They Died with Their Boots On
Encyclopedia
They Died with Their Boots On is a 1941
western
film directed by Raoul Walsh
and starring Errol Flynn
and Olivia de Havilland
. Despite being rife with historical inaccuracies, the film was one of the top-grossing films of the year, being the last of eight Flynn–de Havilland collaborations.
Like Flynn's earlier film Sea Hawk
, this film was digitally colorized in the early 1990s and had the colorized version released on VHS tape in 1998. Same as the earlier colorized Sea Hawk film, the colorized version has NOT been released on DVD. Only the black-and-white version of this film has been released on DVD. There are presently no plans to release the 1990s colorized version on DVD.
(Errol Flynn
) from attending West Point
, wooing of Elizabeth "Libby" Bacon (Olivia de Havilland
) who becomes his loving wife, the American Civil War
, and the Battle of Little Big Horn.
Custer enters West Point and quickly establishes himself as a troublemaker, after showing up in an outfit he designed himself that made him appear as a visiting officer. After he is almost kicked out of West Point for the misunderstanding, he signs up as a cadet, and stacks up demerits for pranks, unruliness, and disregarding the rules. Although he does not graduate with the rest of his class, he is given an officer position with the Union Army
when the Civil War breaks out, at the reluctance of most of his supervisors. They ultimately decide that his impetuousness will be valuable in an officer, and he is given his orders to report to Washington, D.C.
Custer's relationship with Libby Bacon begins at West Point, when he is walking a punishment tour around the campus. On punishment, he is not allowed to talk, but he is approached by Libby who is looking for directions. As soon as his punishment is over, he runs after her, and tells her he will meet her at her front porch that evening. Because of his orders to travel to Washington, D.C., Custer misses his meeting with her.
Once in Washington D.C., Custer befriends General Winfield Scott
(Sydney Greenstreet
) who aids him in being placed with the 2nd Cavalry. He becomes a war hero after disregarding his superiors' orders in a crucial battle and successfully defending a bridge for the infantry to cross. He is awarded a medal while recovering in hospital after a shot to the shoulder.
Upon returning home to Monroe, Michigan
, as a hero, Custer marries Libby and they set up a house together. However, Custer is bored with civilian life and has begun to drink. Libby visits Custer's friend General Scott and asks him to assign Custer to a regiment again. He agrees, and Custer is given orders to go to the Dakota Territory
, where he will ultimately be involved in Custer's Last Stand.
When Custer and Libby arrive in the Dakota Territory, Custer finds the soldiers he is supposed to lead are drunken, rowdy good-for-nothings. An old enemy from West Point, Ned Sharp (Arthur Kennedy
), is running the bar in town, as well as the General Store which is providing firearms to the local Native Americans. Furious, Custer shuts down the bar and teaches his troops a song, Garry Owen, which brings them all together. He whips them into shape in time for an inspection by the General. However, Sharp gives the troops each a bottle of liquor right before they are supposed to report, and they embarrass Custer by riding past the General drunk. Custer is relieved of his post and sent home.
On the train home, Custer hears from Libby that Sharp is trying to start a gold rush in the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory, the Native Americans' sacred land. A gold rush would bring lots of business to Sharp's shipping line. Outraged, Custer takes the information to Congress, but they ridicule him. When news arrives that the presence of gold miners has led to open conflict between Native Americans and American troops, Custer returns to the Dakota Territory with Libby to help his battalion.
On the day of Custer's last stand, Custer realizes that a group of infantry will march into a valley where thousands of Native Americans stand ready to fight them. Knowing the infantry won't have a chance, he says a tearful goodbye to Libby and leads his battalion into the battle to save the infantry. Arrows fly and horses trample across the valley, and all are killed, including Sharp, who had elected to ride with the regiment to, as Custer puts it, "Death or Glory. It depends on one's point of view", and who admits with his last breath that Custer may have been right about glory and money when he said that "At least you can take it [glory] with you". Custer himself is finally downed by a gunshot from Crazy Horse
(Anthony Quinn
) himself.
In the film, the battle is blamed on unscrupulous corporations and politicians craving the land of Crazy Horse
and his people.
