MovieChat Forums > Dances with Wolves (1990) Discussion > Why all the fuss over his hat?

Why all the fuss over his hat?

posted 8 years ago by janiceross22
8 replies | jump to latest

Just after the Buffalo hunt, Dunbar gets very agitated when he sees someone else wearing his hat, which he lost during the hunt. I honestly don't understand his reaction. It seems very forced. He had already become friends with these people and they had come to accept him as a friend as well. He had given them many gifts (cups, sugar, coffee) and just minutes before he gifted his coat to "Wind in his Hair". So why was he so angry when someone else was wearing his hat?

He could have been cool about it and just said something like, "That's my hat. It's ok, you keep it. It looks good on you!".

[–] debiler 8 years ago

Yes, he could have been cool about it. But he wasn't. I mean, from the character's viewpoint, it makes complete sense that he'd like his hat back.
From a director's viewpoint, it was a great scene. It showed the different concepts of possession that Dunbar and the Sioux had. It also made 'Wind in his hair' step up and take Dunbar's side, which hugely progresses his character from being just 'the fierce one' and reveals a deep person with morals and integrity.

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I didn't like the Godfather, so what?

[–] anroab 8 years ago

I wouldn't have said it better. Agree 100%

[–] yvonneshusband 8 years ago

It's part of his uniform. Giving it away or trading it would probably have been contrary to Army Regulations. In any case, it's meant to show him beginning to let go of his old attachments and duties.

An opinion is not offensive just because you do not agree with it.

[–] A-zone 8 years ago

It's part of his uniform. Giving it away or trading it would probably have been contrary to Army Regulations.

And yet he gave away his army coat just minutes before. Isn't that also part of his uniform?

"I'm the dude, playing a dude that's disguised as another dude".

[–] Lucy9596 8 years ago

I think the difference is that Dunbar gave his coat to Wind in his Hair as a gift but the hat he lost on the prairie. The guy should have given it back to him. If you find something and you know exactly who the owner is, will you keep it?

Finch: "In all the time I’ve known him he’s never let me down.”
"Goodbye, Harold."

****

[–] A-zone 8 years ago

If you find something and you know exactly who the owner is, will you keep it?

I probably wouldn't (depends on what I find though!), but clearly the Sioux have different customs, traditions and rules. The guy said something like, "I found it on the prairie, it is mine". In their way of life, it is probably "finders keepers" kind of thing.

And the fact that he wore it in front of everyone, rather than hiding it in his wigwam, strongly suggests that he didn't think he did anything wrong. And nobody seemed to tell him otherwise either, until when Dunbar objected, then Wind in his Hair joined in to translate.

"I'm the dude, playing a dude that's disguised as another dude".

[–] AmbienWineDiet 8 years ago

if you rewatch it, he says "try it on"

he only meant for him to try it on... then the native misunderstood and thought it was a trade... after that he couldn't go back... also he had been developing a relationship with this guy,... it hardly makes sense to insult a guy you have becoming friends with and is one of the few kind people in the tribe

the hat though.. he clearly didn't know this guy who took it.... and a hat is kind of important in those days... there is no sunscreen, no sunglasses, and he didn't agree, the fact he dropped it while helping them hunt buffalo and while saving his buddys son who the buffalo charged is a completely different situation to a misunderstood trade.

but as others said it showed different conceptions of possession and ownership between costerners characterts and the sioux

Costner had to show he was no push over. he may have dropped it and been an outsider but he deserved respect...

standing fist's story showed that even in the Sioux tribe standing up for yourself and having to use force could earn you respect and standing... he wasn't about to be bullied by some random guy

[–] signlady 8 years ago

Dunbar did not 'give' his coat to Wind-In-His-Hair.

Wind admired it, wanted to try it on, then Wind offered his ornament and Dunbar agreed to the trade - which Dunbar said was a good trade.

The guy who had the hat was entirely different.
He didn't ask. He found itand kept it, knowing exactly who it belong to. When confronted about the hat, he maintained he found it, and further guessed that Dunbar didn't want it. The hat guy was trying to get something for nothing.

Wind made the hat-guy do the right thing because the hat-guy should've given it back Dunbar after he found it rather than trying to act like Dunbar must not have wanted it.

- so finally, reluctantly, the hat-guy gave his knife which Dunbar accepted as 'trade' or payment in exchange for the hat.

I think Dunbar really
wanted the hat at that time and at that time only accepted the knife because he didn't want to rock the boat - but Dunbar showed himself honorable in both correctly asking for his hat and making a trade for it. And maybe he had learned that from his exchange with Wind.

Vast differences in the diplomatic nuances of these things: asking for, trading for, finding, returning, are all portrayed perfectly
in these scenes with the coat and hat.