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1970 If the turning point for the public image of Custer has not
already arrived, it has now. The Arthur Penn-directed sa-
tirical Western Little Big Man, starring Dustin Hoffman
and Chief Dan George, takes an exclusively critical view
of Custer as a vainglorious fool with pretty hair.
1991 ABC miniseries Son of the Morning Star, based on the
book by Evan S. Connell, premieres and is hailed as
the most realistic version of the story ever put on film.
As such, it continues the trend of taking a dim view of
Custer; New York Magazine, contrasting it with the re-
cently released Dances with Wolves, says that the mini-
series "deals in delusions instead of dreams."
1992 PBS airs the documentary Last Stand at Little Bighorn,
written by James Welch, who would also write Killing
Custer as a companion to the film. Needless to say,
Custer is portrayed in the manner to which we've be-
come accustomed.
Celebrating
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