Custer is portrayed as a fun-loving, dashing figure who chooses honor and glory over money and corruption. Though his "Last Stand" is probably treated as more significant and dramatic than it may have actually been, Custer (Flynn) follows through on his promise to teach his men "to endure and die with their boots on." In the movie's version of Custer's story, a few corrupt white politicians goad the Western tribes into war, threatening the survival of all white settlers in the West. Custer and his men give their lives at Little Bighorn to delay the Indians and prevent this slaughter. A letter left behind by Custer absolves the Indians of all responsibility.
This film went on to gross $2.55 million for Warner Bros. in 1941 making it the studio's second biggest hit of the year.
Crazy Horse, played by Anthony Quinn, is the only individualized Indian in the scene and represents the "red man" whose lifestyle is coming to an end. Quinn, who is of Tarahumara ancestry, is one of the few actors of American Indian descent in the film. Only 16 of the extras were Sioux Indians. The rest of the Native American army were Filipino
extras. Knowing the scene would be dangerous, Anthony Quinn
ordered a hearse
on the day of shooting as a joke
. Two extras did die during the filming of the sequence. One untrained rider, George Murphy, died in a fall from his horse
, reportedly while drunk. A second extra, Jack Budlong, fell off his horse and was fatally wounded by his prop sword.
. He adapted George Armstrong Custer's favorite song, "Garryowen", into the score. Custer first heard the song from Irish
soldiers. In the film, he hears it from an English
soldier who claims its origin is Australian. This connection is apocryphal. Warner Brothers recycled some of the music from the film and it, or variations of it, can be heard in "Silver River
" and "Rocky Mountain
", both starring Errol Flynn, and "The Searchers
" starring John Wayne
.
's Santa Fe Trail
released the previous year, in which Flynn portrayed Jeb Stuart and Ronald Reagan
played Custer, also featuring Olivia de Havilland as Flynn's leading lady
.
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
film directed by Raoul Walsh
Raoul Walsh
Raoul Walsh was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the brother of silent screen actor George Walsh...
and starring Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
and Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
. Despite being rife with historical inaccuracies, the film was one of the top-grossing films of the year, being the last of eight Flynn–de Havilland collaborations.
Like Flynn's earlier film Sea Hawk
The Sea Hawk (1940 film)
The Sea Hawk is a 1940 American Warner Bros. feature film starring Errol Flynn as an English privateer who defends his nation's interests on the eve of the Spanish Armada. The film was the tenth collaboration between Flynn and director Michael Curtiz. The film's screenplay by Howard Koch and Seton I...
, this film was digitally colorized in the early 1990s and had the colorized version released on VHS tape in 1998. Same as the earlier colorized Sea Hawk film, the colorized version has NOT been released on DVD. Only the black-and-white version of this film has been released on DVD. There are presently no plans to release the 1990s colorized version on DVD.
Plot
The film follows the life of George Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
(Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
) from attending West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, wooing of Elizabeth "Libby" Bacon (Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
) who becomes his loving wife, the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and the Battle of Little Big Horn.
Custer enters West Point and quickly establishes himself as a troublemaker, after showing up in an outfit he designed himself that made him appear as a visiting officer. After he is almost kicked out of West Point for the misunderstanding, he signs up as a cadet, and stacks up demerits for pranks, unruliness, and disregarding the rules. Although he does not graduate with the rest of his class, he is given an officer position with the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
when the Civil War breaks out, at the reluctance of most of his supervisors. They ultimately decide that his impetuousness will be valuable in an officer, and he is given his orders to report to Washington, D.C.
Custer's relationship with Libby Bacon begins at West Point, when he is walking a punishment tour around the campus. On punishment, he is not allowed to talk, but he is approached by Libby who is looking for directions. As soon as his punishment is over, he runs after her, and tells her he will meet her at her front porch that evening. Because of his orders to travel to Washington, D.C., Custer misses his meeting with her.
Once in Washington D.C., Custer befriends General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
(Sydney Greenstreet
Sydney Greenstreet
Sydney Hughes Greenstreet was an English actor. He is best known for his Warner Bros. films with Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre, which include The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca .-Biography:...
) who aids him in being placed with the 2nd Cavalry. He becomes a war hero after disregarding his superiors' orders in a crucial battle and successfully defending a bridge for the infantry to cross. He is awarded a medal while recovering in hospital after a shot to the shoulder.
