When the Legends Die

Novel

The novel, about the life of a Ute Indian young man, was written in 1963 by Hal Borland. While it was written as a mainstream novel, it became a young adult classic. The novel is roughly divided into four parts: Tom Black Bull's youth with his parents who lived "off the reservation" in the wilderness of southern Colorado; Tom's experience as an orphan sent to the reservation school against his will; Tom's "abandonment" of the Indian lifestyle and his success on the rodeo circuit in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma; and finally Tom's return to his roots — reconciling himself with his heritage and his solitary relationship with the land and the wilderness.

Film

The film was made in 1972, starring Richard Widmark and Frederic Forrest. It was directed by Stuart Millar from a screenplay written by Robert Dozier. It was freely adapted from the novel, updating the action from the start of the 20th century to the present, and cutting out the majority of the original plot, effectively based on only one middle section of the novel.

The title is taken from the saying "When the legends die the dreams end, when the dreams end there is no more greatness."

The film had a budget of $1,520,000.

Plot

A Ute Indian youth, Tom Black Bull (Frederic Forrest), leaves the reservation to enter the rodeo life. He is under the tutelage of Red Dillon (Richard Widmark), a talented man with a drinking problem. The youth deals with the struggle between two worlds and deciding what life has to offer.

Cast

Richard Widmark as Red Dillon

Frederic Forrest as Tom Black Bull

Luana Anders as Mary

Vito Scotti as Meo (Dillon's caretaker)

Herbert Nelson as Dr. Wilson

John War Eagle as Blue Elk

John Gruber as Clyde "Tex" Walker

Garry Walberg as School Superintendent

Jack Mullaney as Gas Station Attendant

Malcolm Curley as Benny Grayback (school principal)

Roy Engel as Sam Turner

Rex Holman as Neil Swenson

Mel Gallagher as Cowboy

Tillman Box as Young Tom Black Bull

Sondra Pratt as Angie (girl who picks up Tom)

Reception

The Denver premiere of When the Legends Die at the Esquire Theatre

in August 1972 was the subject of a legal challenge. Four trustees of the

Denver-based Golden Indian Bread Foundation, including Vernon Bellecourt,

national director of the American Indian Movement, sued in Denver District

Court to halt the screening, which had been advertised as a benefit for the

foundation. Bellecourt called the film "another exploitation by 20th

Century-Fox." The trustees argued that holding the benefit at the Esquire

would create the public impression that the foundation endorsed the film.

Judge James Flanigan denied the request for a temporary restraining order

on August 25, 1972, and the premiere proceeded as scheduled.