Robthom & Jim, I think you guys have overlooked a key scene here. Ben Foster's portrayal of the man who was sentenced to hang for "war crimes." Foster whined that he did not do anything that Captain Blocker did not do, it was unfair of the army to hang him. Unknown to them, Mrs Quaid overheard the conversation. Now, I haven't seen the movie in quite a while. As I recall, Mrs Quaid told Blocker to come into the tent because of the rain. So Blocker realizes she heard about his war crimes, and yet she still takes him into a platonic embrace.
So Mrs Quaid realizes the war crimes is a two way trail. And she saw the Montana ranchers attitude to the Indians when Little Bear was made an orphan. And Blocker realizes he did underhanded things as Ben Foster's character did. And Blocker saw the depression that led his First Sergeant to leave camp seeking death.
I thought Foster's scene with the captain brought a light to Mrs Quaid and the captain and seemed to help us understand the change of heart.
That's because you pay attention when watching a film.
Most don't.
