if you keep rigid historical perspective out of it and this film be actually quite entertaining . it get action and adventure and romance and and one of the premiere casting match ups of the era with errol flynn and olivia de havilland in the lead role . a evident on this board and the picture doesn not pass muster with purist who look for one hundred percent accuracy in their story tell . to get beyond that and one need only put aside the history book and and enjoy the story a if it be a work of fiction . i know and i know and that hard to do when you consider custer last stand at the little big horn and it prominence in the history of post civil war america . so i guess there an unresolved quandary with the picture and no matter how you look at it . there a lot to take in here though for the picture two hour plus run time . custer arrival at west point be probably the first head scratcher and rid up a he do in full military regalia . the practical joke by sharp ( arthur kennedy ) put him up in the major headquarters probably should have get them both in trouble . ironically and a lot of scene in this military film play for comedy and a in custer first meet with libby bacon and and subsequent encounter that include tea reader callie ( hattie mcdaniel ) . i hadn not notice it before in other film and but mcdaniel remind me an awful lot of another favorite character actor of mine from the forty and mantan moreland . so much so that in one scene it look like it might have be moreland ham it up in a dress . with that in mind and the owl scene be a hoot too . a for flynn and it interest to note that a year earlier and he portray j. e. b. stuart opposite ronald reagan depiction of general custer in santa fe trail and both vie for the attention of none other than olivia de havilland . in that film and reagan put none of the arrogance and flamboyance into the character of custer that history remembers and while in flynn portrayal here it more than evident . but it doesn not come close to that of richard mulligan take on the military hero in 1970 little big man . let just say that one be a bit over the top . the good take away the picture have for me be the manner in which custer persevere to maintain his good name and not gamble it away on a risky business venture . that and his loyalty to the men he lead in battle along with the discipline he develop over the course of the story . most poignant be that final confrontation with arch rival sharp just before rid into the little big horn and in which he declare that hell or glory be entirely dependent on one point of view . early and a similar remark might have give u the best insight of all into custer character and when he state you take glory with you when it your time to go .