Let me put a word in for the documentary now showing at the Exploris Museum’s IMAX theatre in Raleigh. My wife and I got to see Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West in Spokane a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The film managed to stay historically accurate while still reflecting some of the remarkable circumstances of the expedition — certainly that the group managed to travel the entire route through hostile territory and native populations, twice, sustaining only one death, and that to appendicitis; something of the notable friendship between the federally-commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, whom Lewis recruited for the trip and happily granted equal status and shared title as leader; and most ticklish to handle these days without revisionist pedantry, the fact that this most masculine and imperialist 19th century undertaking gave full credit to the opinions and suggestions of a woman, Sacagewea, and Clark’s slave, York … quite out of character for its time.
A terrific story and a right good telling of it. I also recommend Stephen Ambrose’s account, Undaunted Courage.
