History Film / LittleBigMan

* Brownface: Creator/DustinHoffman as a Cheyenne.

''Little Big Man'' is an 1970 film directed by Arthur Penn. The screenplay is by Calder Willingham, based on a novel of the same name by Thomas Berger. It stars DustinHoffman as Jack Crabb, a 121-year-old survivor of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. But there's more to his life story than that: life as an adopted Cheyenne, a SnakeOilSalesman, an amateur gunslinger, and an attempt to go straight before he gets embroiled in the mad dreams of a general named Custer. Sometimes a parody of the {{Western}} genre, sometimes a {{Deconstruction}}.

* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: In an early scene where the narrator/protagonist is first captured by the Cheyenne, his sister is shown worrying and complaining about what all these natives might be planning for her in the strange language they're speaking and saying "They're going to rape me for sure!" As time passes and nothing happens to her, however, we see that they're planning no such thing, and that she's actually getting rather annoyed because no one's paying very much attention to her at all. Didn't help that they didn't realize she was a girl at first.

* ActorAllusion: People that have seen ''TheGraduate'' may wonder when in the brothel scene Jack is going to ask Mrs. Pendrake if she's trying to seduce him.

* DisneyDeath: Played with. Cheyenne chief Old Lodge Skins, Jack's blind mentor, has finally grown tired of life. He and Jack ascend a hill where Old Lodge Skins prays for his death and lies down with his eyes closed. It then begins raining. Old Lodge Skin blinks, then sighs. "Sometimes the magic works. Sometimes it doesn't." and they both go back to their village. It the book, Old Lodge Skins does die.

* DisneyDeath: Played with. Cheyenne chief Old Lodge Skins, Jack's blind mentor, has finally grown tired of life. He and Jack ascend a hill where Old Lodge Skins prays for his death and lies down with his eyes closed. It then begins raining. Old Lodge Skin blinks, then sighs. "Sometimes the magic works. Sometimes it doesn't." and they both go back to their village.

* ''Garryowen'' was also the regimental march of the British Light Brigade at the battle of Balaclava and the famous Charge. Both battles are alluded to when it is used by Custer's bandsmen at the Little Big Horn: this could also be an example of {{Karma}} in action.

* ''Garryowen'' was also the regimental march of the British Light Brigade at the battle of Balaclava and the famous Charge. Both battles are alluded to when it is used by Custer's bandsmen at the Little Big Horn: this could also be an example of karma in action.

* MeLoveYouLongTime: All the Indian women are played by Vietnamese women. And not a one but she's a giggling sex kitten eager to bed [[strike: Dustin Hoffman]] Crabb.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Mrs. Pendrake, the wife of a fire-and-brimstone preacher, adopts Jack Crabb and tries to see to his moral and spiritual instruction. After he catches her having sex with a shopkeeper in town, he swears off religion for good and joins up with SnakeOilSalesman Mr. Merriweather. As Crabb puts it in his narration, "After Mrs. Pendrake, his honesty was downright refreshing."

* SarcasticConfession: Crabb tells General Custer in the final battle scene exactly what's going to happen if he charges forward. He gives Custer the information because he knows that he won't be believed, and he isn't.

* ShoutOut: to any Western (including ''Three Godfathers'') that uses the song "Shall We Gather At The River."

* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: In an early scene where the narrator/protagonist is first captured by the Cheyenne, his sister is shown worrying and complaining about what all these natives might be planning for her in the strange language they're speaking and saying "They're going to rape me for sure!" As time passes and nothing happens to her, however, we see that they're planning no such thing, and that she's actually getting rather annoyed because no one's paying very much attention to her at all.

* IOweYouMyLife: The life-saving action of the titular character just amplifies Younger Bear's hatred of him, though he cannot do anything till he repays the debt.

-->'''Crabb:''' I didn't say that. [[SarcasticConfession There are ''thousands'' of Indians down there. And when they get done with you, there won't be nothing left but a greasy stain.]] This ain't the Washite River, General, and them ain't helpless women and children waiting for you. They're Cheyenne brave, and Sioux. You go down there, General, if you've got the nerve.