Little Big Man

 

 

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At once the goofiest and angriest of all revisionist Westerns, Arthur Penn's Little Big Man (1970) seems today less notable for its formal qualities than for its (counter)cultural content. This outraged reconfiguration of an all-American genre may be set in the Wild West, but it's also very much a bulletin of its time. Released midway through Nixon's first term and in the heat of the Vietnam War, the film is reflective of the darkening mood--both the nation's and the movies'.Penn's oater didn't just dispel the cloudless America of Westerns past--it dismembered the genre, threw the parts in a trench, and spit on the tombstone. Little Big Man was by no means the first of its kind, but it seems from this vantage to be the most vitriolic of the wild bunch of Westerns that came out during the period. Unlike Sam Peckinpah's epitaphs to the genre, there is no hint of reverence in Penn's version of the West. How could there be when genocide is revealed to be the national project?The movie exposes the lies of U.S. history via a tall tale. Unrecognizable under Terry Miles' masterful makeup, Dustin Hoffman plays 121-year-old Jack Crabb, the only white survivor of Custer's Last Stand. Bookended by scenes of Crabb in the present day recounting his life story to a historian, the narrative is a far-fetched picaresque that offers nothing less than a survey of the American conquest of the West.

At once the goofiest and angriest of all revisionist Westerns, Arthur Penn's Little Big Man (1970) seems today less notable for its formal qualities than for its (counter)cultural content. This outraged reconfiguration of an all-American genre may be set in the Wild West, but it's also very much a bulletin of its time. Released midway through Nixon's first term and in the heat of the Vietnam War, the film is reflective of the darkening mood--both the nation's and the movies.

The movie exposes the lies of U.S. history via a tall tale. Unrecognizable under Terry Miles' masterful makeup, Dustin Hoffman plays 121-year-old Jack Crabb, the only white survivor of Custer's Last Stand. Bookended by scenes of Crabb in the present day recounting his life story to a historian, the narrative is a far-fetched picaresque that offers nothing less than a survey of the American conquest of the West.

Penn takes us back with a beautiful pan of a grassy expanse... that ends on the smoky remains of a plundered caravan. Little Jack and his sister, Caroline (Carol Androsky), cower under a wagon's canopy, their parents murdered, but are soon found by a wandering Cheyenne. The two are taken back to camp, which eventually becomes home to the orphaned Jack. (His sister, ever in fear of being raped by the savages, skedaddles unscathed.Penn's oater didn't just dispel the cloudless America of Westerns past--it dismembered the genre, threw the parts in a trench, and spit on the tombstone. Little Big Man was by no means the first of its kind, but it seems from this vantage to be the most vitriolic of the wild bunch of Westerns that came out during the period. Unlike Sam Peckinpah's epitaphs to the genre, there is no hint of reverence in Penn's version of the West. How could there be when genocide is revealed to be the national project?

Dubbed Little Big Man because of his slight stature, Crabb grows up learning the ways of the "Human Beings," as the Cheyenne call themselves. The source of a few aphoristic riffs, the "Human Being" theme immediately pegs the movie as a product of its time. It's a monicker that subverts the story of the white man's civilizing influence, even as it reduces the white race to something other than, if not beneath, human--a worldview that comes right out of the period's radical ideologies.

Little Big Man is framed as a retrospective narration by Jack Crabb, who at age 120-plus, is the oldest living survivor of Custer's last stand at Little Big Horn, and in the 1960's (?) is being interviewed by a newspaper writer.

As kids, Jack and sister Caroline are the only survivors of an Indian attack, and they are taken to an Indian village and meet "Old Lodge Skins", the chief. Caroline expects to be raped later (and is somewhat disappointed when she is not) and rides away at night. The Cheyenne ("human beings") adopt Jack. Due to his small stature, Jack is named "Little Big Man" after he saves Younger Bear from a Pawnee attack.

In a battle againt the cavalry, just before he is about to be killed, Jack ID's himself as a white man, and is put in the care of Reverend Pendrake, whose wife (Faye Dunaway) takes an interest in Jack. He is taught to to read and write, and takes up religion with Mrs. Pendrake. After he finds Mrs. Pendrake and a soda-shop man in bed, that ends his religion phase.

Jack takes up with Mr. Meriwether, a con-man, and ends up getting tarred and feathered by a group lead by his own sister. Jack moves in with Caroline and she teaches him to shoot ("Go snake-eyed"). Jack becomes a flashy gun-fighter known as the Soda Pop Kid after his drink of choice. He meets Wild Bill Hickok ("Might I ask who I are addressin'?") but gives up gunfighting after Hickok kills a man in a bar. Caroline disowns him, so Jack gets a partner, becomes a store owner, and marries Olga, a large Swedish woman. Jack's partner is a crook, and he goes bankrupt.

General Custer is passing by, takes pity on Jack and advises him to "go west" with his personal guarantee of safety - cut to Indians raiding a stage coach and riding off with Olga. Jack looks for her unsuccessfully, and heads deeper into Cheyenne country, where he is ambushed. He convinces the Indians of his identity, and returns to their camp. He tells Old Lodge Skins about Custer.

Jack rides off, and joins up with Custer to be a scout to find his wife. Custer is snobby and gives him a job as "mule-skinner". He rides in a massacre against an Indian village which he tries to stop, then escapes himself. He meets "Sunshine" as she is about to give birth in the bushes, and returns to the Indians with her. Old Lodge Skins is now blind from a wound. Jack stays with Sunshine and she hooks him up with her 3 sisters, so he now has 4 wives as Old Lodge Skins once predicted. It turns out his competitive Indian arch-enemy has married Olga.

