Arthur Penn had a great run of films starting with "Bonnie and Clyde" and (arguably) ending with "Night Moves" that all seem to deal with the abject failure of the American ideal and it's institutions. Dustin Hoffman stars as the oldest survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn (in incredible old age make up by Dick Smith) who tells William Hickey his life story. Hoffman is adopted by the Cheyenne and raised as one of them after his family is killed in an attack by the Pawnee. He eventually rejoins white society and has a series of adventures mostly highlighted by the meanness and hypocrisy of everyone he meets. This culminates in him witnessing the (deserved) massacre of Custer's troops at Little Big Horn. This isn't Penn's best film, but it's one of the best films of it's era that uses the conventions of the Western to comment on the unrest in current society, especially about the war in Vietnam. It has a magnificent supporting cast highlighted by Richard Mulligan's bravura portrayal of Custer as an egomaniac.

An historian interviews cranky 121-year-old Dustin Hoffman (as Jack Crabb), who promises to reveal truths about General Custer, "The Battle of Little Big Horn" and Indians (Native Americans). He narrates a biographical story, beginning with his adoption (abduction) as an orphan boy, by Cheyenne Indians. In the care of wise Chief Dan George (as Old Lodge Skins), Mr. Hoffman is raised as "Little Big Man" due to being small in stature. During times when "Whites" and Native Americans clash, Hoffman identifies himself as either White or Indian, switching sides and saving his life. We eventually get to the "Little Big Horn" battle, which provides sub-textual insight relating to Native Americans and the (then) present US battle...Period films usually fail to truly capture an era or setting; however intended, they more often reflect their year of production. This is certainly evident in much of director Arthur Penn's work. It is successfully seen in "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967), but less happily a factor in "Four Friends" (1981). "Little Big Man" receives a full pardon in seeming to be about 1970; it's framed from the present, and narrated from that point, throughout. The story is historical fiction, with an emphasis on comedy. It's a grand production, but too fragmented; the segments tend to take away from the focus. Still, it's a fine reorganization of thought on Native American Indians, with a stellar performance by Mr. George as the wise Indian chief...Foolish "White man" is nicely represented by Richard Mulligan (as George Armstrong Custer). "White woman" is essayed by glamorous-looking Faye Dunaway. Although she's a Christian, we see Ms. Dunaway's character always making herself available for sex. In her first (of two) episodes, Dunaway is startlingly seen giving "son" Dustin Hoffman a bath. This part of the "Jack Crabb" role probably should have been played by Alan Howard, who otherwise plays Hoffman as a teenager (but it wouldn't be as funny, today). Also interesting is the inclusion of gay Cheyenne Indian Robert Little Star (as Little Horse), who apparently has full civil rights, including same-sex marriage. Native Americans were way ahead of their time.******* Little Big Man (1970-12-14) Arthur Penn ~ Dustin Hoffman, Dan George, Faye Dunaway, Richard Mulligan

I saw "Little Big Man" when I was eleven, and oh, how I loved it. I was outraged at the treatment of the American Indians and full of contempt for the US cavalry.Only when my enthusiasm for the film – which I saw numerous times – induced me to study the historical facts of the matter did I realize that this film (along with "Soldier Blue" from about the same time) was actually about the My Lai massacre in the Vietnam war and had very little to do with the 19th century Indians of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne Indians in "Little Big Man" as portrayed by Arthur Penn are kind and peace-loving believers in co-existence, and they wouldn't be out of place on Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s San Fransisco. We are even led to believe that warfare, to the Indians, consisted only of slapping the enemy with a stick (counting coup) and otherwise leaving the foe unscathed. On the other hand, the film offers no excuse for any of the white people we encounter. Main character Jack's foster father, the Reverend Pendrake, is a religious fanatic, his wife is nymphomaniac (and later turns up in a whorehouse), Jack's sister Caroline is equally sex-starved, his wife is a harpy, and to top it, Jack encounters con men, deranged generals (Custer) and what not. Caucasian culture is depraved and cowardly and murderous, as opposed to the Indians. "Little Big Man" beautifully depicts the hippie-happy dream of life among the Prairie Indians. For historical facts, such as the thousands of years of warfare among warring tribes on the plains, mutual atrocities and genocide among the natives, we have to look elsewhere. "Little Big Man" just leaves us to curse Columbus, and contemplate the great place America could have been without the white man.

My tastes have changed over the years. The last time I saw this was the edited-for-TV version and now recently, uncut on TCM. I liked it before; I didn't like it this time. It's like watching M*A*S*H in that it lulls you into thinking it's a comedy and then it gets very bloody and graphic. Gunfighter battles and Indian massacres. At least one part of the story is true: Custer did wipe out 210 innocent "Human Beings" (as the tribe calls itself) for almost no reason at all. However, most of the colorful parts of the movie seem to be tall tales. (Example: he makes love to 4 Indian squaws at once.) It reminds me of Cecil B. DeMille's "The Plainsman" in that the storyline is illogical. He meets up with the same colorful characters over and over again: Mr. Merriweather (Martin Balsam). Mrs. Pendrake (Faye Dunaway), who becomes a whore. "Olga", his fiery red-haired ungrateful wife, who becomes an Indian squaw for his "sworn enemy" Indian brother. Wild Bill Hickok, who dies unexpectedly. Chief Dan George, as "Grandfather", was nominated for an Oscar and deserved it. At the end an outstanding "dazed and confused" portrayal by Richard Mulligan as an egotistical and crazy General Custer. (Was the real Custer really that stupid?) Too long and too contrived for me. Dustin Hoffman's acting is very uneven. It's brilliant at times yet unpolished and unfunny.