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Night before last I set the alarm to get up in the middle of the night to watch one of my favorite movies on TCM, Little Big Man, starring Dustin Hoffman as Jack Crabbe. The movie is very rarely shown on TV. Forget all those other movies Hoffman has starred in--this was the best work he ever did.
It begins when Jack was a little boy--his family was crossing the great plains by wagon train when they were attacked by Pawnee indians. Everyone except Jack and his sister were killed-they had hidden under a tarp under their wagon. A Cheyenne warrior comes along and rescues them, and takes them to their encampment.
All the indians in this film were portrayed by real Native Americans, which was refreshing. Jack is small, but brave--his adoptive grandfather (played by the adorable real life Chief Dan George), names him "Little Big Man." Later white soldiers come along and "rescue" Jack from the Indians. Afterward his life is lived back and forth between the indians and white settlers.
He marries a Cheyenne girl--then General George Armstrong Custer and his calvary come at daybreak and slaughter the sleeping indians, women and children included, at their camp on the Washitoe River. Custer, with his curly golden hair, is perfectly played--the actor looks like pictures of Custer in history books. Custer is a vain, preening, ambitious, obstreperous egomaniac. If one of his officers dare question him, he shouts "Stop trying to stop a Custer decision!"Â Â I don't know the actor who portrayed him, but it was wonderfully acted.
Also Faye Dunaway gave a knockout performance as Lulu Pendrake, a preacher's wife who winds up working in a whorehouse. Jack brings her a bag of gold coins from Wild Bill Hickok (also perfectly played--the actor looks exactly like photos of Hickok.) Dunaway moans  "If I was married and could come here once or twice a week, it'd be exciting--but eeevery night!" In a simpering syrupy southern accent says she's going to move to her sister's in Washington, and tells Jack, "Oh, Jack, if you're evah IN Washington--DO look me up."Â
Just a great movie all the way around, love it--worth getting up in the middle of a cold night to watch. Susil
I looked it up in Maltin's movie guide. He gave it 4 stars. You're in good company.
