I saw this wonderful film many years ago and loved it. Although I have a copy of the excellent Rattlesnake Productions Documentary done for American Experience and narrated by Linda Hunt, the film starring Joseph Runningfox as a young Ishi has a deep emotional impact - guaranteed to make you cry. Ishi never talked about his time before he emerged from his hiding place, so the film with Dennis Weaver and Joseph Runningfox is speculative. Neverheless, I believe the story that it tells is probably very close to the way it must have been for Ishi, his mother, sister and grandfather as the last of the Yahi remained in hiding. By the way, the film does NOT give the impression that other tribes contributed to the genocide of the Yahi - instead it is quite clear that the bounty on Native Americans was responsible. My Grantfather's brother was an intern under Dr. Saxton Pope, who took care of Ishi when he became ill with tuberculosis. My Grandfather would sometimes go with his brother to visit Ishi and our family has always been very interested in Ishi's story. While the Rattlesnake Productions Documentary is the gold standard for the real story of Ishi, the 1978 TV movie is worth watching for the deeper emotional impact, even if the flash backs to Ishi's life prior to his coming out of hiding are only speculation on the probable lives of the last Yahi while they remained in hiding from the outside world.
Review of Ishi: The Last of His Tribe
