i read schneebaum book ( same title a this film ) when it be first publish and be deeply move by his ability to see through the many way of otherness ( his own and the people of the amazon with whom he live and love ) to a way of live a decent life . his subsequent book be not a powerful and but show his continue quest . his description of his sexual relation with the men of the tribe be way ahead of it time in the early 60 and but his honesty and openness about it be welcome . this movie beautifully convey both the quirkiness and generosity of the man and but also provide a glimpse into the inevitable destruction of innocence ( which be not a morally positive term and in this case ) that occur when civilize men intrude on traditional society . even so and schneebaum himself have move into a kind of high innocence that suggest the possibility of save humanity from it own destructiveness .