Upon returning home to Monroe, Michigan
Monroe, Michigan
Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
, as a hero, Custer marries Libby and they set up a house together. However, Custer is bored with civilian life and has begun to drink. Libby visits Custer's friend General Scott and asks him to assign Custer to a regiment again. He agrees, and Custer is given orders to go to the Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
, where he will ultimately be involved in Custer's Last Stand.
When Custer and Libby arrive in the Dakota Territory, Custer finds the soldiers he is supposed to lead are drunken, rowdy good-for-nothings. An old enemy from West Point, Ned Sharp (Arthur Kennedy
Arthur Kennedy (actor)
Arthur Kennedy was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage" especially in the original casts of Arthur Miller plays on Broadway.- Early life and education :Kennedy was born John...
), is running the bar in town, as well as the General Store which is providing firearms to the local Native Americans. Furious, Custer shuts down the bar and teaches his troops a song, Garry Owen, which brings them all together. He whips them into shape in time for an inspection by the General. However, Sharp gives the troops each a bottle of liquor right before they are supposed to report, and they embarrass Custer by riding past the General drunk. Custer is relieved of his post and sent home.
On the train home, Custer hears from Libby that Sharp is trying to start a gold rush in the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory, the Native Americans' sacred land. A gold rush would bring lots of business to Sharp's shipping line. Outraged, Custer takes the information to Congress, but they ridicule him. When news arrives that the presence of gold miners has led to open conflict between Native Americans and American troops, Custer returns to the Dakota Territory with Libby to help his battalion.
On the day of Custer's last stand, Custer realizes that a group of infantry will march into a valley where thousands of Native Americans stand ready to fight them. Knowing the infantry won't have a chance, he says a tearful goodbye to Libby and leads his battalion into the battle to save the infantry. Arrows fly and horses trample across the valley, and all are killed, including Sharp, who had elected to ride with the regiment to, as Custer puts it, "Death or Glory. It depends on one's point of view", and who admits with his last breath that Custer may have been right about glory and money when he said that "At least you can take it [glory] with you". Custer himself is finally downed by a gunshot from Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S...
(Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
) himself.
In the film, the battle is blamed on unscrupulous corporations and politicians craving the land of Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S...
and his people.
Custer is portrayed as a fun-loving, dashing figure who chooses honor and glory over money and corruption. Though his "Last Stand" is probably treated as more significant and dramatic than it may have actually been, Custer (Flynn) follows through on his promise to teach his men "to endure and die with their boots on." In the movie's version of Custer's story, a few corrupt white politicians goad the Western tribes into war, threatening the survival of all white settlers in the West. Custer and his men give their lives at Little Bighorn to delay the Indians and prevent this slaughter. A letter left behind by Custer absolves the Indians of all responsibility.
Cast
- Errol FlynnErrol FlynnErrol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
as George Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class... - Olivia de HavillandOlivia de HavillandOlivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
as Elizabeth Bacon CusterElizabeth Bacon CusterElizabeth Bacon Custer was the wife of General George Armstrong Custer. After his death, she became an outspoken advocate for her husband's legacy through her popular books and lectures... - Arthur KennedyArthur Kennedy (actor)Arthur Kennedy was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage" especially in the original casts of Arthur Miller plays on Broadway.- Early life and education :Kennedy was born John...
as Ned Sharp - Charley Grapewin as California Joe
- Gene LockhartGene LockhartEugene "Gene" Lockhart was a Canadian character actor, singer, and playwright. He also wrote the lyrics to a number of popular songs.-Early life:...
as Samuel Bacon - Anthony QuinnAnthony QuinnAntonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
as Crazy HorseCrazy HorseCrazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S... - Stanley RidgesStanley RidgesStanley Ridges was a British-born actor who made his mark in films by playing a wide assortment of character parts...
as Maj. Romulus Taipe - John LitelJohn LitelJohn Litel was an American film actor. During World War I, Litel enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery....
as Gen. Phil Sheridan - Walter HampdenWalter HampdenWalter Hampden is the artist name of Walter Hampden Dougherty was a U.S. actor and theatre manager. He was the younger brother of the American painter Paul Dougherty ....
as William Sharp - Sydney GreenstreetSydney GreenstreetSydney Hughes Greenstreet was an English actor. He is best known for his Warner Bros. films with Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre, which include The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca .-Biography:...
