They Died With Their Boots On

No one doubts that THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON with Errol Flynn is a terrific film. It is the last movie that Flynn shares with Olivia de Havilland, and their chemistry shared over a long film marriage is touching and palpable. Flynns interpretation was to play Custer as a western version of his own hell-raising self, and he dominates each scene in which he appears. He is alternately heroic, funny, sarcastic, haughty, and sacriligious. His co-stars very capably allow Flynn to bounce off them. Against Crazy Horse (Anthony Quinn), Flynn is solemn and candid. Against General Winfield Scott (Sidney Greenstreet), he is properly subservient. Against his Indian hating subordinate officer played by Arthur Kennedy, he is full of righteous fury. The climactic battle at the Little Big Horn is a paean to self-sacrifice and honor. The film does not go wrong internally. Its fault, if one can call it that, is that it bears no relation to historical truth. Every major incident in the film from Custers days in West Point, to his conduct under battle, to his relationship to his wife, and to his role in the annihilation of him and his troopers at the Little Big Horn are either grossly exaggerated or outrageous lies. Especially disturbing is the movies suggestion that Custer sacrificed the lives of the men under his command as a means of political expedience. The literal truth was Custer and all his 7th Cavalry were slaughtered only because of his obstinancy in not believing the reports of his Indian guides.

Most movies about history contain inaccuracies, some more than others. They Died With Their Boots On may have some value as entertainment, but when it comes to historical inaccuracy, this one really scrapes the proverbial bottom of the barrel. It came on TCM yesterday and I watched about an hour of it. It was so twisted I could hardly stomach it. Did the writers of this screenplay not do any research at all?

Great old movie

Good movie

Excellent product, delivered as expected.

excellent movie

Fantastic

Found this DVD to be of good quality and worth the price paid.

I love the movie, acting, story, and direction just great. Love Errol Flynn, perfect for the part and having read about all the corruption in Grants administration much closer to the truth than history tells of Custer.

PRETTY MUCH FICTIOUS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, BUT VERY ENTERTAINING NONE THE LESS. ONLY ERROL FLYNN COULD HAVE PULLED IT OFF.