Don't Make a Scene: Dances With Wolves

The Story: "Look at Maury!" director-star Kevin Costner enthuses in the DVD commentary of this scene from Dances With Wolves. "Boy, he really chewed this scene up...and I mean that in the best possible way!" 

 

That would be actor Maury Chaykin, who plays the clearly mad Major Fambrough, who sends Lt. John Dunbar to an abandoned fort and, more importantly in the sub-text, is the last man alive to know that Dunbar has been sent to the ends of civilization.

Temporarily.

Costner says in his commentary that he was thinking Marlon Brando for the part, but knew that the actor would be cost-prohibitive for a picture budgeted at just $10 million dollars. He lucked out getting Chaykin, who was a crazily inventive actor, who wasn't afraid to take chances and do things in a way nobody else would think of.

And the scene works—Costner underplays stringently here, lest the character of Fambrough be seen as someone comic rather than downright dangerous, and the character is just one of the many "civilized" individuals that would make "going Native" make sense. Dances With Wolves was always an indictment of what passes for "the settler experience" in most Westerns and its own radical, revolutionary way makes the case that Manifest Destiny was just another Myth of the West along with all the other outlaws.

 

The Set-Up: Lt. John J. Dunbar (Kevin Costner), is now a commissioned officer for the unlikeliest of reasons—wanting to commit suicide rather than lose a leg due to a battle wound, his act rallied wary Union troops to a victory in a stalemated campaign. For that, he gets a choice of commissions and he goes to meet the commanding officer (Maury Chaykin), who will give the orders that will change his life...forever.

 

Action.

 

LEGEND - FORT HAYS. KANSAS - 1863 

Dunbar pulls up short. He stares thoughtfully at something in the distance. 

DUNBAR (V.O.) The strangeness of this life cannot be measured. 

DUNBAR (V.O.) In trying to produce my own death, I was elevated to the status of a living hero.

DUNBAR (V.O.) I was also awarded Cisco, the trusty mount that carried me across the field that very day.

DUNBAR (V.O.) And on full recovery, was given transfer to any station... 

DUNBAR (V.O.) ...I desired.

Dunbar starts forward and the camera swings around to cover his back.

DUNBAR (V.O.) The bloody slaughter continues in the East as I arrive at Fort Hays...

In the distance we can see an isolated and dreary military post. The sky is very blue. The sun is bright. A rough-hewn, unfenced fort is straight ahead. 

DUNBAR (V.O.) ...a tiny island of men and materials surrounded by a never-ending sea of prairie.

There are several miscellaneous stone structures, a well-stocked stable, barracks, officer's quarters and in the center of it all, a headquarters building. 

Lieutenant Dunbar, riding straight and tall on his powerfully built buckskin, Cisco, passes into view.

He's headed for the center of the fort. 

INT. FORT HAYS HEADQUARTERS - DAY 

Silhouetted against the outside, Lieutenant Dunbar pauses in the wide doorway of headquarters. We can hear the distant sounds of work and life coming from the outside but in here it's strangely quiet. 

A SERGEANT sits at a desk in the foyer. Across the way, at another desk, is an enlisted CLERK. Both men glance from their paperwork at the man in the doorway. But it's only a glance and they go right on shuffling paper. 

Footfalls sound in a hallway and a blue-eyed officer with slick, black hair swings into the foyer. He too has a slackness that echoes the dreariness of this post. The blue-eyed officer, LIEUTENANT ELGIN, and Dunbar meet at the doorway. Dunbar glances down at a scrap of paper in his hand. 

DUNBAR Where can I find Major... Fambrough? 

ELGIN Turn right... all the way to the end of the hall. 

Being roughly the same age and rank these two might idle awhile, but Dunbar is eager.

He's already moving. 

FAMBROUGH (O.S.) Lt. John J. Dunbar. 

DUNBAR Sir? 

Dunbar stops and turns, peering down the hallway. No one is there. 