as Lt. Gen. Winfield ScottWinfield ScottWinfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852.... - Regis ToomeyRegis ToomeyJohn Regis Toomey was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey and attended Peabody High School...
as Fitzhugh LeeFitzhugh LeeFitzhugh Lee , nephew of Robert E. Lee, was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish-American War.-Early life:... - Hattie McDanielHattie McDanielHattie McDaniel was the first African-American actress to win an Academy Award. She won the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Mammy in Gone with the Wind ....
as Callie - Minor WatsonMinor WatsonMinor Watson was a prominent character actor. He appeared in 111 movies made between 1913 and 1956. His credits included, Boys Town , Yankee Doodle Dandy , Kings Row , Guadalcanal Diary , Bewitched , The Virginian , and The Jackie Robinson Story .He is buried in Alton Cemetery...
as Senator Smith - Joseph CrehanJoseph CrehanJoseph Crehan was an American film actor. He appeared in over 300 films between 1916 and 1965.He was born in Baltimore, Maryland and died in Hollywood, California from a stroke.-Selected filmography:...
as PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
This film went on to gross $2.55 million for Warner Bros. in 1941 making it the studio's second biggest hit of the year.
Historical accuracy
The film, as a fictionalized account of Custer's life, deviates from the historical record in various ways: in its depiction of Custer's personal life, his record during the Civil War, and the Battle of Little Bighorn itself.- The commandant at West Point before the Civil War is claimed to be Colonel Philip SheridanPhilip SheridanPhilip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
, who was a second lieutenantSecond LieutenantSecond lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Oregon TerritoryOregon TerritoryThe Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
until March 1861. He never served as superintendent of West Point.
- During Custer's career at West Point from his entry in 1857 until he graduated last in the Class of 1861; Richard DelafieldRichard DelafieldRichard Delafield served as superintendent of the United States Military Academy, was Chief of Engineers, and was a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
served as the superintendent of the Military Academy 1856-1861. Named by the War Department superintendent on January 23, 1861, P.G.T. Beauregard, later ConfederateConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
general. Beauregard resigned his commission from the United States Army, after Louisiana seceded from the Union on January 26, 1861. Delefield was named interim superintendent by Secretary of War Joseph HoltJoseph HoltGeneral Joseph Holt was a leading member of the Buchanan administration and was Judge Advocate General of the United States Army, most notably during the Lincoln assassination trials.-Early life:...
until Alexander Hamilton BowmanAlexander Hamilton BowmanAlexander Hamilton Bowman was an engineer, military educator, and career officer in the United States Army. Bowman supervised the erection of Charleston Harbor defenses, including Fort Sumter, and served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York during the...
arrived at West Point becoming superintendent in early 1861.
- Historically correct: The nephew of Robert E. Lee, First Lieutenant Fitzhugh Lee in 1861 was an assistant instructor of tactics at West Point. Virginia left the Union on April 17, 1861, that day Fitzhugh Lee resigned from the U.S. Army to return to his native state and fight for the Confederacy.
- According to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, no US Senator in 1861 was named Smith.
- Among the other historical inaccuracies is that Custer served as a messenger at the First Battle of Bull RunFirst Battle of Bull RunFirst Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
; he did not command troops.
- Lt. Gen.Lieutenant General (United States)In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Winfield ScottWinfield ScottWinfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
was commander of the United States Army when the Civil War started, he requested retirement on October 31, 1861. On November 1, 1861 Major General George B. McClellanGeorge B. McClellanGeorge Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
was named General-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States. President Lincoln July 23, 1862, replaced McClellan with Major General Henry Wager HalleckHenry Wager HalleckHenry Wager Halleck was a United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory, "Old Brains." He was an important participant in the admission of California as a state and became a successful lawyer and land developer...
who was relieved by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
on March 12, 1864. The error of the film, General Winfield Scott served as commanding general of the Army throughout the Civil War.
