Little Big Man – 3 stars (good)

You know “Little Big Man” has the makings for a good movie when a historian visits Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman), a forgotten centenarian of more than 100 years in an assisted living facility, to ask him how Native Americans lived. in the Old West. Crabb is said to have lived among the Cheyenne, and indeed he did.

Both young Crabb and his sister Caroline were the only survivors among their family during an Indian raid as they headed west and are rescued by a Cheyenne and taken to their leader, Old Lodge Skins (Chief Dan George), who raises young Jack. like a son afterwards. Caroline escapes back to civilization.

Jack finds life as a Cheyenne good and becomes important by saving Younger Bear’s life. Old Lodge Skins calls him “Little Big Man” because he, although he is small, he has a big heart.

From this unlikely beginning, Jack recounts his journey through life with some surprising characters, including the wife of a preacher with an appetite for illicit sex, a snake oil salesman, a Swedish woman who becomes his wife, a Cheyenne woman who becomes his wife and mother. to his son, General George Armstrong Custer and Wild Bill Hickok.

He becomes a peddler of fake goods, a gunslinger named Soda Pop Kid, friend of Will Bill Hickok, general store owner, drunkard, “mule skinner” and General Custer’s scout, trapper and hermit.

It is General Custer who orders his troops to attack Jack’s Cheyenne family without cause and Jack’s Cheyenne wife and son are killed in the slaughter. Ultimately, it is Jack who leads Custer into the trap at Little Big Horn and becomes the “sole white survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn”.

Little Big Man, based on the 1964 novel by Thomas Berger, was directed by Arthur Penn and released in 1970. The film is not historically accurate, treating Native Americans favorably and the US Cavalry less favorably.

The film adaptation with the help of Calder Willingham makes Little Big Man a balanced mix between humor and drama. The narration of the character Jack Crabb makes this movie enjoyable and then some. Little Big Man is really the story of Jack’s relationship with his adoptive grandfather, Old Lodge Skins.

Boss Dan George received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor in this film. He excelled in his role as Old Lodge Skins. When his people are attacked and killed for no good reason, he won’t run and say “today is a good day to die”.

Old Lodge Skins calls his Cheyenne people “human beings”, noting that there is “an endless supply of white men” and “a limited supply of human beings”. He sees and feels the injustice done to Native Americans who are given their own land and then attacked and killed without cause.

There are too many funny, heartwarming, and dramatic moments in this movie to count here. One of my favorites is when, after escaping with Jack’s help from the last of the brutal attacks on his town, Old Lodge Skins climbs to the top of the mountain to die. He prays and then lies down to die, but wakes up when it starts to rain and asks Jack if he is still in this world.

Jack says yes, to which he replies, “I was afraid of that. Well, sometimes magic works, sometimes it doesn’t,” and heads back down the mountain with Jack for dinner.

Dustin Hoffman set a record for playing the longest span of time for a single character on Little Big Man, playing Jack Crabb from age 17 to 121.

Jack Crabb’s narration, his walk through life, his contact with important people and his moving story remind me of Tom Hanks and his role in “Forest Gump”. Both movies are well made, have a story to tell that is worth listening to, and leave us a better person for the experience.

It’s been 37 years since Little Big Man hit the big screen. Not much has been done about it, but there is a certain group of moviegoers like myself who won’t let this movie die a slow death. It is too good not to be seen and enjoyed by others. I feel the same way about “A Christmas Story” and many others too.

If you haven’t seen Little Big Man, do yourself a favor while you can.

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley