Riel

After watching this film, I cannot say that it was very well made in terms of the characters who were portrayed in it. For example, Thomas Scott didn't look anywhere close to the actor who was given the role of playing his part. As for Riel himself, he had a beard and moustache for the most of his life but in the film he's clean shaven. But it is quite hard to depict every single detail in a film so as a result there will be some misconceptions (some more intentional than others). In addition to that, some of the battles that occurred during the conflict in 1885 were misconstrued. The visit to Ottawa that Riel and Dumont took together in the film probably never happened in real life.

Well....... anyways......... that's the reason why I gave this film a 6 out of 10.

When I saw this adaptation, I thought it had too many flaws for it come across as anything serious. Christopher Plummer was good as John A. MacDonald, but the corny concepts and atrocious historical inaccuracies make for hard viewing.

As Canadian fare goes, this is very good. The original historical story is already very dramatic, so little was added for the screenplay. Also, the fictional parts were usually plausible enough. The film's strongest feature was Plummer's performance as John A.

My biggest complaint was the makeup on Raymond Cloutier (Riel). He should have had a moustache, and perhaps a beard at some times. The physical appearance of the historical Riel is very familiar, and I found it annoying that the film did not respect it.

It is unfortunate that there isn't the money to make a really top-notch production based on the Riel story. I found myself thinking of the excellent visual images in films like Dances with Wolves and Last of the Mohicans. Perhaps this story will find its way into the cinema again in the future.

I enjoyed this movie when it first came out in 1979. Currently, I am waiting to rent it from the library. I am in the process of researching and writing about Louis Riel as a personal writing project. The life story of this man has always interested me. I grew up in St. Boniface, Manitoba, where Riel was born and raised. I remember visiting his grave in the grounds of St. Boniface Basilica as a small girl.

The makers of this movie take certain poetic license in the making of the movie. However, this does not in any way detract from the overall sweep of events in examining and analyzing the life of Louis Riel. It is a good two hours of engrossing entertainment in depicting an important period of Canadian history.

Like one of the other posters, I feel they could have found an actor who looked more like the real Louis Riel. At the very least, Raymond Cloutier should have had a moustache and beard like the real Louis had.

Apart from that, though, I really enjoyed this movie and am looking forward to seeing it again.

Some good cinematographic sequences, but the numerous historical inaccuracies and weak character representation greatly mar this film/miniseries. Not only that, but the drama is compromised as well. The role of Riel is sadly miscast and (not to fuss about it) the actor does not resemble him at all, which makes for a bad premise from the start. The roles and portrayals of Gabriel Dumont and John A. MacDonald (Christopher Plummer), have a bit more credibility to them. Sadly, it's a deformed look to what could have been a more serious or thoughtful outlook and consideration of Riel, his life, his struggle (and that of the Metis), as well as his unjustified end.