Lt. Joe Leaphorn (Wes Studi) is on leave, dealing with his wife's serious health issues, when the dispatcher calls him back to active duty with the Navajo Tribal Police. What's the big case? He's to serve a warrant on Ellie Friedman-Bernal (Rosalia de Aragon), an archeologist who's suspected of taking pots from Navajo land.

The problem is, he can't find her, and none of her co-workers appear to be very helpful.

Meanwhile, Officer Jim Chee (Adam Beach) has problems of his own coming from all sides. He got distracted from security duty and a rather large piece of tribal equipment was stolen. Just as he spots the thieves, he wrecks his girlfriend's BMW convertible.

As the bodies begin to pile up, Leaphorn and Chee realize that their cases have some issues in common, and they reluctantly team up. Will they find the archeologist in time to save her life? And will the woman's work uncover the mystery of the lost Anasazi people?

A Thief of Time is based on the Tony Hillerman novel of the same name and was produced for PBS along with two of Hillerman's other Leaphorn/Chee mystery novels, Skinwalkers and Coyote Waits. It's directed by Chris Eyre, who has also made Smoke Signals and other great Native American films.

It's worth your time if you watch the film just for the scenery alone. Add the mystery and the soundtrack by BC Smith to it, and you've got an excellent show.