Der letzte seines Stammes

Well done telefilm about cultural contrasts, the genocide against native people and the knowledge that was lost, and the contrast between cold science and warming connection between people. It is a moving film, although without huge emotional peaks, pehaps except for the great ending. There is beautiful footage and Graham Greene has a skilled performance.

Five months after watching it, I finally watched Akira Kurosawa's Dersu Uzala, and I was impressed by how much this good TV movie is similar to the ending of the great Soviet film directed by the Japanese filmmaker. Anyway, they are actually two similar but independent stories. 1992 film The Last of his Tribe is based in the 1961 book Ishi in Two Worlds, and Kurosawa's movie was released in 1975 and was based in a book from 1923.

This is a true story. It is more emotional than a soap opera and, yet, unflinchingly genuine.

Just as was depicted in this film, Ishii stumbled into a white man's barn near Oroville, California, in 1911. He later told Kroeber that he expected nothing but death. Graham Greene's portrayal of a soft-spoken primitive gentleman is delightful. Greene's Ishii speaks English only after a fashion.

If you have the time, look up Kroeber's story of Ishii in the "Handbook of California Indians".

I sought out this HBO movie because I just recently watched an episode of "The American Experience" that was all about this same man and his discovery at about 1900 (Ishi: The Last Yahi Indian (#5.8)"). It seems that there was a very small tribe in California that the White folks didn't know about--and their existence was only discovered when the last of them, Ishi, wandered into town! While I am no where as familiar with the story as tom_amity@hotmail.com, I would not consider this 'probably the worst film ever made'. I would be loathe to call ANY film this, actually, and I can think of hundreds of films (such as those of Ed Wood, Ray Dennis Steckler, Arch Hall and Ted Mikels) that are truly among the worst ever made--and "The Last of His Tribe" would not even come close. Perhaps it might be faulted from taking liberties with the true story (and as a history teacher, I hate this), but so have thousands of other films. But when it comes to completely dismissing history, this HBO film doesn't even come close to films like "Pocahontas" or "They Died With Their Boots On" or the VERY anti-Semitic Nazi film "Jud Süß". No, to me, calling this film the worst film ever made just sounds like a lot of hyperbole. I COULD understand many faults he found with the film (especially since the film SHOULD have been based on Kroeber's widow's writings and they did misrepresent Kroeber in some ways), but 'the worst'....no. In fact, if I were to be a filmmaker today, I probably wouldn't even try making a film about Native Americans today. After all, even if you try to get the story right, you'll probably get ripped apart by someone--even if you try to get the story right.

Overall, I enjoyed the film and thought it pretty good. I did think that Graham Greene's zombie-like expressions/behavior did seem a bit odd. While Ishi was not a loud and boisterous guy, in the film he seemed practically catatonic at times. But the essence of Ishi's life with White America came through and the film was entertaining and most enlightening.

By the way, think twice before you see this or have kids see it--the autopsy scenes are a bit vivid.

I believe that having read a book that becomes a movie, tends to bias the reviewer into more of a comparison rather than a film review. I came into "The Last of His Tribe" with zero knowledge of the story. Based on fact,I find it forgivable for a film to embellish for entertainment purposes, unless it is presented as an outright documentary. The acting is strong, with Graham Greene outstanding in a quiet, understated, performance as Ishi the last survivor of his tribe. John Voight is the scientist who intends to take advantage of a marvelous opportunity, for learning the secrets of Ishi's people. David Ogden Stiers is a sensitive physician, who views Ishi not as an object for study, but simply as a man. So what if it's not totally accurate? "The Last of His Tribe" is a fine movie, with sensitive performances. - MERK

For the record, I am not Jen, but her sister Kathleen.

I saw this movie in an English class after reading "Black Elk Speaks." It is a solemn statement about the sad plight of dying Native American tribes. Graham Greene's character is a poor hungry Native American who has lost his family and is found trying to steal food from a small farm. A kind-hearted doctor takes him in and attempts to educate him to the ways of the white man. The middle-aged native is seduced by the prosperity of this new world, and even has an unexpected encounter with a prostitute, much to the dismay of his new guardian, the doctor. But the distractions of this new world are not enough to erase the sadness of this man who has lost his family, his tribe, and his history. In a striking scene in which the native leads his new friend to the wilderness he once called home, the native sings a mournful tribal chant in remembrance of the family and tribe that was forever gone. It is an emotionally moving film for those who feel compassion for the Native American and I recommend it to viewers who enjoy a film with a message.