This film could have been terrible. A comedy-drama with a 121 year old Dustin Hoffman telling stories about going back and forth between Native Americans and Whites. But it's not. It's sensational. The performance by Dustin Hoffman is award worthy, but even moreso is Grandfather played by Chief Dan George. This was probably one of the first films ever to portray the white men as the bad guys in a western. However, the movie never turns anyone into caricatures. There is good and bad to every side in this film. The white men of course are shown as villains, but they are never turned into pure evil androids. The native americans are the protagonists, but they are still given darker sides. The film is magnificently directed by Arthur Penn, and I think it is even better than his earlier film, Bonnie and Clyde. The movie also has enjoyable cameos from some of my favorite actors, including Martin Balsam and Faye Dunaway. Of course the action sequences and especially the cinematography are breathtaking, the writing by Calder Willingham really shines in the film's quiet scenes, and I was even tearing up a little at times. The film is nearly 2 and 1/2 hours long, but I wasn't bored once. i adored this film.
Little Big Man - 10/10
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