Terrence Malick, the universally acclaimed American filmmaker responsible for the key 1970s features Badlands and Days of Heaven, returns for a rare directorial outing with the sweeping period piece The New World -- an epic dramatization of Pocahontas' relationships with John Smith and John Rolfe. Malick's story opens at the dawn of the 17th century, just prior to the colonization of the United States -- when the North American population consisted of an interconnected series of native tribes. In April 1607, three maritime vessels approach the unfamiliar continent, with 103 sailors on board. As members of the Virginia Company, these adventurers carry a royal charter to mount a society on the edge of the new continent. John Smith (Colin Farrell) sits chained below one of the decks. He is a 27-year-old loose cannon, who, for his persistently rebellious acts, has been sentenced to death by hanging as soon as the ships dock. Nevertheless, Captain Christopher Newport (Christopher Plummer) acknowledges Smith's ability to aid with exploration and consents to pardon him as a result. Upon landing, Smith seeks assistance from local Native American tribes with colonization, but runs into the unexpected -- he falls desperately in love with Pocahontas, or "Playful One" (Q'orianka Kilcher), the daughter of the omnipotent Chief Powhatan (August Schellenberg). Needless to say, this does not sit well with Powhatan or the rest of the tribe. Moreover, the oft-bellicose Smith enters a head-to-head conflict with his fellow Britons when he finds his tempestuousness calmed by the tranquility of the new landscape, as the anger and violence of his shipmates concurrently build in the face of the Native Americans. Later, Smith temporarily returns to England; believing that Smith is dead, Pocahontas accepts the hand of plantation owner John Rolfe in marriage (with her father's blessing) and follows Rolfe back to the old country. When Smith returns to America, his intended is nowhere to be seen, and the entire community teeters on the brink of a British-Indian war. Malick shot the production on location in Virginia; it co-stars Jonathan Pryce, John Savage, and David Thewlis.
Trivia:Both Irene Bedard (Pocahontas' mother) and Christian Bale (John Rolfe) have roles in this movie and the Disney animated film Pocahontas (1995). In the Disney film, Christian Bale provided the voice of Thomas, and Irene Bedard voiced the title role, Pocahontas. Terrence Malick was a fan of the Disney film and recruited both Bale and Bedard in the film, as a homage to the Disney animated film.Irene Bedard played Pocahontas's mother in this film, she had previously voiced and was the physical model for the title character in Disney's Pocahontas.Christian Bale and Ben Mendelsohn would later both star in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014).
In every one of Terrence Malick's films the scenery, the landscape, is just as important as the actors. The landscapes are beautifully done. I have to wonder how amazed the Europeans might have been centuries ago at the first glimpse of what came to be known as America.
Courageious, gracious, of purity, peaceful, soulful,
mutual trust in goodwill and respect the difference
of culture and social behavior.
Princess Pocahontas a peacemaker & ambassador who risked her life for love.
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall see the glory of God.
Then greed and gluttony of power ruined everything for everyone!
love this movie so much. A beautiful representation of the
innocence and beauty of the native and early America --
The storyline was great as was the scenery, fields of grass, costumes -
especially the tactful age of innocence!
Malick loves these dream shots of people walking around fields of tall grass, with soft music and
hands feeling the weeds....looking and acting stoned out of their minds
It's artsy. Possibly artsy fartsy but not pretentious at all. Beautiful and depressing, a gloomy fairytale.
Magnificent!" Love can make the Bondsand can also break them "Spoken by Christian Bale...
I have often wondered how in God's name they could communicate with one another. How would these
Spaniards or Brits ever learn the native's language or vice versa? Almost seems impossible to me.
I like the fact that they only had one quiver with three arrows between them in so many scenes,
and way the Native Americans were amazed by the frame work of the white's buildings like they
had never seen anything like them, but when we see inside the Native's houses, they have the exact
same frameworks!
Other than those things, this movie is like watching paint dry.
So creepy to think that Pocahontas was actually 10 or 11 when the founders of Jamestown arrived.
So, saying she was super hot is actually pretty gross. Somehow, I’m just not that surprised,
especially when you consider it’s coming from a Christian from that time. When she ended up marrying
John Rolfe she was like 17, maybe 18.
