Film Review ‘Seven Alone’

 

   The film Seven Alone is an adventure film which is released in United Stated in 1974, produced by Audio Services Company. It is one hour and twenty-nine minutes.  This film is the true account of seven orphans who keep on going for Oregon after their parents, Dewey Martin and Ann Collings both died on the trail. Dewey Martin died from blood poisoning and Anne Collings in childbirth. 

This family film was so down-to-earth about everything that happened to people and their love of the Mid-West and the trip they were willing to take to the North-western part of the country. This film starts with a couple with six children struggling to scratch the surface of the land in Missouri to settle in this part of the country. His main concern was going to the West like most of his neighbours. However, his wife simply did not like the idea at all. Once a decision was made, the story becomes very interesting and tragic; another baby is born, increasing the family to seven. This is a very down-to-earth depiction of how settlers travelled with their families and had great determination and faith in God to lead them to a better way of living in the great land of the United States. 

The Sager’s journey is set against the background of the adventures of some other real pioneers and frontier characters such as Kit Carson and missionaries Dr Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa Whitman. After the action of Seven AloneMarcus and Narcissa Whitman were later murdered and their mission destroyed in the Oregon territory. As for Kit Carson, his very real exploits needed no embellishing from dime novel writers. Dean Smith plays him in this film and both the Whitman and Carson stories have never really been adequately told in the film. 

The film Seven Alone is not a Hollywood blockbuster, but it is based on the lives of a group of people who go from the Midwest to the west coast in 1842 and 1843 and experience the hardships that came with it. The emphasis was on the Sager family and their children, who were left to stand for themselves after their parents died on the journey. There are no Oscar-winning performances or even anything particularly engaging in terms of acting ability. There are no special effects, as there are today, but it is a simple film that didn't need them. One of the positive aspects of this picture is the absence of any spectacular love scenes. Instead, imagine what it would have been like to go across the nation at a speed slightly quicker than a stroll, rain or shine, with limited shelter, and contending with illness and Indian attacks. This doesn't give a very politically correct view of the native American Indian. But then again, Indians and white men had not even begun to learn to live together in 1843. This film depicts violent behaviour and condescending discourse directed at Indians, but I'm sure the genuine dialogue and behaviour were just as horrible, if not worse, back then. 

Parents should watch this film with their children Therefore, I recommend a simple and entertaining film based on a real family's struggle to stay together. It can also be viewed as a teaching tool to build determination, passion and resilience to face hardship. 

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Life is a Boomerang

 

The Hindi film titled 'Jai Ho' ended at 5:00 pm. Some eyes filled with tears while others felt their hearts elevated by the heroic actions of well-known actor Salman Khan in the movie theatre in Samdrup Jongkhar. Mr Dendup, a gentleman with short curly hair and dark eyes, was truly inspired by the dialogue stated. "Thank you, maat kahiye, instead "teen logukay madat Kijay". Mr Dendup could still remember the captivating phrases while driving a taxi as he headed home with his passengers in the evening. He saw a stooping grandma with a walking stick and limping with a rosary in her hand. He suddenly stopped the vehicle, struck by the events of the film, and asked, 

"Abe, where are you going? Get in, please!"

"Thank you, my son. I am going to Dewathang. " 

She thanked him genuinely, with a stammering voice. They conversed casually. After a while, she fell asleep. The jerking of the car suddenly woke her up. 

"Could you tell me where we have reached now?"

"There's nearly a kilometre left to reach your destination." 

They arrived at her destination A few minutes later, and he woke her up. Abe stepped out of the car. She took out her torn black wallet and paid her fare. Mr Dendup said, "I don't want fare; instead, you help three other people." The old Abe was thrilled and said, "Thank you very much," with eyes full of tears. He started his journey and thought of the film and felt inspired. He narrated the story to the passengers in his car. They arrived at their destination, and he charged only Nu. 100 per head. They all dispersed. 

The next day, Mr Dendup decided to help another person. With determination, he announced, "Trashigang one... Trashigang one..." in the taxi parking at Samdrup Jongkhar. No sooner did he announce it than he got the passenger and started towards Trashigang. When he reached Morong, he saw a beautiful girl in blue tego with red wonju, clad in thin mathra Kera, carrying a beautiful yellow patterned Jola sitting beside the road and trembling. Mr Dendup felt pity for her and stopped the car. He asked, "What's wrong with you? May I help you?"

She was worried and thought, "No one had stopped to help for the last hour. Is this ata going to hurt me? He doesn't look safe; he looks hungry." He could see that she was frightened. He knew how she felt. He said, "I'm here to help you, Ausa. Why don't you get into the car? It's warm. By the way, my name is Dendup from Trishigang. He asked the same question again, "What's wrong with you? Where are you going? "The girl felt a little comfortable answering his questions and replied, "I have been waiting here for a hitchhike since this morning. I am going to Mongar Hospital for treatment, but I did not get a hitchhike. Ata, I am Lhamo from O- O- rong.” He felt sympathetic and adjusted her in his car. She felt delighted and said, "Kadrinchhe la ata", with folded hands, tears rolling down her rosy cheeks as she got into the car. After a few kilometres, a tyre punctured, and all the passengers in the vehicle were frightened. Mr Dendup crawled under the car, looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon, he was able to change the tyre.  He got dirty, and his hands hurt. She rolled down the window and began talking to him as he tightened up the lug nuts. 

Mr Dendup smiled as he closed the trunk. The journey continued, and Mr Dendup was bit worried about carrying an extra passenger. However, he decided in his mind to pay a fine if he was caught. Suddenly, he saw the traffic police checking, and he was hooked. He explained the situation and was not fined. Mr Dendup thought, "I am not fined; it's due to my good intention. Thank God!"

They reached Trashigang, and the girl asked how much she owed him. She decided to pay according to the demand of the taxi driver. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Mr Dendup never thought about being paid. He was helping someone in need. He told her that if she wanted to pay him back whenever she saw someone who needed help. She was asked to give that person the assistance they needed. The girl said "Thank you ata" and halted in the restaurant for a night. 

The next day, she travelled in a Bolero Taxi towards Mongar and stopped at Rolong for breakfast. A mile down the road, Lhamo saw a small cafe. She went in to eat before making her trip. It was a dingy-looking restaurant. The whole scene was strange to her. The waitress brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She always smiled. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but never let the stress and aches change her attitude. Lhamo wondered, but then she remembered Mr Dendup’s words. 

After the girl finished her meal, she paid Ngultrum one thousand. The waitress quickly went to get the change for her thousand notes, but the girl left. The waitress wondered where the girl could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin on the table.

She read, "You don't owe me anything. Somebody once helped me out the way I'm helping you. If you want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you." With tears in her eyes. Under the napkin were three more ten hundred notes. She was thrilled but had no one to acknowledge her. 

The waitress remains …

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