- After the First Battle of Bull Run, it is depicted in the film that Custer was decorated, but in reality he never received any medals (though he did receive brevetBrevetBrevet may refer to:* Brevet , a temporary authorization for a person to hold a higher rank* Brevet , a long-distance bicycle ride with check-point controls* Aircrew brevet, a Royal Air Force and British Army badge...
promotions for gallantry.) During this time, the only medal awarded by the government, or the Army, was the newly introduced "Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
", which George Custer never won. In the movie, the medal pinned on Custer by Sheridan is the Army Civil War Campaign MedalCivil War Campaign MedalThe Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States military. The decoration was awarded to members of the United States military who had served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865.-Establishment:...
. However, the Army Civil War Campaign Medal was established by the War Department on January 21, 1907; forty-two years after the Civil War and thirty-one years after Custer's death.
- Custer's brother Tom actually won 2 Medals of Honor during the Civil War. This fact is referred to in the movie "Son of the Morning Star" when Tom replies to his brother George, "I didn't have to be a General, I won all the medals."
- The film shows Judge Samuel Bacon having a large number of African Americans employed in his household. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 ban slavery in what would be the Michigan Territory in 1805; Michigan entered the Union on January 26, 1837. The portrayal of Bacon having some black domestic help may not have been inaccurate at that time for a person of means, however his employing such a large number in MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
was not likely. The great migration of blacks from the south to the northern cities such as Detroit, MI, had not yet occurred, and did not happen until around 1920, another 65 years after the war ended. To have such a large number of blacks in the north, concentrated in such a small area as Monroe, MI, would have been highly improbable at that time. From a sociological perspective, prior to the Civil war, the vast majority of free blacks lived along the east coast in cities such as Boston, MA, New Haven, CT, the State of New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Philadelphia, PA and Providence, RI. If they did venture away from the east coast, then the most likely place to for them to settle would have been OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(a state with strong abolitionist cities, towns, organizations and colleges).
- Although it is true that Libbie Bacon's father did not approve of Custer it was not because Custer insulted him in a bar. Bacon simply disapproved of Custer based on social status. He believed that Custer was not good enough for his daughter, but eventually came around after Custer was promoted to Brigadier General in 1863.
- His promotion to Brigadier General was not accidental as depicted in the film, but a deliberate act. He was promoted by General Alfred PleasontonAlfred PleasontonAlfred Pleasonton was a United States Army officer and General of Union cavalry during the American Civil War. He commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac during the Gettysburg Campaign, including the largest predominantly cavalry battle of the war, Brandy Station...
(not Romulus Taipe) on June 28, 1863, three days before the battle of GettysburgBattle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
.
- At the time of the battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, Major General Henry W. Halleck was the Commanding General of the United States Army. He would have been the individual in charge of the headquarters command scenes (if the strategy scenes are accurate to the period) and organizing the battle strategy depicted in the film along with General George MeadeGeorge MeadeGeorge Gordon Meade was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from...
, not Lieutenant General Winfield Scott. Halleck would have been in Washington at the War Department and Meade in the field at Gettysburg. Although retired, it was Scott's overall war strategy called the Anaconda PlanAnaconda PlanThe Anaconda Plan or Scott's Great Snake is the name widely applied to an outline strategy for subduing the seceding states in the American Civil War. Proposed by General-in-Chief Winfield Scott, the plan emphasized the blockade of the Southern ports, and called for an advance down the Mississippi...
, continued by President Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and waged by General's U.S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Philip SheridanPhilip SheridanPhilip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
that led to the UnionUnion (American Civil War)During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
's decisive victory.
- After the war, Custer was mustered out in March 1866 and did have a period of military inactivity. However, any decision to restore him to active duty would not have been made by retired and ill General Winfield Scott, (Scott died at West Point, New York on May 29, 1866). Secretary of War Edwin McMasters Stanton and General U.S. Grant, Commanding General of the United States Army would issue the General Orders in July 1866 posting Lt. Col. Custer to the newly authorized 7th Cavalry.
- In the film, Custer is shown leading a saber charge against an oncoming Indian war party, which leads to his unit being surrounded and him being the last man standing before finally being killed. In reality, the troopers had boxed their sabers and sent then to the rear before the battle and by some accounts Custer had been among the first to die.
- Following the end of the Civil War, Custer is depicted as a drunkard in the film, while in reality, Custer neither drank nor smoked. After an 1862 drinking binge in which he humiliated himself, Custer vowed never to touch liquor again, and he never did. Furthermore, Flynn's hair is long at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, but Custer had cut his hair short prior to the battle.