The <1% Native American dna that I have could very well be from the Powhatan tribes since my
father's family line comes primarily through Virginia. I am reading a history book about Virginia for my
next book, so coming across this movie, while it's "historically" important to me, I can't watch (closely)
because it's just another movie about white colonialism. First they killed of the Indian tribes and then
they went to Africa and brought back people as slaves. I've gone back into my family tree to know that
more than a few of my great grandfathers (multiple) were slaves. If Ron DeSatan and more than a few
Republicants get their way (even win the White House), movies such as this and others will be banned. I am ANTI banning (anything). As painful or uncomfortable as it might be for ME to watch, I am still pro-learning. It's important. It's necessary. Watch and learn from this well done movie.
tide up main points: Terrence Malick, the universally acclaimed American filmmaker responsible for the key 1970s features Badlands and Days of Heaven, returns for a rare directorial outing with the sweeping period piece The New World -- an epic dramatization of Pocahontas' relationships with John Smith and John Rolfe.
Terrence Malick is a highly regarded American filmmaker, known for his work in the 1970s on movies like Badlands and Days of Heaven.
He has returned to directing with a new movie called The New World, which is a period piece set in the 17th century.
The film is an epic retelling of the story of Pocahontas and her relationships with John Smith and John Rolfe.
The New World is a sweeping drama that explores the clash of cultures between Native Americans and European settlers.
The film features a strong cast, including Colin Farrell as John Smith, Q'orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas, and Christian Bale as John Rolfe.
The New World has been universally acclaimed by critics for its stunning cinematography, powerful performances, and ambitious storytelling.
What specifically mean, Pocahontas' relationships with John Smith and John Rolfe
Pocahontas was a Native American woman who had significant relationships with two Englishmen, John Smith and John Rolfe. John Smith was an adventurer and explorer who played a prominent role in the early English settlement of Virginia. He claimed to have been saved from execution by Pocahontas, and the two became close, although the nature of their relationship is a matter of debate among historians. John Rolfe was a tobacco planter who married Pocahontas after she was captured and held for ransom by the English. Their marriage was seen as a key moment in the early history of the Virginia colony, as it helped establish a fragile peace between the English and the Native Americans.
The nature of the relationship between Pocahontas and John Smith is a matter of debate among historians because the historical record is unclear and contradictory. Some historians believe that Smith's account of being saved by Pocahontas from execution was embellished or even fabricated, and that his relationship with Pocahontas was more platonic than romantic. Others argue that there may have been a romantic or sexual aspect to their relationship, but that it was kept secret or downplayed by both parties due to the cultural and political barriers between them. Ultimately, because there is no definitive evidence to support either interpretation, the nature of their relationship remains a subject of speculation and debate.
Pocahontas and John Rolfe had a son together named Thomas Rolfe. Thomas was born in 1615 in Virginia, and was the product of one of the earliest recorded intermarriages between English colonists and Native Americans. After Pocahontas's death in 1617, John Rolfe took Thomas to England to be raised by his English family. Thomas later returned to Virginia as a young adult and played a role in negotiating peace agreements between the English colonists and Native Americans.
Trivia:Both Irene Bedard (Pocahontas' mother) and Christian Bale (John Rolfe) have roles in this movie and the Disney animated film Pocahontas (1995). In the Disney film, Christian Bale provided the voice of Thomas, and Irene Bedard voiced the title role, Pocahontas. Terrence Malick was a fan of the Disney film and recruited both Bale and Bedard in the film, as a homage to the Disney animated film.Irene Bedard played Pocahontas's mother in this film, she had previously voiced and was the physical model for the title character in Disney's Pocahontas.Christian Bale and Ben Mendelsohn would later both star in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014).
Your comment on the movie "The New World" beautifully captures the themes of courage, grace, purity, peace, and mutual trust in goodwill, as well as respect for cultural and social differences. The portrayal of Princess Pocahontas as a peacemaker and ambassador who risked her life for love is an inspiring representation of the power of love and diplomacy in bridging divides between different peoples.
However, the movie also highlights how greed and the lust for power can ultimately ruin everything for everyone, leading to conflict and suffering. This serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of valuing material wealth and power above human relationships and respect for others.
In summary, your comment on "The New World" reflects on the powerful themes and messages conveyed in the film, highlighting the importance of peacemaking, mutual respect, and the dangers of greed and the pursuit of power.
Stephen Luke