CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT, was cobbled together posthumously but still credited with producer Thomas Ince's personal supervision. Quality Amusement Corp. released the new version of his 1912 Bison movie, which had been expanded from three to five reels. Spectacular in its own time, the new version may have included footage already shot for THE LAST FRONTIER, incomplete at the time of Ince's death—as noted in my Ince biography. THE LAST FRONTIER would ultimately be completed in 1926.Whether there was actual new photography for CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT is uncertain; it is not listed on Ince production charts. Among the original scenes in this version were an opening of bison and some glimpses of Buffalo Bill near the end. Other footage added included a fort under siege, skirmishes with Indians, troop movements, an Indian village and dances, and an extensive postscript on the fate of Sitting Bull. All of this provided an element of spectacle undercut by the lack of expected stress on the personalities of individuals, yet this simultaneously enhanced the factual tone, with intertitles providing dates, military movements, and the names of historical individuals.

The 1925 re-edited version (with new scenes, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Little Big Horn) of Custer's Last Fight, the 1912 Thomas Ince cowboy western. It was described on handbills as, "The Big, New, and Only Original Frontier Spectacle of the Celebrated Battle of Little Big Horn"; "The Battle of No Survivors"; "Educational - Every School Boy and Girl Should See It"; "A Picture All Should See - Man, Woman, and Child"; "On The Screen In Its Full Glory!"; "Supendous Colossal Gigantic"; "A picture that 'hews to the line,' letting the chips fall where they may"; "The Greatest Wild West Feature Ever Filmed"; "COMING!! The Mighty Epic Spectacle of the Old-Time West"; "Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Battle at Little Big Horn"; "The greatest Indian frontier spectacle ever shown"; "Dedicated to the Spirit of the American Pioneer"; "Famous Indian Uprising in 1876 Under the Bloodthirsty SITTING BULL"; "Taken in the Black Hills. Over a Year in the Making" starring Francis Ford, Grace Cunard and Charles K. French. In 1926 (the 50th Anniversary of the Massacre at the Little Big Horn, known as "Custer's Last Stand") , the original movie was re-cut and some new footage was shot and the movie was re-presented with new posters and lobby cards printed. The ones you see sold as art for your walls are reproductions of the 1925 re-release. There are no 1912 posters or advertising known to exist.

I enjoyed this film when I recently viewed it on DVD. Good production values and an easy to follow narrative make this a satisfying way to spend your time. The views re Indians/settlers may be a trifle simplistic but at least Custer is not portrayed as a murdering bastard. Most films about Custer make this error. It is fascinating to see these famous events portrayed a mere 36yrs after they actually happened. The myths of The West are already in place and are still being rolled out even today ... 95 yrs later. Let's hope it is not another 95yrs before someone has the guts to make a 'real' film about Custer, one that portrays the Civil War hero and not just the defeated soldier of Little Big Horn.

My copy of this film (a Grapevine VCD) runs for 54 minutes. I agree with the previous reviewer's comments - this is a surprisingly vigorous western, very easy to watch, except for Custer being portrayed as a saintly hero.