LITTLE BIG MAN
US, 1970, 137 minutes, Colour.
Dustin Hoffman, Chief Van George, Faye Dunaway, Martin Balsam, Jeff Corey, Richard Mulligan, Amy Scales. Directed by Arthur Penn.
Little Big Man is a picaresque epic embodying a large portion of American history and the American heritage of the nineteenth century, It belongs to those films of 1969-70 that tried to make the world aware of Indian justice (Tell Them Willie Boy is Here, A Man Called Horse, Soldier Blue, The Last Warrior) and it is the best of these films.
It opens in our time with tape-recorded interviews and brash young reporters and the 121 year old hero, Jack Crabb, takes up his story, his life amongst Indians and whites. Crabb's family was massacred by Indians but he was brought up by the Cheyenne as one of their own. He was exploited by the whites - a parson's wife, a medical quack. He tried to be gunfighter, storeman with wife, but the frontier life spoiled his life and drove him wandering back to the Cheyenne life. He was at Little Big Horn for Custer's last stand and he witnessed the dying resignation of the conquered Cheyenne chiefs. This was the American West and the near-extinction of a people.
Arthur Penn has shown fascinating insights into the American people, especially in terms of violence: The Left-Handed? Gun (about Billy the Kid), The Miracle Worker (about Helen Keller), Mickey One (America Kafka-style), The Chase (Lillian Hellman and the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald), Bonnie and Clyde, Alice's Restaurant (Arlo Guthrie and friends). A viewing of all of Penn's films would give an intense, personal view of the United States. (An 86 minute award-winning documentary was made for T.V. on Penn's making of Little Big Man.)
Here, violence is to the fore, but the style of the film is picaresque and laced with the sardonic humour of Jack's reminiscences (true, false or middling). The humour is part of the satisfying impression the film makes - the major flaw seems to be the over-satirical presentation of Custer's megalomania, especially at Little Big Horn.
More is done for the appreciation of the Indian as a person than ever before in the performance of Chief Dan George, seen also to advantage in Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales. A tremendous dignity shines through this man. Dustin Hoffman shows his versatility once more and is a fine actor. This is an entertaining and valuable film.
1. Would it be fair to call this film a 'tragi-comic history' of the United States?
2. Why was this film made? What impact would it have in the U.S. in the 1970's? What impression of the U.S. sensibility of the 70's does the film offer?
3. Did you like Jack Crabb? Did you share his reaction to the condescending and glib modern reporter?
4. What difference to the impact of the film did its modern setting make and then its delving into history? What about Jack's comments, especially the comic comments? Did you believe that everything he said was exactly true?
5. How did the Indian massacre of his family affect Jack's life and outlook? Was this massacre underplayed in the film?
6. How did the scenes of Jack's growing up with the Cheyenne and his learning their ways and customs show the humanity of the Indian's way of life? What did you think of the Cheyenne's continually referring to themselves as 'the human beings'?
7. How did the Indians like Jack?
8. Why did Jack return so willingly to the white men?
9. What was being satirised in Mr Pendrake 's religious wrath and Mrs Pendrake's religious lust? Why was Jack so disillusioned with U.S. 'respectable society'? Was Jack too simple and naive?
10. What was being satirised in the con-man with his patent medicine and the cures and people's gullibility? Was Jack too honest?
11. Did you enjoy Jack's gunfighter period with Caroline and Bill Hickock? What image of the west was the target of this segment of the film?
12. Did Jack love Olga?
13. Was the characterisation of Ouster a caricature or just ironic -e.g. in his imperious 'Go west' advice with its comic sequel parodying westerns?
14. Why did Jack Seek Olga? Why did he veer between Indians and whites?
15. Why did Jack become a tramp? Who forced him to it? How did Bill Hickock force him to self-respect? How did Mrs. Pendrake? Were you surprised to see her again? Here?
16. What relationship was there between Jack and his grandfather and the other members of the tribe?
17. How disgusting were the massacres of the Indians?
18. Was Jack as happy married to a Cheyenne as he was to Olga?
19. What was the effect on him (and the audience) of Custer's massacre of the village (women and children not to be killed unless they resisted)?
20. How effective were the sequences where Custer was almost killed by Jack and then took his advice at Little Big Horn? (He was eventually killed by Jack in some way.) How was the Last Stand made to look foolish with Custer insanely concentrating on his power bid?
21. How much dignity did the chief have - what impression of Cheyenne life did he give to the audience?
22. Why did Jack's saga end with the Chief planning to die, going through the whole rite, but living on - is this meant to be a symbol and image of the survival of the Indian to-day?
23. Despite the caricatures, the parodies, the picaresque style and the yarns, was this a just picture of American history?
