me wrong, I bought the Indian as an integral part of Cusack's character's homestead, because the character lent himself to a fair and equitable role through his life. The Character "Ballard" however, was basically a rotten @#&^%! though, and in that day and age, would a black man have found reliable and somehow trusted place among other scoundrels let alone at this land "Baron's" table? Had the guy's race been white, it would have been totally believable, but at least for historical accuracy, I had to question this plausibility.
It probably might not have distracted from the film at all had I not read it here first, but I have to agree with the observation. Otherwise I liked the work.