Little Big Man is a 1970 American revisionist Western film[2] directed by Arthur Penn, adapted by Calder Willingham from Thomas Berger's 1964 novel of the same title. It stars Dustin Hoffman, Chief Dan George, Faye Dunaway, Martin Balsam, Jeff Corey and Richard Mulligan. The film follows the life of a white man who was raised by members of the Cheyenne nation during the 19th century, and then attempts to reintegrate with American pioneer society. Although broadly categorized as a Western, or an epic, the film encompasses several literary/film genres, including comedy, drama and adventure. It parodies typical tropes of the Western genre,[3] contrasting the lives of white settlers and Native Americans throughout the progression of the boy's life.
Little Big Man is an early revisionist Western[2] in its sympathetic depiction of Native Americans, and its exposure of the villainous practices of the United States Cavalry. The revision uses elements of satire and tragedy to examine prejudice and injustice. Little Big Man is an anti-establishment film of the period, indirectly protesting America's involvement in the Vietnam War by portraying the United States Armed Forces negatively.[4]
The film was released to American theatres by National General Pictures on December 23, 1970, to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success.[5] Several retrospective reviews have positioned Little Big Man as one of the best American films of the 1970s.[5] The film received three BAFTA Award nominations, including for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Hoffman. Chief Dan George received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, the first Indigenous North American actor to be nominated for an Oscar.[6]
In 2014, Little Big Man was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress, and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.[7]
