Stolen Women, Captured Hearts (1997)

So much average

I wanted to but couldn't!

Crappy film

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Irresistible love story about a Native American who, as a little boy, had a premonition of meeting a white woman with a book, and later in his life, as a young warrior, encounters the lady of his vision fighting a caravan of white Europeans. This is the time when Native Americans were being invaded, and slaughtered. Tokalah, the young warrior played gracefully by Michael Greyeyes, sees his soulmate in the back of a wagon with another woman, and decides to let them go. At this moment, the audience is just hypnotized with his intense dark eyes. The film was inspired on a true story, pictured in the non-fiction book "Pioneer Women: Voices from the Kansas frontier", but of course director Jerry London gave it a twist, and the result is an all-time romantic classic. Anna, played by Janine Turner, is later introduced by her brother, a local preacher, to a man he thinks will be a good husband to his sister. She marries him. It was the way things were for women back then, when they didn't have a life of their own because it belonged to fathers, brothers or husbands. One day Anna together with a girlfriend, Sarah, is kidnapped by a group of Sioux, leaded by Tokalah. They took both women to live with their tribe, where they stayed for a year or so. Sarah hated her captivity, and hated the Sioux, but Anna got used to her new life, made friends, learned a new culture, and started to feel happy with her new way of living. With time, and patience, Tokalah just enchanted her with the power of his presence, his bravery, and at the same time he shows her he is a caring man, who even learned the "white language" just to get to know her better. Sarah convinces Anna to escape, but the Sioux went after the girls. Tokalah refuses to kill them or let them go, because he said he couldn't let Anna go. At that moment, he told all the rest to leave, and when finally alone with Anna, he showed her how hurt he was, and after an argument, they finally kiss for the first time! This is a beautiful story about true love, about how humans can connect when there is no prejudice, about how the heart can overcome any cultural difference, distance, or time. Canadian actor Michael Greyeyes is perfect as Tokalah, because of his origin as Plains Cree from the Muskeg Lake First Nation, in Saskatchewan. He is not only incredibly handsome in this role, but also exudes masculinity and energy as a Native American warrior. His chemistry with the beautiful Janine Turner surpasses the screen. Eventually Anna and Sarah where found by General George Custer, and returned to their old life. Custer made prisoner a tribe elder to force the liberation of the women. Even though courageous Tokalah resisted, Anna and Sarah decided to leave when he was shot, and several members of the tribe were killed. Anna back with her husband was giving up, very unhappy, when she received the visit of Sarah, who seemed a childish and empty character until this point. After a brief talk, Sarah told her friend to go back with the Sioux. Those were the words Anna needed to hear to regain her confidence, and finally left everything behind. When she arrived at the tribe, everything was burned and destroyed. Custer massacred the Sioux. I thought the movie was going to have a heartbreaking end, but not at all. Then she sees Tokalah! He was praying, sad and discouraged. At first he thought she was his vision again, but finally they touched, and hugged each other. Gorgeous, and poetic way to put an end to the film! Mesmerizing, pure romance! This movie reminds you what true love is all about, while showing a beautiful, and decent representation on Native Americans' way of life, and suffering.

This movie is set in in Kansas, the late 1860s. A beautiful new bride and one of her friends is kidnapped by a tribe of Sioux Indians seeking revenge on General Custer. A proud Lakota Sioux warrior falls for one of the women and they begin to feel a deep connection to each other. The other woman goes only lives to return to her people.This story examines the struggle between two cultures, and a woman's honor.This movie has stayed with me since the first time I watched it. It made me question how strong I would be in her situation. And how I would deal with choosing my people or the 'wild savages'. Wonderfully done!

I loved this movie that presented Native American culture and history with respect and understanding. Anna, the character portrayed by Janine Turner, was a woman who learned to adapt in order to survive after being kidnapped by Indians. By adapting, she came to an understanding of Native Americans and respect for individuals. Her relationship with the Indian man showed that people are basically the same in any culture and that individuals can reach across cultural and racial lines to have caring relationships. Anna also learned about the failings of the white race, prejudice toward Indians, and the white man's mistreatment of Indians.I believe this is a story based on fact, especially since General Custer appeared in the story. My great-grandmother, who was born in 1874, was two years of age when Little Big Horn happened. She often told me she heard people discussing Little Big Horn when she was a child. I now have her books about Indians, written in the late 1800s. Earlier generations of my family came to Indiana in the early 1800s and lived with Native Americans. In fact, one rural Baptist church started as a mission to the Potawatomi Indians of northern Indiana.Most Hoosiers know the story of Frances Slocum, a pioneer girl who was kidnapped by Indians and named Maconaquah. When her family found her years later, she had so much adapted to the Indian way of life that she preferred to stay with the Indian tribe and her Indian husband and children. A similar story is "The Searchers," which starred John Wayne and Natalie Wood. However, the character portrayed by the late Miss Wood was young and malleable enough to re-adapt to white society.Because of the common themes in the above movies and incidents, "Stolen Women, Captured Hearts" has a special meaning for me. I would highly recommend it to everyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and in it I found someone who will from now on be one of my favorite actors, William Lightning, who played Cetah. He was so perfect for that part & seemed to have a special aura about him. He stood out. From now on I will be watching anything that has him in it. I watch it every time it's on and love it every time and I know other people who do the same. I wish I could get a copy of it just to have in my collection.William Lightning was so cool in Renegade also, even though his part didn't last long enough, with no talking. It was very beautiful and poetic looking. I wish I could see him in more things.Please, all you "Powers that be", have him in more movies, and I'd like to see his "shorts" too. Please make them available to us.Janine Turner was beautiful as always, but had on too much make-up to give the story a more true to life look.Patrick Bergin was wonderful as her husband. I'd love to see him in more things. And Michael Greyeyes was perfect for his role, and very handsome of course. It is just such a beautiful love story. I'd love to see more movies like this showing the American Indians in this more honest light of them. I think we're all getting tired of the same old group of movies we have to watch now.B. L.It's too bad that really great people get so typecast, or don't seem to be in enough other things so we can see them as much as we'd like.