The Black Hills of Dakota war is brewing between the United States Army and a tribe of Sioux Indians lead by the legendary Chief Sitting Bull. Despite numerous treaties the Indian Nation finds themselves victimised, murdered and driven from their land. Major Parrish (Dale Robertson) is a man caught between his duty and his conscience appalled at the treatment of the Indians but unable to stop the military machine. Intent on bringing peace, Parrish arranges a meeting between Sitting Bull (J. Carroll Naish) and President Grant but the two warring parties draw ever closer to the final bloody conflict which history will remember as the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Sitting Bill is an impressive western starring Dale Robertson who is trying to quell an Indian war by arguing the point to the president that the Sioux as led by Sitting Bull are treated badly. As shown in the first half hour, the Sioux are kept in reservation, fed poor food and led by a horrid man. Robertson , however, convinces the President and Sitting Bull to meet for a great council meeting, but the problem comes in form of General Custer, who is portrayed by Douglas Kennedy as a war hungry man. He crosses swords with Robertson more than twice, but he meets his fate on Little Big Horn in a well-executed battle sequence. It's exciting and dramatic with arrows, spears and bullets flying. Having said that, action isn't its focus but the treatment of the Sioux and here, J. Carrol Naish delivers a superb performance as Sitting Bull. In contrast, Iron Eyes Cody is a hothead as Chief Crazy Horse. There's some love triangle going on with Mary Murphy breaking her engagement with Dale and hooking up with a newspaper correspondent, but predictably we know who she chooses at the end, and she grows up a little towards the end. The love triangle, however, never gets in way of the main story.
A few history buffs will harp on about this film's historical inaccuracy but one shouldn't rely on Hollywood to dish out accuracy. First and foremost, entertainment is their main agenda and so it should be, and Sitting Bull fulfils that in spades with its fluid plot, great performances and a moving storyline. An interesting addition is a black slave who lives among the Sioux and becomes the middleman between Dale and Sitting Bull.
Sitting Bill is an impressive western starring Dale Robertson who is trying to quell an Indian war by arguing the point to the president that the Sioux as led by Sitting Bull are treated badly. As shown in the first half hour, the Sioux are kept in reservation, fed poor food and led by a horrid man. Robertson , however, convinces the President and Sitting Bull to meet for a great council meeting, but the problem comes in form of General Custer, who is portrayed by Douglas Kennedy as a war hungry man. He crosses swords with Robertson more than twice, but he meets his fate on Little Big Horn in a well-executed battle sequence. It's exciting and dramatic with arrows, spears and bullets flying. Having said that, action isn't its focus but the treatment of the Sioux and here, J. Carrol Naish delivers a superb performance as Sitting Bull. In contrast, Iron Eyes Cody is a hothead as Chief Crazy Horse. There's some love triangle going on with Mary Murphy breaking her engagement with Dale and hooking up with a newspaper correspondent, but predictably we know who she chooses at the end, and she grows up a little towards the end. The love triangle, however, never gets in way of the main story.
A few history buffs will harp on about this film's historical inaccuracy but one shouldn't rely on Hollywood to dish out accuracy. First and foremost, entertainment is their main agenda and so it should be, and Sitting Bull fulfils that in spades with its fluid plot, great performances and a moving storyline. An interesting addition is a black slave who lives among the Sioux and becomes the middleman between Dale and Sitting Bull.