Little Big Man (1970)

Dustin Hoffman plays Jack Crabb, a 121-year-old survivor of Custer’s Last Stand, who narrates his long and eventful life to a doubting historian (William Hickey) who has come to interview him in the veteran’s hospital where he is living out his remaining days.

The plot follows Crabb from 1859, when, as a 10-year-old white orphan (his parents were killed in a Pawnee raid), he is found and adopted by a Cheyenne elder and is later made a brave, called Little Big Man.

We see the Cheyenne through his eyes, presented as a rich and meaningful way of life. Crabb’s adopted father, tribal elder Old Lodge Skins (Chief Dan George, who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar), is a wise, all-knowing sage who is also something of a magician.

There follows an incredible number of adventures: Jack as a Cheyenne riding into battle against the white man; Jack saving himself from death by revealing his white skin and then being adopted by the Reverend Silas Pendrake (Thayer David) and his not-so-reverent wife (Faye Dunaway); going into business with a travelling quack medicine merchant (Martin Balsam); making friends with Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Corey); turning to storekeeping and marrying Olga (Kelly Jean Peters); meeting General Custer (Richard Mulligan), who advises him to “Go West”; going West and losing his wife in an Indian attack; watching Sunshine (Aimee Eccles), daughter of the Cheyenne who captured him years before, deliver her baby; returning with her to the Cheyenne camp to resume life as a Cheyenne and as Sunshine’s husband; helping out with Sunshine’s widowed sisters; hearing Custer decree death for all Indians; attempting to kill Custer after Sunshine and her children are slain; re-meeting the Reverend’s wife in very unexpected surroundings; deciding to live as a hermit until seeing Custer riding to Little Big Horn; offering and being accepted as a scout by Custer; and actually taking part in the famous Last Stand, but having his life is saved by Younger Bear (Cal Bellini), whose life Jack had saved years before.

Taken to the Cheyenne camp, Jack again meets Chief Old Lodge Skins, who is now ready to face death, only to learn that this is something he must wait for – which also applies to the ancient Jack Crabb, who, having finished his story, tells the historian to “get out”.

This fascinating film, a perfect blend of thrilling historical adventure and delightful comedy, has been masterfully directed by Arthur Penn (of Bonnie And Clyde fame), who has, as usual, drawn from his actors brilliant characterisations.

Dustin Hoffman is brilliantly convincing as the centenarian, as well as managing to look and behave like a very young man when the movie goes into flashback. To play the old man, he had to endure a 14-piece latex mask, which took five hours a day to apply under the hot makeup lamps.

Faye Dunaway displays a most unexpected sense of comedy as the Reverend’s irreverent wife, and Richard Mulligan steals all the scenes in which he appears as the egotistical Custer.

Director Arthur Penn’s film has been seen as an obvious analogy between the treatment of the Indians and the Vietnam War.

Jack Crabb
Dustin Hoffman
Old Lodge Skins
Chief Dan George
Mrs Pendrake
Faye Dunaway
Mr Merriweather
Martin Balsam
General Custer
Richard Mulligan
Wild Bill Hickok
Jeff Corey
Sunshine 
Aimee Eccles
Olga
Kelly Jean Peters
Caroline
Carole Androsky
Little Horse
Robert Little Star
Younger Bear
Cal Bellini
Younger Bear As Youth
Steve Miranda
Shadow That Comes in Sight
Ruben Moreno
Burns Red in the Sun
Steve Shemayne
Historian
William Hickey
Sergeant
James Anderson
Lieutenant
Jesse Vint
Major
Alan Oppenheimer
Rev. Silas Pendrake
Thayer David
Mr Kane
Philip Kenneally
Captain
Jack Bannon
Young Jack Crabb
Ray Dimas
Adolescent Jack Crabb
Alan Howard
Deacon
Lou Cutell
Shot Gun Guard
M. Emmet Walsh
Digging Bear
Emily Cho
Little Elk
Cecelia Kootenay
Buffalo Wallow Woman
Dessie Bad Bear
Crow Scout
Chief Leonard George
Bartender
Bert Conway

Director
Arthur Penn

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