A Thief of Time

Being a big fan of this PBS series, I am shocked at how awful this "episode" actually is. The direction is pedestrian, the supporting cast is TERRIBLE, and our favorite characters are extremely uninteresting. As others have stated, I do believe this third film actually takes place BEFORE the second in the Hillerman series on PBS.

Perhaps it is Hillerman's original material, I don't know, but this latest edition could possibly kill future Leaphorn/Chee adaptations. The previous "Coyote Waits" is far, far superior. Frankly, I am shocked by how much I hated this film. It is totally off-the-mark in every way. Even it's one-sided portrayal of Christianity is offensive. (And, yes, it IS biased.)

I hope they film more in the series, because this would be a terrible conclusion.

The story was kept intact and in iconological order. However, it suggests you read the book first or at the least are familiar with the characters first. There is only so much film time and this needed to be a mini-series. Each character's background and personality were alluded to. The visuals are par-exultant. You feel that you are in Four-corners territory.

They picked a perfect cast of actors. Most have played in other Hillerman book films, so you recognize the characters. I know you can look up the list but I still am amazed at how I immediately associate the characters with the characters. To name a few Wes Studi (Cherokee) as Joe Leaphorn, Sheila Tousey (Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee Indian) as Emma Leaphorn, and Graham Greene (He is an Oneida Indian) as Slick Nakai.

This presentation follows the Hillerman formula for two intertwined mysteries that start for different purposes and sometimes end differently and not combined. On occasion, Hillerman's stories do not end. Jim Chee must track down a missing back-hoe that he let get pilfered from a secure compound. Joe Leaphorn must track down a suspected pot thief or a thief of time. One of their paths crossings is through a preacher appropriately named Slick. When the back-hoe user turns up dispatched and the pot thief is missing, they may find that the two stories are one.

We are quite lucky that the story did not get twisted by Robert Redford as he has his agenda and quite often bends stories for his purpose. In the movie "Skinwalkers" the Skinwalkers have been for all practical purposes removed. Robert Redford did the same thing in several other productions ruining the whole purpose of the story. Yet hear he seemed to take a more hands-off approach so it played well.

The DVD has a good voice-over commentary and the standard other extras.

This film for me and my wife is more entertaining than all the bloc-buster violent thriller/mystery/murder movies that abound. It is about real people making the best of their lives. They just happen to be Indian and the main characters are in law enforcement. The realistic acting and the great scenery more than make up for the slightly implausible plot. The sound track is by BC Smith, who also did the soundtrack for Coyote Waits, and is great. Adam Beach plays a tribal policeman who is a little bit accident prone and Wes Studi is the stoic consummately professional detective. There are many other fine either supporting or cameo roles by Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal, etc. We have also seen Coyote Waits, another adaptation of a Hillerman novel, and we greatly enjoyed it too.

Joe (Wes) & Jim (Adam) re-acquaint us with the beauty, isolation (psychological as well as physical) and utter terror of "murder most fowl" in the Navaho Southwest. Characterizations, settings and plot continually build .. . even if at times the personal asides leave us wanting "more" .. . with some interesting alternative choices as to "who done it?" Flashbacks (e.g. Peter Fonda . .. good to see him) provide clues but they don't go where you might think. Comic asides (e.g. the Preacher) are mild and appropriate. Where "Skinwalkers" and "Coyote Waits" start to drag .. . "Thief" engages the clutch and four-wheels you around the next corner, never quite sure what's there. Disagree with Joe Leaphorn's manic comment to Jim Chee to "slow down" for the potholes. Wrong ... there are no potholes in the plot, just tracks to follow. On to the next episode! Great photography (as always), appealing characters and more to explore!

The movie was a waste of time and a waste of great actors. I love Adam, Wes and the other actors. Tony is lying restless in his grave. I has a weird sense of continuity. The editing was mediocre. If you read Tony and saw other video presentations you would understand the continuity.