LGBTQ+ Character
Little Horse (Robert Little Star) is a queer Native American.
Adapted by Calder Willingham from Thomas Berger’s 1964 novel, “Little Big Man,” directed by Arthur Penn and starring Dustin Hoffman, is a landmark revisionist Western. Told through the eyes of 121‑year‑old Jack Crabb (Hoffman), the film recounts his extraordinary life as both a white settler and a Cheyenne “Human Being.”
Framing Device: In 1970, the aged Jack Crabb (Hoffman) narrates his story to a historian, weaving together episodes that span the violent and contradictory history of the American frontier.
As a boy, Jack and his sister survive a Pawnee attack before being raised by the Cheyenne under the guidance of Old Lodge Skins (Chief Dan George), who calls his people “the Human Beings.” Jack drifts between identities: Cheyenne tribesman, gunslinger, con‑man in medicine shows, hermit, and scout for the U.S. Cavalry. He marries twice, loses loved ones to violence, and repeatedly confronts the brutality of white expansion. His encounters with General George Armstrong Custer (Richard Mulligan) culminate in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, where Custer’s hubris proves fatal. Old Lodge Skins prepares to die in harmony with nature, while Jack endures—neither fully Indian nor entirely white, embodying the contradictions of frontier history.
Among the Cheyenne, Little Horse (Robert Little Star) stands out as a queer Native American who holds a sacred position in the tribe, a rare depiction of queer identity in the Western genre.
Penn uses humor and irony to critique prejudice, injustice, and the destruction of Native American communities. Together with “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Little Big Man” represents Penn’s finest achievement, helping to redefine the Western and paving the way for more nuanced portrayals of Native Americans on screen.
Chief Dan George’s performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor—the first Native American to receive such recognition.
Calder Willingham wrote three other influential screenplays: The Strange One (1957), which was adapted from his own book and stage play – see Book One: Hidden in Plain Sight – Queer Cinema During the Hays Code Era (1934-1968) – Paths of Glory (1957) and One-Eyed Jacks (1960) and received an Oscar nomination for his rejected screenplay for The Graduate (1967), which was completely rewritten by Buck Henry before the Mike Nichols movie started filming.
With Faye Dunaway in the small but memorable part of a frustrated housewife who tries to take advantage of young Jack while he is taking a bath.
Cinematography by Harry Stradling Jr
Music by John Hammond
