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).
The plot follows Crabb from the time 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 named Old Lodge Skins (Chief Dan George) and is later made a brave.
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, is a wise, all-knowing sage who is also something of a magician.
Chief Dan George was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
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. In order to play the old man, he had to suffer under a 14-piece latex mask, which took five hours a day to apply under the hot makeup lamps.
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. 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
