source: Mysterious Circumstance: The Death of Meriwether Lewis

What did happen with Meriwether Lewis? Here are four different stories, pick one. Did the perennially depressed man kill himself? With TWO shots?? Or was it something a bit more murderous? A great way to kill a couple of hours and see some nice Tennessee landscapes. I'm still wondering about the Native girl, and why she was so frightened at the beginning of the movie. See? Still thinking about it the next day. The sign of a great flick. BTW, a treat seeing OU football star Marcus Dupree, and Duke of Hazzard John Schneider. Enjoy this low-budget treat. It's certainly more bang for the buck than Heaven's Gate.

In film class at college... I've seen better. I'm not sure what the script looks like... But execution is delivered. Living in the early 1800s... Everybody is clean. I felt like I was watching a reenactment. Accents and some of the characters... Misplaced. Costuming, accurate... But definitely not fitting for sleeping in the woods or living in the time. For where they were at. Script and dialogue... did not captured my attention. I constantly wondered where things were going. So sorry. I really wanted to like this movie. Have studied Lewis and Clark as a kid and have copies of their journals but this movie seems to have disconnected from history. Almost like somebody got a script and a cheap budget and put a film together. It just did not fit. It did not seem believable and it was a bit of a labor to watch.

I was anxious to watch this and learn something about American history that I was woefully ignorant of. And I remain so. After less than 30 minutes, I couldn't take anymore of Governor Meriwether's outrageous and "WAY over the top" antics. I felt as if I were watching a movie from the 1930s with the massively exaggerated movements in whatever he was doing. The dog was a delight - as are all animals, but he couldn't save Meriweather's performance. The cell phone text notices going off randomly were also an unwelcomed bonus. If I were a betting person, I'd bet it was the director's phone. Again - I DID want to like this film!! I tried! "They" just made it impossible. The dog got it an extra star.

I've watched this film twice. A friend told me to check it out a few months ago. It intrigued me from the prologue-and Amy Le's haunting intro-and the performances are mesmerizing. The simplicity of the film (quiet sets, nothing flashy) allows you to focus on the story. And what a cool story (which is historically based but completely unknown) about a well-known historical figure and his mysterious death. Interwoven with fact and fiction, the film is nothing less than genius. A mystery with twist after twist, an authentic period piece with genuine performances, beautiful shots, and storytelling at its finest. Well Done.

There is a mystery surrounding the death of Meriwether Lewis-yes, the famous Lewis of Lewis and Clark that we all heard about in history class as kids...but if I was taught anything about Lewis' death, I have certainly long since forgotten. Chances are though, that part of the story was left out, and I now know there are good reasons why...nobody (except maybe a few characters depicted in this interesting and imaginative independent film) knows the facts surrounding his death, officially reported as suicide. Suicide? Seems unlikely based on what we all did learned of this historical character, don't you think? And apparently, we would not be alone in our apprehension to accept this overly tidy explanation of events. In a style that reminded me of the 2021 film "The Last Duel" where the events leading up to the duel are presented again and again from the perspectives of each of the main characters, here the events leading up to Lewis' demise are repeatedly presented in a series of scenarios adeptly exploring all the major possible motivations of the characters involved that might have resulted in the death, beginning with the one which was historically proffered but difficult to swallow. This strategy provides the director, actors, and technicians alike the creative opportunities to express the subtleties of the same situation and characters under a variety of motivations; this is what makes this movie so interesting and what has been so well done by all involved in this project. It leaves us as the audience wondering: ooh, how's it going to go down this time? And it provides us the opportunity to explore for ourselves a breadth of perspectives not just about Lewis' death but also the many possible motives for how the story may have been reported following his death. This is particularly poignant now when the issue of information dissemination in society has strayed so far from factual and leads me to the maybe cynical suggestion that the politically motivated explanation is more likely to be most historically accurate version of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of Meriwether Lewis.

Tired of politics? A great time to watch Mysterious Circumstance: The Death of Meriwether Lewis! This historical mystery was filmed along Natchez Trace, where Lewis died in the early 1900s. Mindfulness in location and presentation provides a historically accurate portrayal of this two-hundred-year-old mystery. Hints of things to come are foretold throughout; a shot of Robert Grinder holding the knife once owned by Lewis, for example. In the style of the comedic murder mystery "Clue," different scenarios of that night are depicted, which take the viewer from the original claim that Lewis committed suicide through evolving theories based on information that became known through the years. The main characters do a wonderful job of modifying their character's traits to fit the different stories, including the dog! Meriwether's dog Seaman is mentioned often in the journals from the Lewis & Clark Expeditions, and he also plays an active role in the movie as well, traveling through the Natchez Trace with Lewis to tell the shifting tale of that dark night. It is documented that Lewis was so fond of Seaman he once sent a scout team to retrieve the dog when he was stolen by Indians during the Expedition, and that relationship is captured here. Seaman's final scene with Meriwether may just bring a tear to your eyes, but in a good way! Kudos to Scriptwriter/Director Clark Richey for including Lewis' canine companion in a way that leaves no doubt Meriwether loved his dog, which is just one more reason to enjoy this entertaining flick!

My husband and I really enjoyed the movie! We live in Tennessee and were unaware of the fact that Lewis was buried in Hohenwald, Tn. That was a total surprise to us. The different scenarios in the movie regarding the death of Meriwether Lewis were all plausible to us. We felt the most believable was the murder scenario! The casting was excellent and the costumes were perfect for the time too. The cold season added a touch too along with the roaring fire. Absolutely loved the animals in the movie! The dog was very well trained and his part made total sense leading the way on the trails and being a protector for Meriwether!

Meriwether Lewis died at the Grinder's inn also known as Grinder's Stand. His death remained a mystery until this movie reveals the truth. Sorry, I'm kidding and so was the production of this dumb movie. The first sign of trouble for me was the opening scene at the inn when Mrs. Grinder is standing at the raised porch. The lighting team aimed their reflectors from several feet below so her and her husband's stark shadows were floating above them against the back wall. How could the director not see this problem and fix the lighting? This continued throughout the movie involving the porch scenes. This really bothered me so I had to vent on this. So the plot is Alexander Wilson, a friend of M. L. visits the inn where his friend died 2 years ago. He interviews the Grinders to report back to the "east" as to what might have happened. He begins with Mrs Grinder and the movie flashes back. Wilson then interviews Mr. Grinder and another retelling of the tragedy. Wilson then offers up his own version even though he wasn't even there, another retelling. Finally, Mr's Grinder recalls yet another version and we get a 4th flashback. What is the ultimate purpose of this movie if some 200 years after the death of Meriwether Lewis the case is unsolved? No offering of any new evidence just a waste of time telling campfire stories to the audience. We learned nothing about ML so you don't even get the benefit of a history lesson.

A period in history that I never knew of. I learned a thing or too despite my advanced age. This is a good enjoyable flick. "Mysterious Circumstances, The Death of Meriwether Lewis", is the story of the tragic and historic event, the death of legendary explorer Meriwether Clark in Baldwyn Mississippi. The film is full of shady figures during cold and dark times many years ago. A real "who done it" featuring love, action and of course history. We were glued to our seats throughout the film wondering what's next. The movie was even a bit spooky! I loved the dog in this film too. He was amazing in the role he played. We enjoyed this movie thoroughly!