Sitting Bull (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sitting Bull |
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DVD cover
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| Directed by | Sidney Salkow |
| Produced by | W. R. Frank |
| Written by | Screenplay: Jack DeWitt Sidney Salkow |
| Starring | Dale Robertson Mary Murphy J. Carrol Naish John Litel Joel Fluellen Iron Eyes Cody John Hamilton Douglas Kennedy |
| Music by | Score: Raoul Kraushaar Song Great Spirit: Max Rich |
| Cinematography | Víctor Herrera Charles J. Van Enger |
| Editing by | Richard L. Van Enger |
| Studio | W.R. Frank Productions Tele-Voz S.A |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | October 6, 1954 |
| Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | United States Mexico |
| Language | English |
Sitting Bull is a Western movie from 1954. It was made in both America and Mexico. The film was shot in Mexico using a special wide-screen camera called CinemaScope.
The movie tells a fictional story about the war between the famous Native American leader Sitting Bull and the American army. The plot leads up to the well-known Battle of the Little Bighorn. This film was the first movie made by an independent company to use CinemaScope. It shows Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in a way that helps you understand their side of the story.
Contents
The Story of Sitting Bull (Film Plot)
Major Parrish's Journey
The movie follows Major Robert Parrish (Dale Robertson) from the 7th Cavalry. Some people think he is difficult because he doesn't always follow orders. He used to be a high-ranking officer during the American Civil War. Now, he works under Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer (Douglas Kennedy).
Parrish's fiancée, Kathy (Mary Murphy), breaks up with him. She is the daughter of Parrish's commanding general. She is upset that he hasn't moved up in rank.
Conflict and Consequences
Parrish upsets some people when he tells them off for going onto Sioux lands. This was against the rules. Because of this, Custer and Parrish's general send Parrish to work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Parrish is angry about how the Native Americans are treated. He refuses to shoot them when they try to escape. For this, he faces a military trial, called a court-martial.
Meeting the President
Parrish visits his former general, who is now President Ulysses S. Grant (John Hamilton). The President lowers Parrish's rank to Captain. Parrish convinces President Grant to visit the Western frontier. He hopes this meeting will help prevent a war with the Native Americans.
Back in the West, Captain Parrish meets Kathy again. She is now engaged to Charles Wentworth (William Hopper), a former officer who is now a war reporter. Parrish captures some Native Americans, including Sam (Joel Fluellen), a former slave who is now with the Sioux. Through them, Parrish arranges a secret meeting between Sitting Bull (J. Carrol Naish) and President Grant.
The Battle and Its Aftermath
More conflicts happen with the Sioux. Custer leads his soldiers into battle, but he assigns Parrish to guard supplies. This keeps Parrish out of the main fight.
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Custer and most of his men are defeated. Wentworth, Kathy's fiancé, also dies in the battle. Parrish tries to make friends with Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse (Iron Eyes Cody). Since Parrish knows the army's plans, he helps the Sioux escape to the North.
Parrish's Fate
Parrish is court-martialed again. He is stripped of his rank and sentenced to death for treason. This means he was accused of betraying his country.
Just as his execution is about to happen, Sitting Bull arrives at the fort. He wants to speak with President Grant. Sitting Bull pleads with Grant to save Parrish's life. He explains that Parrish only wanted to stop more fighting. President Grant then changes Parrish's sentence, saving his life.
Main Actors in Sitting Bull
- Dale Robertson as Major Robert 'Bob' Parrish
- Mary Murphy as Kathy Howell
- J. Carrol Naish as Sitting Bull
- John Litel as Gen. Wilford Howell
- Joel Fluellen as Sam
- Iron Eyes Cody as Crazy Horse (also a technical adviser for the film)
- John Hamilton as President Ulysses S. Grant
- Douglas Kennedy as Col. George Armstrong Custer
- William Tannen as O'Connor
- William Hopper as Charles Wentworth
Making the Movie: Production Details
The role of Crazy Horse was played by Iron Eyes Cody. He was also a technical adviser for the film. This means he helped make sure the Native American parts of the movie were accurate.
The movie's producer, Wilfred R. Frank, wanted to film in Mexico. This was because it was cheaper to make movies there. He used Mexican actors as extras in the film.
Famous Quote from the Film
When the white man wins, you call it a victory; when the Indian wins, you call it a massacre - Sitting Bull
What Happened Next: Legacy
The director, Sidney Salkow, and actor Iron Eyes Cody worked together again. They made another film in 1965 called The Great Sioux Massacre. That movie even used some scenes from Sitting Bull.
