The Last Of His Tribe

Ishi, the last Yahi Indian of California, must leave his homeland and learn to navigate the world of the white man in order to survive.

STARS: Jon Voight, Graham Greene, David Ogden Stiers

91 min | Drama, Romance | 1992 | Color

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The Last Of His Tribe - Historical Facts, Entertainment, and Emotion

This well above average telemovie gives us a unique glance into a slice of American history that was never given enough attention (I'd say for rather obvious but unforgivable reasons) The amazing story of Ishi, the last of the Yahl tribe members, is as curious as it is tragic. Ishi (Man) is well played by Graham Greene a native performer I've always enjoyed on screen - in fact I would have been happier if he had made more appearances. As Ishi's protector and mentor John Voight gives an award winning turn as Professor of Anthropology at Uni of California, Alfred Kroeber. Kroeber excelled in languages and studied many Native languages and according to this treatment, even knew many key-words in Yahl tongue. In Ishi, Kroeber recognised a firsthand study of these otherwise extinct people - providing precious insights into customs, lifestyle and language for the Museum. This solid screenplay by Award-winning writer Stephen Harrigan is based on a bestselling book by Kroeber's second wife Theodore, who sadly never met Ishi. The film begins while the Prof is married to first wife, Henriette (played by lovely Anne Archer) who is dying of consumption. Ishi is brought to the professor to uncover insights into how this extremely rare man had survived hiding in mountainous country for several decades!
Sensitively directed by Harry Hook it's a film for thinking audiences and an unexpected find from the HBO stables - although one or two slightly 'suss' scenes look as if they may have been added, at possible request, by HBO to 'spice' up an otherwise near documentary study. High production values keep the movie visually impressive and help us gain an understanding of the terrible waste of life at the hands of greed and ignorance. The deliberately slow pace gives the viewer time to absorb the beauty of the landscapes and the gradual interchange between these vastly different cultures.
Award-winning British composer John. E. Keane captures the wide vistas and emotional bond between Ishi and his Museum protectors. Because little has been recorded from these times - much of Ishi's earlier existence is built on supposition, and while this may be somewhat obvious, it's so sincerely achieved its all quite convincing. One of the saddest outcomes of this cross-culture union is that Ishi died without anyone being able to find out his real name - this somehow seems so odd. While not run as often as it deserves, it's well worth finding on DVD - could also be a good resource for school studies.