Little Big Man (film)
Little Big Man is a 1970 film directed by Arthur Penn and based on the 1964 novel by Thomas Berger. It is a picaresque comedy and drama about a Caucasian boy raised by the Cheyenne nation during the 19th century. A major part of the film involves contrasting the lives of American pioneers and Native Americans.
The movie stars Dustin Hoffman, Chief Dan George, Faye Dunaway, Martin Balsam, Jeff Corey and Richard Mulligan. It is considered a Revisionist Western, with Native Americans receiving a sympathetic treatment uncommon for Western films in previous decades. Many of the US Cavalry soldiers are depicted as villains.
Despite its satiric and comedic approach, the film has tragic elements and a clear social commentary about prejudice and injustice. Little Big Man is considered an example of anti-establishment films of the period subtly protesting America's involvement in the Vietnam War by portraying the US Military in a condemnatory manner.
Cast
Dustin
Hoffman - Jack Crabb
Faye Dunaway - Mrs. Louise Pendrake
Chief Dan George - Old Lodge Skins
Martin Balsam - Mr. Merriweather
Richard Mulligan - Gen. George Armstrong Custer
Jeff
Corey - Wild Bill Hickok
Aimée Eccles - Sunshine (as Amy Eccles)
Kelly Jean Peters - Olga Crabb
Carole Androsky - Caroline Crabb - Sister
(as Carol Androsky)
Robert Little Star - Little Horse
Cal Bellini - Younger Bear
Ruben Moreno - Shadow That Comes In Sight
Steve Shemayne - Burns Red In The Sun
William Hickey - Historian
James
Anderson - Sergeant
Jesse Vint - Lieutenant (as Jess Vint)
Alan Oppenheimer - Major
Thayer David - Rev. Silas Pendrake
Philip
Kenneally - Mr. Kane - Drugstore Proprietor
Jack Bannon - Captain
Ray
Dimas - Young Jack Crabb
Alan Howard - Adolescent Jack Crabb
Jack Mullaney
- Card Player - 'I got a full house'
Steve Miranda - Younger Bear as a Youth
Lou Cutell - Deacon
M. Emmet Walsh
- Shotgun Guard
Emily Cho - Digging Bear
Cecelia Kootenay - Little Elk
Linda Dyer - Corn Woman
Dessie Bad Bear - Buffalo Wallow Woman
Len George - Crow Scout
Norman Nathan - Pawnee
Helen Verbit - Madame
Bert Conway - Bartender
Earl Rosell - Giant Trooper
Ken Mayer -
Sergeant
Bud Cokes - Man at Bar
Rory O'Brien - Assassin
Tracy Hotchner
- Flirting Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mae Old Coyote
Don Brodie - Stage Passenger (uncredited)
Les Kimber - Trader (uncredited)
Herbert Nelson - Bit Part (uncredited)
Annette O'Toole - Passerby (uncredited)
Douglas W. Randall - Town Little Boy (uncredited)
The
movie's portrayal of the Battle of Washita River as a Custer-led massacre of women
and children is not entirely based upon fact, as the historical record shows there
was more resistance than portayed in the film (though a large percentage of the
victims were women and children). As depicted, the scene most closely resembles
the Sand Creek Massacre, where Colorado militia troops (not including Custer)
attacked a peaceful contingent of Native Americans, killing more than 150 women,
children and elderly men.
Plot
A
dying centenarian, 121-year-old Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman), recalls several facets
of his life for a curious historian (William Hickey). His long and episodic story
includes being a member of the Cheyenne tribe, a gunslinger, a sidekick to Wild
Bill Hickok (Jeff Corey) and a scout for General George Armstrong Custer (Richard
Mulligan). The central theme is his adoption by the Cheyenne, enabling him to
view both the Caucasian and Native American cultures of the 19th century.
Jack and his older sister Caroline (Carole Androsky) survive the massacre of their parents' wagon train at the hands of Native Americans. He is raised by the Cheyenne leader Old Lodge Skins (Chief Dan George). It proves to be an idyllic life, though Jack unwittingly makes an enemy of Younger Bear (Cal Bellini). Jack is given the name "Little Big Man" because he's short but very brave. Jack is captured by the U.S. Cavalry and quickly put into the care of Reverend Pendrake (Thayer David) and his wife Louise (Faye Dunaway). She is attracted to young Jack, but he cannot accept the dichtomy between Louise's pious attitude and her sexual appetite and promptly leaves her home.