After birth of a son, the Indians are attacked and Sunshine and the baby are killed. Custer orders Jack hanged, but Jack identifies himself and talks his way out of it. Later at camp, Jack has the opportunity to kill Custer but chickens out. Custer insults him and Jack goes back to the white man as a common drunk. He meets Hickok again and learns Hickok was seeing Mrs. Pendrake, now a widow and prostitute. Hickok gives some money to Jack to give to the widow for a train ticket, then is shot and killed. Mrs. Pendrake flirts with Jack, but Jack just puts Hickok's money on her stomach and leaves.

Jack becomes a drunk again, and sees Meriwether (now with a hook and peg-leg) and does not join him in buffalo hunting. He has reached his low-point, and goes into the wilderness to become a hermit. He sees an animal's gnawed off foot in a trap and "snaps". He goes to a cliff to commit suicide, but hears the passing cavalry.

He decides to "meet the devil head on", and joins Custer again. Custer wants to use him as a "perfect reverse barometer" to out-fox the Indians. He asks Jack's advice on a proposed attack, which results in Custer's famous last stand at Little Big Horn.

Jack rejoins the Indians. Old Lodge Skins gives a moving speech, and goes to the hilltop to die. The narration leads us back to the present as old Jack Crabb winds up his story.

Originally R-Rated, the movie was re-rated PG-13, for violence and some sexual situations. The movie runs 138:35 minutes not counting end credits (listed as 139 on DVD, 147 at IMDB). I know they've cut the part of sleeping with the three extra wives when shown on TV.

Spectacular cinematography including the snow-covered great plains. Nice harmonica/guitar-based score. Excellent acting by all, and direction by Arthur Penn. Richard Mulligan as Custer is one of the best characters on film. Some of the movie dealing with the massacre of the Indians is truly sad, but the movie also contains a lot of ironic humor. Movies don't get better than this. DVD has widescreen movie, setup/subtitle options, and chapters.

In a year of Oscar insanity, Little Big Man had one nomination - Supporting actor for Chief Dan George - and "Airport" gets 10 nominations and wins a couple. Obvious a reflection of the political problems of the times.

"Sometimes grass don't grow, wind don't blow, and the sky ain't blue"

Little Big Man is one of my all time favorite movies fro many reasons. Dustin Hoffman gives what I believe to be his greatest performance as Jack Crabb. His range here is incredible as he portrays a man torn between two cultures and his life weaves back and forth between the white world and the indian world in which he was raised. His performance is funny when appropriate and yet filled with pathos and emotion when the necessary. An absolute masterful job of acting.
The Cheyenne scenes are moving and Ghief Dan george who plays Crabb's adoptive grandfather provides the film with gravity as he consistently demnonstrates wisdom and dignity despite the increasingly difficult circumstances that his tribe finds themselves in.
I don't know the actor's name who plays Custer but he provides just the right amount of comic bravado to make Custer seem to be a pathetic character who's hubris led to his troops demise. While this may or may not be an historically acurate portrayal it certainly fits the mood of the film.
Other famous western personalities such as Wild Bill Hickock are included in the story as Jack Crabb's life zig-zags it's way through the west. A fabulous ride and a very memorable film to be enjoyed again and again.

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2.0 out of 5 stars ehhh
I've read the book, so I'm definitly biased, but I'd like to think that even if I hadn't read the book I wouldn't like this movie. Read more

Published on July 20 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Be On Top Ten Westerns
All the others on this page have done a wonderful job of reviewing this movie, so I will not continue. Read more

Published on Feb 11 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars In Your Face, Dances with Wolves
I remember just how disgusted I was watching Costner court the permed up caucasian woman and all I could think was, I wish I were watching Little Big Man again. Read more

Published on Dec 5 2003 by Joshua E. Konstadt

5.0 out of 5 stars This Western Has It All
Advertised as a comedy when originally released, LITTLE BIG MAN is much, much more than that. Director Arthur Penn's sweeping film depicting the clash of the Indian and white... Read more

Published on Sep 11 2003 by D. Mikels

5.0 out of 5 stars Penn's classic film finally appears on DVD
One of director Arthur Penn's finest films, Little Big Man combines satire with tragedy with a deft, sure hand. Read more

Published on Aug 30 2003 by WTDK

5.0 out of 5 stars This film has held up well
I recently watched Little Big Man for the first time in 20 years. I was surprised how well it has held up. Read more

Published on Aug 17 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars A true classic
The humor, the adventure and the history. Dustin offers a true classic Hollywood performance as he traces the sad tale of the abuse of a great native american culture. Read more

Published on May 28 2003 by Sedrick

4.0 out of 5 stars My Son , this Movie Makes My Heart Soar Like a Hawk
I remember seeing the original theatrical release of Arthur Penn's "Little Big Man" in the early 1970's. Read more

Published on May 20 2003 by Kenneth M. Gelwasser

5.0 out of 5 stars What took you so long?
Another film I have been patiently waiting for on DVD. This is a great ensemble piece and probably my favorite Dustin Hoffman movie. Totally funny!!!

Published on May 16 2003 by ADC

5.0 out of 5 stars THE OLD WEST LIVES
An excellent fictional picture of the trials and tribulations of an old man from childhood until he is and old man of 121. Read more

Published on April 16 2003 by David Stephenson

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