Follow the River (1995)

Sheryl Lee is Mary Ingles, a pregnant woman living on the Virginia frontier who has a premonition that something’s about to happen that has nothing to do with her child’s birth.

Soon after, while her husband is out mending fences, the Shawnee attack, killing several settlers.

Mary is taken captive, along with her son Tommy, her sister Bettie Draper (Renee O’Connor) and an adult male, Henry Lenard.

Mary gives birth to a daughter on the way to the Shawnee camp, and her bravery as a captive captures the attention of Wildcat (Eric Schweig), the Shawnee chief.

He continues to show her favoritism once they reach their destination. And, eventually, he proposes that he become the father of her children.

Already married, hoping someday to return home, Mary rejects the idea.

In retaliation, Wildcast sells the captives to the French and seizes Tommy to raise as a warrior.

That’s when Mary decides she must escape, recruiting an older woman named Gretel (Ellen Burstyn) to join her.

But first, she makes the difficult decision to turn over her baby daughter to the wet nurse who’s been helping care for her.

Then she sets out on what’s sure to be an arduous journey.

Sheryl Lee as Mary Ingles is taken captive at knifepoint by a Shawnee warrior in Follow the River (1995)

Renee O’Connor as Bettie Draper with fellow captive Henry Lenard (Andy Stahl) in Follow the River (1995)

Review:

This is an ABC TV movie based on the true story of Mary Ingles and he Draper’s Meadow Massacre of 1775 and the novel “Follow the River” by James Alexander Thom.

Unfortunately, it comes across as too much of what it is — a sanitized, white-washed account of Mary Ingles’ ordeal.

Mary never seems to fear death. She never seems ot fear rape. She smiles. She talks tough. Days after giving birth, she offers to endure the gaunlet twice so her sister won’t have to.

Little time is spent on husband Will’s desperate search for Mary, so her interactions with her fellow captives provide much of the “drama.”

As a result, she spends lots ot time arguing with her whiny sister in the first half of the film; lots of time bickering with her traveling companion in the second half.

It all leads up to an implausible ending perfect for family fare, but likely to disappont fans searching for more realistic fare.

Eric Schweig as Wildcat, the Shawnee chief who takes a liking to Mary Ingles in Follow the River (1995)

Ellen Burstyn as Gretel, the captive who agrees to attempt an escape with Mary Ingles in Follow the River (1995)

Directed by:
Martin Davison

Cast:
Sheryl Lee … Mary Ingles
Ellen Burstyn … Gretel
Eric Schweig … Wildcat
Tim Guinee … Will
Renee O’Connor … Bettie Draper
Tyler Noyes … Tommy Ingles
Andy Stahl … Henry Lenard
Gabriel Macht … Johnny Draper
Tony Amendola … LaPlante
Sammy D. Miller … Goulart
Graeme Malcolm … Buchanan
Juddson Keith Linn … Deer Following
Jimmie F. Skaggs … Snake Stick

Runtime: 91 min.

Tim Guinee as Will Ingles and Gabriel Macht as Johnny Draper, trying to arrange a trade to get back the captives in Follow the River (1995)

Tyler Noyes as Tommy Ingles, explaining how he knows the name of one of the Shawnee in Follow the River (1995)

Memorable lines:

Bettie Draper: “That heathen has his eye on you. And you like it.”
Mary Ingles: “I’ll thank you not to talk rubbish, Bettie Draper. If you had some dignity instead of whining, and put a smile on your face instead of scowling at them like devils, perhaps they’d treat you better too.”

Bettie Draper of Tommy Ingles: “He’ll be a proper little savage all too soon if you ask me.”
Mary Ingles: “Better a savage than dead. He’s 6 years old, Bet.”

Mary Ingles: “Gretel, we’ve come many, many miles with no hurt to speak of.”
Gretel: “I hurt!”
Mary: “But we’re free, dear. We’re free as birds.”

Mary Ingles: “Eating wood! You’ll be eating worms next.”
Gretel: “I’d rather eat worms than the worms eat me.”

Mary Ingles, struggling to keep going: “Lord, you could have been kinder? Now that I’m trying to tell you your business.”

Sheryl Lee as Mary Ingles, wondering what happens next after arriving at the Shawnee camp in Follow the River (1995)

Tony Amendola (right) at LaPlante with his French trading partner at the Shawnee village in Follow the River (1995)

Jimmie F. Skaggs as Snake Stick, a tracker trying to help Will Ingles find Mary and the other captives in Follow the River (1995)

Sheryl Lee as Mary Ingles, joking with her captors while Bettie Draper (Renee O’Connor) and Henry Lenard (Andy Stahl) look on in Follow the River (1995)