- The movie depicts Custer having a private meeting with Crazy Horse to discuss a peaceable solution to a land dispute. In reality, Crazy Horse detested whites and never conferred with them.
- Custer is shown as being utterly faithful and devoted to his wife Libbie, but by some accounts, during his time on the plains he was alleged to have married an Indian woman and had children with her. However, some historians view this as inaccurate, due to the fact that Custer had contracted gonorrhea in a Cornwall-on-Hudson brothel while attending West Point and that he might have been rendered sterile, leading them to believe that the father was really his brother Thomas.
- Another inaccuracy of this film is that the studio could not show how the Sioux and Cheyenne mutilated the bodies of the soldiers after the battle. The Motion Picture Production Code of Will Hays, would have not allowed for the graphic violence. The public were taught as children in school, the events of Custer's Last Stand. Custer's brother Tom, who died with him, had his face so badly mutilated he could only be identified by the tattoo on his arm.
- In other regards, however, the film is more accurate - Custer was genuinely sympathetic towards the Indians plight, and opposed the Grant Administration's Indian policy. He spoke out against the abuses suffered by Indians on the reservations, which proved an embarrassment to the administration and, as depicted, was regarded by many of his superiors as a trouble-making glory seeker. He also said that if he were an Indian he'd fight the encroaching white expansion, which is repeated in the film.
"Custer's Last Stand" sequence
Although the rest of the film was shot in various locales throughout southern California, the film makers had hoped to capture this climactic sequence near the location of the actual Battle of Little Bighorn. Due to scheduling and budget constraints, however, the finale of the film was relegated to a rural area outside of Los Angeles.Crazy Horse, played by Anthony Quinn, is the only individualized Indian in the scene and represents the "red man" whose lifestyle is coming to an end. Quinn, who is of Tarahumara ancestry, is one of the few actors of American Indian descent in the film. Only 16 of the extras were Sioux Indians. The rest of the Native American army were Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
extras. Knowing the scene would be dangerous, Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
ordered a hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
on the day of shooting as a joke
Joke
A joke is a phrase or a paragraph with a humorous twist. It can be in many different forms, such as a question or short story. To achieve this end, jokes may employ irony, sarcasm, word play and other devices...
. Two extras did die during the filming of the sequence. One untrained rider, George Murphy, died in a fall from his horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, reportedly while drunk. A second extra, Jack Budlong, fell off his horse and was fatally wounded by his prop sword.
Music
The score was composed by Max SteinerMax Steiner
Max Steiner was an Austrian composer of music for theatre productions and films. He later became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Trained by the great classical music composers Brahms and Mahler, he was one of the first composers who primarily wrote music for motion pictures, and as...
. He adapted George Armstrong Custer's favorite song, "Garryowen", into the score. Custer first heard the song from Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
soldiers. In the film, he hears it from an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soldier who claims its origin is Australian. This connection is apocryphal. Warner Brothers recycled some of the music from the film and it, or variations of it, can be heard in "Silver River
Silver River (film)
Silver River is a 1948 western film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan. The film is based on a Stephen Longstreet novel.-Plot:...
" and "Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain (film)
Rocky Mountain is a 1950 war film directed by William Keighley and starring Errol Flynn. It takes place during the American Civil War.-Plot:...
", both starring Errol Flynn, and "The Searchers
The Searchers (film)
The Searchers is a 1956 American Western film directed by John Ford, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May, and set during the Texas–Indian Wars...
" starring John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
.
Production
The film is frequently confused with Michael CurtizMichael Curtiz
Michael Curtiz was an Academy award winning Hungarian-American film director. He had early creditsas Mihály Kertész and Michael Kertész...
's Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail (film)
Santa Fe Trail is a 1940 western film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. The film was one of the top-grossing films of the year, being the seventh Flynn-de Havilland collaboration. The film also has nothing to do with its namesake, the famed Santa Fe Trail...
released the previous year, in which Flynn portrayed Jeb Stuart and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
played Custer, also featuring Olivia de Havilland as Flynn's leading lady
Leading lady
Leading lady is an informal term for the actress who plays a secondary lead or supporting role, usually a love interest, to the leading actor in a film or play. It is not usually applied to the leading actress in the performance if her character is the protagonist.A leading lady can also be an...
.