Question: In the scene where they cross the bridge with the train, and Allison French is being held by those two guys with a rope around her neck, so that if they would shoot the guys, the horse would run off and break her neck, suffocate her or whatever... They were with 4 against 2, so why didn't one of 'em just shoot that horse?
Question: In all honesty I have little (if any) anthropological knowledge of what life was like for Native Americans in the USA in the nineteenth century. But it seemed to me that, for much of the time, the Native Americans in the movie did not resemble the members of a 'hunter gatherer' society whose way of life was under threat from the onset of the modern industrial world. Instead the Native Americans seemed to live, act and behave much more like the members of a 1960's hippie commune. How accurate is that?
Answer: Some members of tribes like the Cheyenne joined in the 'modern' world to some extent, using guns and even putting on Western clothes and eating Western food. While nowhere near the technological nous of the white settlers, the natives were far from being hunter gatherers at this point.
Answer: Well observed sir! What you say is correct. I admit I probably was wrong in calling Native North Americans 'hunter gatherers' as I think some tribes had agriculture and permanent settlements well before Columbus ever reached the American Continent. I also think that the Cherokee consciously tried to adapt to modern life by building houses and becoming farmers. My point was more that it seemed to me that the portrayal of many Native Americans in Little Big Man did not seem historically accurate, but showed them as being more like 1960's hippies. But I am fully aware that this may have been intentional, since the film was giving a 1960's 'spin' on the legends of the 'Wild West'. But please, do not take my posts on this website too seriously. I am fully aware that this was a film made to entertain people, it was not meant to be a historical documentary. And it was the fictional recollections of a 121 year old man. And the film poster said 'Little Big Man was either the most neglected hero in history OR A liar of insane proportion', so you are invited to have your doubts about anything that happens in the film.
Rob, you may want to look into reading the novel the film was based on written by Thomas Berger. He wrote some pretty twisted stuff.
Question: Something I've always wondered about trains in the old west on these unfinished railroads, and this movie brought it to my attention again. It shows the track still being built, and it's a single track for one train, no second track along side it. That being said, before the track was finished there is a train going down it one way at the beginning of the movie with passengers. When the train is taken over and forced to steam ahead out of control, it goes off the end of the track and crashes. Well if this hadn't happened, how would the train have gotten back? It is a one way train, on an incomplete track and stopping at a station to drop of passengers and supplies. How would the train have turned around to go the other way again?
Answer: There are stations in between the ends of the line that allow the train to unload passengers, unload cargo, hitch new cars, and turn to go in the opposite direction.
Question: When Ranse confronts Liberty and reaches for the dropped gun, there appears to be something written at Ranse's feet in the dirt. What is it?
Answer: At first glance, it looks like the word "LEFT" in large, widely-spaced lettering. It's very unlikely that this would be a blocking cue, telling Jimmy Stewart to move left (which he does from that point). That's not the way blocking cues are done, for one thing, and a seasoned actor such as Jimmy Stewart wouldn't need such a cue. It's also very unlikely that it's a warning message from John Wayne who is hiding in an alley across the street, on Stewart's right. John Wayne didn't want anyone to know that he actually killed Valance, so he wouldn't alert Jimmy Stewart with any messages scrawled in the street. All hypothesis aside, it's probably just footprints in the dirt, an illusion of light and shadow.
Question: Who was the $10,000 for?
Answer: For each member of the Professionals.
Question: When the train is put into reverse, Bronson and the major jump off. The Indians get into the box car then the train stops. Who stopped it?
Answer: Ben Johnson and Charles During. Their characters had guns pointed at them, they stopped the train suddenly to knock them off balance. As soon as Bronson and the Major jumped off the train, Johnson and During took control of the engine.
Question: What does "Spider" pull out of the stream bed? I really don't think it's gold. Gold isn't porous, and I don't think he'd be able to hold it with one hand.
Question: How did the wrecked train get in the desert?
Answer: It was established that railroad tracks were put through the desert. Probably a shortcut to save time or it was the only area they were allowed to build. Land deals, claim jumping and protected grounds were a big part of where tracks could be laid. It was after the train disaster that the tracks were discontinued.
Question: When the train on fire reverses back into town, the fire bell is rung. A couple of blokes running out of the saloon are yelling out that the train's on fire. How did they know what was on fire?
Answer: Because it was the train station fire alarm.
Question: Does anyone know if there is a soundtrack (CD) for this movie available anywhere?
Answer: I doubt it as, the film was made during Parker's college years, but every song asis available as an mp3 at www.cannibalthemusical.net.
Answer: You can now buy it via the link - it became available in May 2024: https://www.klaaturecords.com/products/cannibal-the-musical-music-from-the-motion-picture-soundtrack.
Question: Who dragged Richard Boone into the cabin after Paul Newman shot him? Mrs. Favor? Was she in on it?
Answer: Mrs Favor.
Answer: There's no explanation. It could be that no one thought of this. Also, even if they shot the horse, the girl could still be injured or killed. If the horse was only wounded, it could have bolted, reared up, or fallen and then rolled on top of the girl. There's many different scenarios that could have played out.
raywest ★