naturally and along with everyone else and i be prim to expect a lot of hollywood fantasy revisionism in they die with their boot on over the legend of custer . just have someone like errol flynn play custer be enough of a clue that the legend have precedence over the truth in this production . and for the most part my expectation be fulfil ( in an admittedly rousing and entertaining way ) . yet even in this obviously bias ( and much criticize ) retelling of the custer story and i be strike by some of the point make in this movie that and sometimes subtly but nevertheless solidly and seem to counter the typical clichés of manifest destiny and unvarnished heroism usually find in western of the early 20th century . for instance and even while this film attempt to whitewash it hero and certain scene still suggest the more flawed and foolish character of the real life custer represent 1 ) his initial entrance at the west point front gate and in which his arrogance and pompousness be a clear aspect of his character . 2 ) his miserable record at west point and which seem to be attribute as much to custer cluelessness about the demand of military service a any other factor while there be moment in the way flynn play custer at west point where he seem downright stupid . 3 ) custer promotion to general be not only present a a ridiculous mistake and but it play out a slapstick comedy . i half expect to see the marx brother or abbott and costello wander into the scene . 4 ) custer stand against jeb stuart at gettysburg be not whitewash a brilliant military tactical leadership and but be present a reckless and wildly lucky . 5 ) custer drinking problem be certainly not ignore . and although the music and some of the way the indian be show in this film be certainly reinforcement of the racist stereotype of the ignorant savage and it still come a a surprise to me that the movie actually go into some detail a to why the indian be justify in attack the white who be move into their land and and fairly explicitly lay the blame for the battle in the black hill squarely at the foot of the white man . in fact and no one can argue that the clear villain of the piece be not anthony quinn a sit bull and but arthur kennedy and co. a the white devil make the false claim of gold in the black hill . sure and that part of the story be true and but i do not expect to see it portrayed quite so unequivically in a movie like this . and one other thing represent usually in these film it be the indian who be portray en masse a drunken animal seemingly incapable of the basic common sense to avoid get fall down drunk any time they get near alcohol . in this movie and it be actually the troop of the 7th cavalry and and not the indian and who in at least two scene be portray this way . all in all and this movie slip in some surprising moment in the midst of the hollywood bunk .