Son of the Morning Star (1991) (TV)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Mike Robe

Writers (WGA):

Evan S. Connell (book)
Melissa Mathison (teleplay)

Release Date:

3 February 1991 (USA)

Genre:

History | Western

Tagline:

Two great warriors. One final confrontation. The last great battle for the American Frontier.

Plot:

The story of George Custer, Crazy Horse and the events prior to the battle of the Little Bighorn, told from the different perspectives of two women.

Plot Keywords:

Sioux Wars | Ulysses Simpson Grant | American Indian | Native American | Two Part TV Movie

Awards:

Won 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Gary Cole	...	George Armstrong Custer
Rosanna Arquette	...	Libby Custer
Stanley Anderson	...	Ulysses S. Grant
Edward Blatchford	...	Lt. Cooke
George Dickerson	...	Gen. Sherman
Rodney A. Grant	...	Crazy Horse
Tom O'Brien	...	Charlie Reynolds
Terry O'Quinn	...	Gen. Alfred Terry
Nick Ramus	...	Red Cloud
Tim Ransom	...	Tom Custer
Robert Schenkkan	...	Capt. Weir
David Strathairn	...	Capt. William F. Benteen
Buffy Sainte-Marie	...	Kate Bighead (voice)
Dean Stockwell	...	Gen. Philip Sheridan
Bryce Chamberlain	...	Parsons

Runtime:

187 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Badlands National Park, Interior, South Dakota, USA

Company:

Preston Stephen Fischer Company

Trivia:

The low ratings this mini-series garnered during its initial 1991 broadcast had ABC executives re-think and eventually pull the plug on the Civil War epic "The Killer Angels", which they planned to produce and air. This decision led to Ted Turner picking up the project, renaming it Gettysburg (1993), and releasing it in theaters.

Goofs:

Factual errors: While at dinner with his family, Custer twice expresses to them his anger that his Army rank was that of 'only a colonel'. In fact, Custer was a lieutenant colonel (LC) at the time, and should have used that complete rank title in this conversation. Although the one word 'colonel' may be used informally to denote an LC, in this case Custer's complaint was specifically directed at his actual rank, so he should have used its full title. (Incidentally, Custer had reached the temporary rank of major general during the Civil War, but like many generals of that war, he reverted to a lower permanent rank when the war ended. This is why he is referred to as 'general' several times in this film).

Quotes:

George Armstrong Custer: [after pursuing a group of Indians on horseback who started to scatter] They scattered. They scattered!
[Fires his rifle in the air]
George Armstrong Custer: Give me a civilized war! An enemy I can find and beat! An enemy who fights by the rules!

I must retract former comments about Gary Cole as Gen. G.A.Custer

I have just finished a fairly comprehensive study of Gen. G.A.Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, that included virtually ALL of the current historical literature on GAC & LBH. I therefore must not merely amend my previous comments but retract them all together. Gary Cole gives us an EXCELLENT and more historically accurate picture of this still controversial military officer, than ANY other actor before. Mr. Cole's GAC is much more real, human, complex and therefore accurate picture than say Errol Flynn's famous but almost comic-book character. Over all the attention to detail and historical accuracy is quite apparent in this excellent movie. Gary, sorry about my previous comments.....and oh yes I'm the one who probably needs riding lesson's not you. My High School students REALLY enjoyed your version of "Autie" Custer.

Thanks: Kevin John Simon Miami, Florida