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Dances With Wolves

Play trailer Poster for Dances With Wolves PG-13 1990 3h 0m History Drama Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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87% Tomatometer 132 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
A Civil War soldier develops a relationship with a band of Lakota Indians. Attracted by the simplicity of their lifestyle, he chooses to leave his former life behind to be with them. Having observed him, they give the name Dances With Wolves. Soon he is a welcomed member of the tribe and falls in love with a white woman who has been raised in the tribe. Tragedy results when Union soldiers arrive with designs on the land.
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Dances With Wolves

Dances With Wolves

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Critics Consensus

Dances with Wolves suffers from a simplistic view of the culture it attempts to honor, but the end result remains a stirring western whose noble intentions are often matched by its epic grandeur.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker This epic was made by a bland megalomaniac (The Indians should have named him "Plays with Camera"). You look at that untroubled face and know he can make everything lightweight. Nov 8, 2022 Full Review Bob Thomas Associated Press Even with its flaws, Dances With Wolves is cause for celebration, a haunting elegy to the end of the Great Plains wilderness. Nov 8, 2022 Full Review Bob Fenster Arizona Republic It's difficult for any actor to direct himself effectively. It's amazing when someone does it in an epic that turns out as fine as this tale of the Old West. Rated: 5/5 Nov 8, 2022 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Forever known (and, in some circles, vilified) as The Movie That Beat GoodFellas For The Best Picture Oscar, Costner’s commercial and critical smash has seen its reputation diminish over the years -- an unfortunate development for a truly exemplary film. Rated: 4/4 Oct 10, 2024 Full Review Mark Johnson Awards Daily An exquisitely shot Western epic with majestic landscapes detailing the crimes against indigenous people and the final years of the American West. Jun 14, 2023 Full Review Bruce R. Miller Sioux City Journal Dances With Wolves is Costner's crossroads. Amazingly, he emerges from it a better actor and an extremely good director. Rated: 4/4 Nov 8, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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judy b One of my top three movies and now I can’t even remember what the other two are! Getting ready to watch the four hour extended cut soon! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/21/25 Full Review Saul C Forget the haters! This is a masterpiece grabs raw emotions by the balls shows true friendship and the eagerness to belong to someone/somewhere. This movie teaches you the true motive of finding your people, your tribe. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/20/25 Full Review George M Overrated, overlong and over use of images of the Great Plains. Costner doesn't deliver a good performance in this, and is outshined by the rest of the cast. How many sweeping images of the Plains does one need? I'm sure the audience got it quickly, the plains are vast and white man screwed it up. Could have used some serious editing. This is why Horizon stunk. it has less of a story and is way overlong as well. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/12/25 Full Review P T They don't make movies like this anymore, that's for sure Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/18/25 Full Review Dave H Very well acted by all. This is a very good movie. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/05/25 Full Review Frans B Epic. Kevin Costner did good here, obviously. Great cast who all shines in character. Extraordinary cinematography. Just love the whole ambience of the movie. The mix of peace and turmoil adds dimension. On my list as one of the greats, lost count of how many times I saw it and each time is just superb. Absolute must see Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/06/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Dances With Wolves

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Cast & Crew

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Kevin Costner

Director

Kevin Costner

Lieutenant John Dunbar

Mary McDonnell

Stands With a Fist

Graham Greene

Kicking Bird

Rodney A. Grant

Wind in His Hair

Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman

Ten Bears

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Dances With Wolves

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Movie Info

Synopsis A Civil War soldier develops a relationship with a band of Lakota Indians. Attracted by the simplicity of their lifestyle, he chooses to leave his former life behind to be with them. Having observed him, they give the name Dances With Wolves. Soon he is a welcomed member of the tribe and falls in love with a white woman who has been raised in the tribe. Tragedy results when Union soldiers arrive with designs on the land.
Director
Kevin Costner
Producer
Kevin Costner, Jim Wilson
Screenwriter
Michael Blake
Distributor
Image Entertainment Inc., Orion Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
Majestic Film, Tig Productions
Rating
PG-13
Genre
History, Drama, Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 21, 1990, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 29, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$184.0M
Runtime
3h 0m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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