MovieChat Forums > Man in the Wilderness (1971) Discussion > Final scene was highly moving and emoti...

Final scene was highly moving and emotional

posted 15 years ago by jeffyoung1
7 replies | jump to latest

I shall always remember MAN IN THE WILDERNESS, among other things, it's final, ending scene overlaid with the beautiful music. Captain Henry and the surviving fur trappers are stunned to see Zachary Bass stumbling in out of the distance, holding a spear, while the attacking Rickaree indians stand back awaiting to see what transpires.

Captain Henry and the white men aren't sure of Zachary Bass' intentions. They assume he must be enraged at having been abandoned months back after he was severely mauled by a bear.

Zachary Bass is a changed man by now. He's no longer filled with anger and retribution. He retrieves his quality flintlock rifle from Captain Henry and smiles, telling the still-astonished Henry that he has a son back home and is going back to find him. Bass tosses his now unneeded homemade spear away and trudges off. The fur trappers, realizing the Rickaree indians are offering to spare their lives if they leave, get the message and walk away, following behind Bass. Captain Henry finally understands the inevitable and follows the surviving trappers as they start their way back home. The beautiful background music stirs the heart as one begins to understand the movie's final messages of compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and salvation.

[–] Lightning-Rose 15 years ago

This is a very good analysis. Well done.

[–] Polaris01313-1 15 years ago

I always did like the ending. Especially when the Indian Chief recognized Zach during those final moments.

Obviously, the Chief was impressed with Zach and his determination to survive. Most of all, his skillmanship when it came to that homemade spear that he manufactured.

I even liked how the Chief said in his own language(I wish they had subtitles for this)that if Zach needs to fulfill his vengeance, he should not become like Captain Henry and the other trappers. At least that was the impression that I got.

Not bad for a film released in 1971.

The cinema certainly don't show films like these anymore.

[–] ffattahi 12 years ago

As much as I want to know what the Indian Chief told him, I do not agree with you wishing subtitles. That would have implied that Zach knew and understood his language. I think the idea was that he felt a message from the Chief, just like us, without knowing the language. Much stronger and more realistic scene this way albeit vague.

[–] janet-conant 8 years ago

Very effective scene when the chief recognizes the man he found dying by the river. The chief actually gets a bit too familiar when he points to his face and Bass pulls back in a sort of fear as he doesn't know what he wants. The smile on the old chief trying out the crafted spear is satisfying. Also found no subtitles most effective and genuine. Great movie altogether and I've seen it many times.

[–] perryzanett 8 years ago

I always got the impression that Zack pulled away from the chief at this point not because he was afraid of the old warrior, but simply because he felt that the Arikara leader presumed too much familiarity with him by touching Zack's now-healed wounds, but I embrace wholeheartedly your view that "Man In The Wilderness" is, as you term it, a "great movie altogether", and, like you, I've seen it many times. It is, in fact, my favorite movie!

[–] perryzanett 8 years ago

An outstanding, comprehensive analysis, sir--and one which, summing up all of the virtues of this most wonderful film as it does, makes one who truly appreciates quality cinema wonder why, in its time, whatever the acclaim that it received, "Man In The Wilderness" did not receive the overwhelming praise and Oscar nominations ("Man" never received so much as one, not even for what you so rightly term--and as I here paraphrase it--its "beautiful musical score") that the newest film treatment of frontiersman Hugh Glass's epic survival endeavor, "The Revenant" has obtained, the mystery being all the greater given "The Revenant"'s makers' far inferior treatment of the Glass legend--and its greatly inferior leading man.

[–] gljbradley 8 years ago

Wonderfully put.