2020 Western 'News of the World' gives us the ravages of Civil War

NEWS OF THE WORLD from UNIVERSAL. According to "Box Office Mojo" which tracks box office receipts. This Western grabbed $12.6 million and is now streaming On-Demand across internet platforms. It is also on Blu-Ray and DVD. 

The movie was filmed at Santa Fe, New Mexico (2019). 200 crew members were employed and 25 local actors were hired. That included numerous back-ground extras which consisted of Kiowa Indians. 

"World" tells the story of Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) who served in the Civil War. It is now five years later in 1870. He was employed as a newspaper printer in a business that was destroyed. He goes on the road across the southwest to read newspapers to settlers... On this journey - Jefferson discovers a lost 10-year-old German girl Johanna. She was kidnapped by Kiowa Indians who only speaks their language. Jefferson ends up deliverying her to the only living relatives she has. The aunt and uncle.

Their journey is perilous. The Civil War changed the southern U.S. states drastically. Slavery is over and Americans are still expanding west to California. Jefferson and Johanna can barely speak to each other because she only knows Kiowa. They face off with men who want to sell her into prostitution. Buffalo hunters want to kill Jefferson because he doesn't read their self-aggrandizing newspapers. Johanna's parents were killed by Indian raiders and the Kiowa people have to relocate. She screams for them even though they have to leave her behind - for their own survival. Both of them end up on foot with no food or water. They finally face the dust storms of the southwest. This journey changes both of their lives and they realize that they might need each other.

If anyone knows me. I love a good Western. I've seen this twice now. (Once in a movie theater and now on Blu-Ray). It's based on a book by Paulette Jiles and the movie never steers away from it. The feel of the American Southwest is so authentic and true. The cinematography is great. I was transported back to 1870... Check it out if you can.

Click on photos for NEWS OF THE WORLD.

(Movie photo 2020.).

Kiowa Indians as backround extras. Tom Hanks with hat on. Photo by Lynda Delaune.).

(Movie Scene with Tom Hanks as Jefferson Kidd.).

(Movie Scene. Tom Hanks and Helena Zengl in the middle.).