Little Big Man (1970)

Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, tells of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.

Director:

Arthur Penn

Writers:

Thomas Berger (novel), Calder Willingham (screenplay)

Stars:

Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway, Chief Dan George

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dustin Hoffman	...	Jack Crabb
Faye Dunaway	...	Mrs. Pendrake
Chief Dan George	...	Old Lodge Skins
Martin Balsam	...	Mr. Merriweather
Richard Mulligan	...	General Custer
Jeff Corey	...	Wild Bill Hickok
Aimee Eccles	...	Sunshine (as Amy Eccles)
Kelly Jean Peters	...	Olga
Carole Androsky	...	Caroline (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

Storyline

Jack Crabb is 121 years old as the film begins. A collector of oral histories asks him about his past. He recounts being captured and raised by indians, becoming a gunslinger, marrying an indian, watching her killed by General George Armstrong Custer, and becoming a scout for him at Little Big Horn.

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Plot Keywords:

revisionist western | based on novel | cheyenne indian | u.s. cavalry | cavalry charge | 

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Taglines:

Either The Most Neglected Hero In History Or A Liar Of Insane Proportion!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences and some sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dustin Hoffman was put in The Guinness Book of World Records as "Greatest Age Span Portrayed By A Movie Actor" for portraying the character of Jack Crabb from a teenager to age one hundred twenty-one.

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Goofs

Many inaccuracies regarding the Battle of Little Big Horn are copied from They Died with Their Boots On: see goofs for that movie.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jack Crabb: I am, beyond a doubt, the last of the old-timers. My name is Jack Crabb. And I am the sole white survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn, uh, uh, popularly known as Custer's Last Stand.

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Connections

Referenced in American Horror Story: Chapter 9 (2016)

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Soundtracks

Shall We Gather at the River?
(1864) (uncredited)
Written by Robert Lowry
Sung a cappella by Faye Dunaway

User Reviews

Cult Movies 53

53. LITTLE BIG MAN (western, 1970) From his Hospital bedside 121-year old Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman) recounts his exploits to a reporter: Captured by Cheyenne Indians at the age of 10 he's integrated into their 'alien' society and made the son of Indian 'Old Lodge Skies' (Chief Dan George). Proving his courage despite his short stature he's given the name of 'Little Big Man'. During the Indian Wars Jack is returned to white society. There he works as a shopkeeper, gunfighter, and finally used as an Indian Scout. The latter landing him under the command of General Custer (Richard Mulligan), who's putting together an army to fight the Indians at Little Big Horn.

Critique: Extremely enjoyable, epic western directed by Arthur Penn. Praised for its depiction of Native Americans, it has biting satirical (and political) touches, saddled with farcical historical accounts of the Indian Wars. The once controversial aspects were meant to represent the ideologies of the time, but it has not lost any of its grit.

What I like the most is its unique interpretation of Indians. Never in the long cycles of American westerns were Indians presented as almost alien, coming across as a mythical people whose ignorance of political maneuvers and technology proved their downfall. A very bitter and sad farewell swansong to what war and genocide has taken away.

Atypical cast delivers strong passages but you won't forget the 2-standout roles of General Custer as portrayed by the maniacal Richard Mulligan and 'Old Lodge Skies' played by the philosophical Chief Dan George.

QUOTES: Old Lodge Skies: "There is an endless supply of white men. But there has always been a limited number of 'human beings'. We won today, we won't win tomorrow."

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Little Big Man

Filming Locations:

Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$31,559,552

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$31,559,552

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinema Center Films, Stockbridge-Hiller Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min 147 min (copyright length)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Spanish release) Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1