Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Errol Flynn | ... | George Armstrong Custer | |
Olivia de Havilland | ... | Elizabeth Bacon | |
Arthur Kennedy | ... | Ned Sharp | |
Charley Grapewin | ... | California Joe | |
Gene Lockhart | ... | Samuel Bacon, Esq. | |
Anthony Quinn | ... | Crazy Horse | |
Stanley Ridges | ... | Maj. Romulus Taipe | |
John Litel | ... | Gen. Phil Sheridan | |
Walter Hampden | ... | William Sharp | |
Sydney Greenstreet | ... | Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott | |
Regis Toomey | ... | Fitzhugh Lee | |
Hattie McDaniel | ... | Callie | |
![]() |
G.P. Huntley | ... | Lt. 'Queen's Own' Butler (as George P. Huntley Jr.) |
Frank Wilcox | ... | Capt. Webb | |
Joe Sawyer | ... | Sgt. Doolittle (as Joseph Sawyer) |
A highly fictionalized account of the life of George Armstrong Custer from his arrival at West Point in 1857 to his death at the battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. He has little discipline at the academy but is prepared to stand up to the senior cadet, Ned Sharp, who makes his life miserable. While there he catches the eye of the commandant, Col. (later General) Phil Sheridan and also meets his future bride, Elizabeth Bacon. Graduating early due to the Civil War, it is only through a chance meeting with General Winfield Scott that he finally gets assigned to a cavalry regiment. He served with distinction during the war and when he is promoted to Brigadier General in error, he leads his troops in a decisive victory. He has little to do after the war turning down lucrative positions in private industry and it's his wife who arranges with Gen. Scott for him to be appointed a Lt. Colonel and given command of the 7th Cavalry. He is depicted as a friend of the Indians who will fight for... Written by garykmcd
Dashing Errol Flynn brings his usual flair for drama in this historically flawed but entertaining film of the life of George Armstrong Custer. The dashing, jovial Flynn essays Custer from his days at West Point as a reckless, headstrong cadet, through the Civil War years in an extraordinarily generous and partisan interpretation of history, and finally as the nonpareil Indian fighter whose blunder at the Little Big Horn is excused as a sacrifice by Custer of his command as a way of exposing the corruption of government officials and post traders as well as a protest of the unfair treatment of the Plains Indians. Olivia de Havilland, Flynn's co-star in several other films, scores as the devoted, adoring Libby Bacon, and Anthony Quinn looks the part as the fierce Sioux chief Crazy Horse. The film's battle scenes are excellent. The Civil War battles are brief and are shown as several vignettes in which Custer, seemingly supported by just a handful of troopers, hammers the Confederate army into submission. Custer's last fight against the Indians is a grand spectacle, a savage clash between red men and white, with no quarter given in a wild mix of military might between determined fighting men. Great direction, cinematography, casting and wonderful music by Max Steiner make this film a Hollywood classic.