Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976)

6.1PG123 minDirector: Robert Altman

1976 film by Robert Altman

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson is a 1976 revisionist Western film directed by Robert Altman and based on the 1968 play Indians by Arthur Kopit. It stars Paul Newman as William F. Cody, alias Buffalo Bill, along with Geraldine Chaplin, Will Sampson, Joel Grey, Harvey Keitel, and Burt Lancaster as Bill's biographer, Ned Buntline. It was filmed in Panavision by cinematographer Paul Lohmann.

As in his earlier film M*A*S*H, Altman skewers an American historical myth of heroism, in this case the notion that noble white men fighting bloodthirsty savages won the West. However, the film was poorly received at the time of its release, as the country was celebrating its bicentennial.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson about?
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) — Buffalo Bill plans to put on his own Wild West sideshow, and Chief Sitting Bull has agreed to appear in it. However, Sitting Bull has his own hidden agenda, involving the President and General Custer.
Is Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson scary?
Content rating: PG. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex