Dances with Wolves (1990): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Dances with Wolves is a 1990 adventure western starring Kevin Costner, Graham Greene and Mary McDonnell. It is partly based on Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake. It runs 3 hours 1 minute and earned $424.2 million worldwide on a $22 million budget. It won 7 Oscars, including Best Picture and Cinematography, and 11 awards in all. Critics gave it 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and 72 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 3h 1m (181 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Orion Pictures Corporation
- Budget
- $22M
- Based on
- Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Dances with Wolves About?
The premise of Dances with Wolves without spoilers, adapted from Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
During the Civil War, Lieutenant John Dunbar ventures to the American frontier, hoping to establish a remote outpost. After encountering a Sioux tribe, he slowly earns their trust and begins to integrate into their way of life, learning their language and customs. As Dunbar experiences the richness of their culture, he grapples with the encroaching presence of the U.S. Army and the inevitable clash of civilizations.
Dances with Wolves Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- native american
- frontier
- wolf
- famous score
- prairie
- military officer
- native american chief
- wedding
- animal in title
- buffalo
- directed by star
- horse
+38 more Show fewer
- blockbuster
- campfire
- outpost
- epic
- bison
- field hospital
- flashback
- battle
- male nudity
- american civil war
- honor
- widow
- suicide
- directorial debut
- south dakota
- fainting
- culture clash
- self discovery
- rescue
- language barrier
- lakota indian
- coffee
- gift
- animal abuse
- revolver
- tennessee
- carcass
- nebraska
- journal
- national film registry
- native american tribe
- gunshot wound
- buffalo hunt
- loss of husband
- mourning
- loss of family
- hunting
- rifle
Dances with Wolves Cast
Kevin Costner leads the cast, with Graham Greene and Mary McDonnell.
Dances with Wolves Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Dances with Wolves 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and 72 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 87% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 87%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 72 Metascore
User score 8.1
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 78% User score
See on TMDB
Dances with Wolves Plot Summary
What happens in Dances with Wolves from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
As the battle-worn 1st Lieutenant John J. Dunbar (Kevin Costner) limped away from the chaos at St. David’s Field in Tennessee, his future hung by a thread. His leg, ravaged by a critical wound, faced the uncertain fate of a surgeon’s scalpel, which threatened to sever not just flesh, but also his very spirit. In an act of defiance, Dunbar chose an extraordinary path, seizing a horse and charging bravely into the storm of Confederate gunfire. Remarkably, his courage ignited a spark that enabled the Union Army to turn the tide, snatching victory from impending defeat.
Full summary
The whole story of Dances with Wolves, scene by scene
Dances with Wolves Box Office & Budget
Dances with Wolves grossed $424.2 million worldwide on a $22 million budget, 19 times what it cost. $184.2 million came from the US and Canada and $240 million (57%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$424.2M
19× its budget
- US & Canada
- $184.2M
- International
- $240M
- Budget
- $22M
Dances with Wolves Awards & Nominations
Dances with Wolves won 7 Oscars, including Best Picture and Cinematography, and 11 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 1991, with 7 wins from 12 nominations.
11 wins28 nominations4 ceremonies
-
BAFTA 1992 9 nominations- Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role – Kevin Costner
- Nominated Best Adapted Screenplay – Michael Blake
- Nominated Best Cinematography
- Nominated Best Direction – Kevin Costner
- Nominated Best Editing
-
Oscars 1991 7 wins · 12 nominations- Won Best Picture
- Won Cinematography
- Won Directing – Kevin Costner
- Won Film Editing
- Won Music (Original Score)
-
Golden Globes 1991 3 wins · 6 nominations- Won Best Director – Kevin Costner
- Won Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Won Best Screenplay – Michael Blake
- Nominated Best Original Score – John Barry
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – Kevin Costner
-
DGA Awards 1991 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Feature Film – Kevin Costner
Dances with Wolves Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 2 trailers.
- Trailer Dances with Wolves (1990) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
How Well Do You Know Dances with Wolves?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What was John J. Dunbar's military rank?
Dances with Wolves Also Known As
39 alternative titles, including “Plesovi sa Vukovima” and “Танці з вовками”.
- Also known as
-
- Plesovi sa Vukovima
- Танці з вовками
- Dança Com Lobos
- 늑대와 춤을
- Farkasokkal tancolo
- Tańczący z Wilkami
- Dansar med vargar
- Bailando con lobos
- Der mit dem Wolf tanzt
- Tanec s vlky
- Danse avec les loups
- Balla coi lupi
+27 more Show fewer
- Tanssii susien kanssa
- Танцующий с волками
- Danças com Lobos
- 与狼共舞
- Danser med ulver
- Плес са вуковима
- Farkasokkal táncoló
- Danser med ulve
- Kurtlarla Dans
- Χορεύοντας με τους λύκους
- רוקד עם זאבים
- Cel care dansează cu lupii
- Той, що танцює з вовками
- Танцуващият с вълци
- Danza con Lobos
- 與狼共舞
- Khiêu Vũ Với Bầy Sói
- ダンス・ウィズ・ウルブズ
- Tanec s vlkmi
- Šokis su vilkais
- الرقص مع الذئاب
- Il danse avec les loups
- จอมคนแห่งโลกที่ 5
- رقصنده با گرگها
- Ballant amb llops, მგლებთან მოცეკვავე
- Ples s vukovima
- Tantsib koos huntidega
Seen Dances with Wolves?
Movies Like Dances with Wolves
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Dances with Wolves FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it, awards and post-credit scenes of Dances with Wolves, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Dances with Wolves?
Dances with Wolves runs 3 hours 1 minute (181 minutes).
When was Dances with Wolves released?
Dances with Wolves was released on November 9, 1990.
Who is in the cast of Dances with Wolves?
Dances with Wolves stars Kevin Costner, Graham Greene and Mary McDonnell.
How much did Dances with Wolves make at the box office?
Dances with Wolves grossed $424.2 million worldwide ($184.2 million domestic, $240 million international) on a budget of $22 million.
How is Dances with Wolves rated?
Dances with Wolves has 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72 on Metacritic and 78% on TMDB.
Is Dances with Wolves based on a book?
Yes. Dances with Wolves is partly adapted from Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake.
What awards did Dances with Wolves win?
Dances with Wolves won 11 awards from 28 nominations, including Best Picture at the Oscars 1991.
Does Dances with Wolves have a post-credit scene?
No. Dances with Wolves has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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