5. Chief Joseph
The leader of the Nez Perce tribe of Indians, Chief Joseph became famous for leading a 1170 mile retreat to Canada seeking asylum with Sioux indians while simultaneously having to maneuver around United States military forces. Facing impossible conditions, lack of resources and freezing cold, Joseph earned the respect of the American military for the skill in which the retreat was conducted before finally being forced to surrender just short of the Canadian border. Joseph spent the rest of his life in exile from his native land despite continually negotiating with several different presidents before his death. A film on Chief Joseph would show some of the darker areas of American expansion into the west as the Nez Perce were forced from their native homes into assigned reservations. While the film would undoubtedly be a bit of a downer, it could be an extremely effective piece of filmmaking if it adequately showed the skill with which Chief Joseph led the retreat.
Casting Choice: Hollywood uses the same native american actors over and over but I'd pick Wes Studi anyway.