Jack decides to become the apprentice of the snake-oil salesman Merriweather (Martin Balsam). They are tarred and feathered for selling fraudulent products. He reunites with his sister Caroline. She attempts to mold her brother into a gunslinger named the Soda Pop Kid (so called because of his chosen beverage). Jack runs into Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Corey), who takes a liking to the young man. When Hickok is forced to kill a man in self defense, Jack loses his taste for gunslinging and Caroline deserts him.
Jack decides to open a general store and marries a Swedish woman named Olga (Kelly Jean Peters). Jack's business partner turns out to be a thief and he's forced to close the store. General Custer happens to ride upon the scene and suggests the couple restart their lives out west. Jack agrees, however, their stagecoach is ambushed by the Cheyennes and Olga is abducted. Searching for Olga in vain, he is reunited with Old Lodge Skins, who is overjoyed Jack has returned to the tribe. Younger Bear has become a "contrary" (a warrior who does everything in reverse) and is still clearly bitter. After a short stay with the tribe, Jack continues his search for Olga.
He eventually becomes a "mule skinner" within Custer's 7th Cavalry, hoping to obtain information on the location of Olga. He participates in a battle against the Cheyenne. When they begin killing women and children, he becomes enraged and turns on the U.S. Soldiers. In the nearby woods, Jack discovers the Cheyenne woman Sunshine (Aimée Eccles) in the process of giving birth. He saves Sunshine from the marauding soldiers and returns to Old Lodge Skins' tribe. Sunshine becomes his wife and they have a child together. Jack once again encounters Younger Bear, who has undergone another life change. No longer a contrary, he is now shockingly married to Olga. Before Jack is recognized, he walks away without saying a word.
One day during the winter season, Custer and the 7th Cavalry make a surprise attack on the Cheyenne camp. A now-blind and elderly Old Lodge Skins is saved by Jack, but Sunshine and his children are killed. Jack tries to infiltrate Custer's camp to exact revenge, but eventually loses his nerve. Disheartened, Jack becomes the town drunk in Deadwood, South Dakota. While in a drunken stupor, Wild Bill Hickok recognizes him and gives him money to clean up. When Jack returns to the bar, Hickok is shot and killed. Before his death, Hickok tells Jack a dying wish involving a widow he was involved with. Jack goes to see the widow, a prostitute who turns out to be Louise Pendrake. Jack gives her the money she needs to start a new life.
Jack soon becomes a trapper and hermit. His mind becomes unhinged after coming across an empty trap with a severed animal limb. Poised at the edge of a cliff, he prepares to commit suicide. Jack suddenly hears the faint chords of Garry Owen echoing through the valley and spots Custer and his troops marching nearby. Jack decides to exact revenge. Custer accepts him as a scout, believing anything he says will be a lie, thus serving as a reverse barometer. Jack leads the troops into a trap at the Little Bighorn. Before the attack, Jack truthfully tells Custer of the overwhelming force of Native Americans hidden within the valley. Custer does not believe him and leads the 7th Cavalry to its doom. During the frantic battle, Custer begins a series of insane ravings. Ignoring the closing circle of warriors, Custer decides to kill Jack and points his pistol at him. Before he can pull the trigger, Custer is killed by Younger Bear, who then saves Jack by carrying him to Old Lodge Skins' tepee.
With Custer and his regiment annhilated, Jack accompanies the decrepit Old Lodge Skins to a nearby hill where the weary leader decides to use his magic and end his life. He gives his speech to the Great Spirit, saying he is ready to die. Instead, it begins to rain. Old Lodge Skins sighs and says, "Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn't." They return to his tepee to have dinner.
Jack's narrative abruptly ends and he tells the historian to leave the room. The film concludes with an extended shot of the elderly Jack sadly staring into space.
Animation
- Comedy - Crime
- Documentary
-
Family - Foreign
Language - Historical
- Horror - Musical
- Political
Recommended- Romance- Science Fiction and Fantasy - Sport Movies -- Thriller - War - Western - Wildlife
A map of where different US films & TV programmes blanket across the USA are
ZANADU - A FUN BASED SITE, WITH SOME FILM RELATED SECTIONS
Flight Las Vegas Nevada - Find a flight to Las Vegas
Cheap flights Beijing - Get your tickets here Fly to Beijing
Bank Interest Rates - A Website on Bank Interest Rates
Car Cheap Insurance - Get Cheap Car Insurance from here
Flights London - Want to fly to or Visit London get your Flight and Hotel place here
Get
your fave music here for your IPOD
Buy DVD Rent DVD Get your DVDs from here