INT. FAMBROUGH'S OFFICE - DAY 

Sitting behind the desk, holding a set of orders is MAJOR FAMBROUGH.

FAMBROUGH Lt. John J. Dunbar. 

Lt. Dunbar is standing in front of the desk. 

DUNBAR Yes sir? 

FAMBROUGH (Yes sir...)

FAMBROUGH Indian fighter, huh? 

DUNBAR Excuse me? 

FAMBROUGH (indicating paper) Your orders say you are to be posted on the frontier. 

FAMBROUGH The frontier is Indian country. I quickly deduced that you are an Indian fighter. 

He arches an eyebrow, challenging the lieutenant. He has sad swollen eyes. He is an army lifer passed over too many times for promotion and right now does not look like a well man. 

FAMBROUGH I did not ascend to this position by being stupid. 

DUNBAR No sir. 

Fambrough returns to the order. Dunbar watches him in silence.

The major's tunic is covered with food stains. Sweat has broken out all over his head.

FAMBROUGH Yes.

His grooming is awful. His hands are trembling slightly.

Something is very wrong with him.

Now the major sees something on the official paper. He looks quickly at the lieutenant, then back at the paper, moving his lips but making no sound. 

FAMBROUGH It says here you've been decorated. 

DUNBAR Yes sir. 

FAMBROUGH And they sent you out here to be posted? 

DUNBAR Actually sir, I'm here at my own request... 

FAMBROUGH Really?

FAMBROUGH Why?

DUNBAR I've always wanted to see the frontier. 

FAMBROUGH You want to see the frontier? 

DUNBAR Yes sir... 

DUNBAR ...before it's gone. 

The major fixes Dunbar with a sly look. 

FAMBROUGH Such a smart lad coming straight to me. 

Still sly, Fambrough digs into a side drawer.

There is the distinct clink of glass on glass as he rummages.

Now Fambrough has what he wants, a blank official form.

He begins to fill it out,

writing in a disturbingly childish way. 

FAMBROUGH Sir....Knight,

FAMBROUGH I am sending you on a knight's errand. 

FAMBROUGH You will report to Captain Cargill...

FAMBROUGH ...at the furthermost outpost of the realm... 

FAMBROUGH Fort Sedgewick. 

He looks over his work with a schoolboy's excitement and affixes his signature with a wild flourish. 

FAMBROUGH My personal seal will assure... 

FAMBROUGH ...your safety passage 

FAMBROUGH ...through many miles of wild and hostile country. 

He folds the order 

and hands it to Dunbar. 

DUNBAR I'm was wondering...

FAMBROUGH Yes?

DUNBAR I'm wondering sir, how will I be getting there?

FAMBROUGH You think I don't know? 

DUNBAR No sir,

FAMBROUGH You think I don't know.

DUNBAR No sir, it's just that I don't know. 

FAMBROUGH Hold your tongue. 

The major turns in his chair to stare through a single, dusty window. He can see a teamster outside, tying down canvas on a heavily-loaded wagon. 

FAMBROUGH I'm in a generous mood and will grant your boon. 

FAMBROUGH You see that peasant out there... 

FAMBROUGH he calls himself Timmons... 

FAMBROUGH he leaves this very afternoon for your Fort Sedgewick. 

FAMBROUGH Ride with him if you like...

FAMBROUGH ...he knows the way. Thank you. That is all. 

Dunbar stands and salutes. 

Fambrough returns it snappily.

The lieutenant starts for the door. 

FAMBROUGH (O.S.) Sir Knight... 

Dunbar turns around. 

Fambrough is standing in front of his desk.

There's a large, dark splotch on the major's trouser front.

He jams both of his hands into the front of his pants and giggles. 

FAMBROUGH I just pissed in my pants... 

FAMBROUGH and nobody can do anything about it. 

 

Dances With Wolves

 

Words by Michael Blake

 

Pictures by Dean Semler and Kevin Costner

 

Dances With Wolves is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from M-G-M Home Entertainment.