Battles, bathing and beauty

Wir stellen Ihnen zwei Filme vor – einer handelt von Verzweiflung im Wilden Westen, der andere von Verzweiflung in einem britischen Swimmingpool. Außerdem noch eine Gelegenheit, ikonische Fotos zu bewundern. Von EVE LUCAS

MEDIUM

The relationship between Native Americans and white settlers has always been a popular subject of American films. Fort Apache (1948) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964), both directed by John Ford, gave a more or less sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans. The “noble savage” stereotype, though, has been hard to get away from. Dances with Wolves (1990) was criticized for using Native Americans as a kind of chorus for the white man’s bravery.

Whether Hostiles, directed by Scott Cooper, offers a more nuanced view is a matter of debate. Set in 1892, it tells the story of Joseph J. Blocker (Christian Bale), a ruthless US Army captain, who is told to take the dying Cheyenne chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) back to his family in Montana. Along the way, they meet pioneer Rosalie (Rosamund Pike), whose family has been murdered by Comanche Indians. She joins Blocker’s party, and a relationship develops between the two. This beautifully shot film uses majestic landscapes to suggest that all men are equal — equally capable of violence and love. Is this observation enough to keep a movie going, though? That depends on the extent to which viewers are willing to engage with the film. Starts 31 May. Often regarded as the greatest American photographer of the 20th century, Irving Penn (1917–2009) shot his first cover for American Vogue in 1943 and became popular as a fashion photographer. The exhibition Irving Penn Centennial (at the C/O Berlin Foundation for Photography), which runs to the end of June, includes early work that already displays Penn’s trademarks: an intimate set-up, often without a background or props, dominated by the human figure. As he went on to photo graph celebrities from Picasso to Truman Capote, as well as still lifes, nudes and people from unexplored cultures, Penn kept that sense of integrity. It makes his work as fascinating today as it was during his lifetime. Find out more at www.co-berlin.org