The figure of George Armstrong Custer still inspires controversy even today. Just what drove him, ambition, hubris, whatever is still being debated today. I don't think anyone has really gotten a handle on his character in any film.

This one however gives it a good try. Robert Shaw and Mary Ure play the General and his wife and she's important in the story. She outlived him by about 50 years, dying in the early Thirties. She was the custodian of the Custer legacy.

Also important in the story are General Phil Sheridan of whom Custer was a protégé of sorts. Sheridan is played here by Lawrence Tierney and he's also an interesting figure. As are Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen, his second and third in command played by Ty Hardin and Jeffrey Hunter. Even amateur military historians still debate about how Custer split his force in three with these other two taking significant portions of the 7th Cavalry. It was only the men who are under Custer's direct command who were annihilated at the Little Big Horn.

No one is saying that this is the ultimate Custer interpretation, but it beats Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland in They Died With Their Boots On.

Director Robert Siodmak keeps this excellent Cinerama attraction moving so well that the running time of 148 minutes passes as rapidly as the waters of the timber chute.

On the other hand, the film bears signs of having been made with a watchful eye on the budget. None of the sets are very extensive (at least indoors),Custer's address to Congress is shown entirely through a shot of Custer superimposed on a model of the Capitol buildings with voices of dissent off, some of the model work (particularly of the train) is very obvious, and the editor repeats shots, particularly during the action sequences.

Admittedly, Robert Shaw gives us an arresting impersonation of Custer and demonstrates his versatility with a singing take-off as well.

Unfortunately, the rest of the players are no more than mediocre. Robert Ryan's scenes are allowed to run too long, while Jeffrey Hunter and Kieron Moore are stuck with the stock roles of idealistic young officer and and noble savage, respectively.

The film centers around general Custer (Robert Shaw) and wife (Mary Ure),though takes liberties with historical facts . George Armstrong Custer's career begins when is graduated in the known Military Academy of West Point and after that , he intervened in American Civil War where detaches in battle of Gettysburg . General Sheridan (Lawrence Tierney) assigns him the command a regiment at Fort Abraham Lincoln . In 1869 Custer and his 7th Cavalry carried out the massacre of River Washita , where a lot of Indians and their chief Black Kettle were murdered . Later on , Custer takes command a fort and two officers (Jeffrey Hunter and Ty Hardin) will help him to face off Indians with the warring chiefs Dull Knife (Kieron Moore) , Sitting Bull , and Crazy Horse and their tribes Sioux , Cheyenne , the Awpahla and the Munikhanja . The fights go on until the final battle of Little Big Horn (1876) where his entire command was exterminated .

This movie well produced by Philip Jordan blends good action scenes, shootouts , adventures and being quite entertaining , because happen many deeds and fast-moving and that's why it is neither boring , nor dreary, but entertaining . George Armstrong Custer's complex characterization with an unusual point of view is well performed by Robert Shaw who gives a nice embodiment of this Western hero. Robert Shaw's interpretation as a hippie-type, long-haired general , is top-notch , unfortunately he early died , in fact , this is his last film . His wife in the real life, Mary Ure being early dead , as well. The thrilling final confrontation between Custer army and Indians is spellbound and breathtaking similar to ¨ They died with the boots on (1941)¨ with Errol Flynn and directed by Raoul Walsh . The film obtained a limited success in spite of the lavish budget and spectacular sets . Direction by Robert Siodmak is average , in spite of a long career with many cinema classics (Criss Cross , The killers , The spiral staircase , The suspect) and the film is mediocre and overlong , too. The great director Fred Zinnemann even directed some scenes and originally to be directed by Akira Kurosawa, but he ruled out . Cecilio Paniagua's cinematography is glimmering and fascinating and photographed in Super Technirama 70 , the outdoor scenarios are overwhelming , this is the best of the film . Bernardo Segall musical's score is sensitive and moving and performed by Royal Philarmonic orchestra. Splendidly staged battles with obligatory cast of hundreds is well made by the art directors Eugene Lourie and Julio Molina . The motion picture will appeal to biopic enthusiasts and Indians western buffs.

Other adaptations about this historic character culminating in thrilling battle of Little Big Horn are the following ones : ¨Santa Fe trail¨ by Michael Curtiz with Ronald Regan as Custer ; ¨Great massacre Sioux¨ by Sidney Salkow with Philip Carey as Custer and Iron Eyes Cody as Crazy Horse ; ¨Little Big Man¨ by Arthur Penn with Richard Mulligan as Custer ; ¨Son of the morning star¨ TV miniseries by Mike Robe with Gary Cole , among others.