Film Response: Little Big Man Directed By Arthur Penn

Little Big Man Response In the film Little Big Man directed by Arthur Penn, the plight of Native Americans is explored ways that critique previous racialized and stereotypical portrayals of Native Americans in film. By using a mix of humorous and serious scenes, Penn is able to make his points clearer as well as allow for a more human portrayal of Native Americans. For the time period in which the film was made, which was 1970, it involves very progressive themes and attitudes toward the treatment of Native Americans without glossing over anything, over-generalizing ethnic groups, or allowing the White main character to overshadow his counter-parts. The film centers around presenting Native Americans the way in which they should be treated, as well as they way in which they want to be treated, which is as human beings. Throughout the film, Lodgeskins, as well as many other Native Americans refers to themselves as “human beings” rather than by their tribal
The film’s progressive aspects end when Jack Crabb finishes his story in the future as an old man who, after completing his story for the historian, tells the historian to leave without any room for discussion. Instead, the film concludes with Jack sitting in silence reflecting and almost living in the past, instead of looking to the future to solve the problems he has witnessed throughout his life. Even though it might seem that it is too late for Jack to find any opportunities to fix the situation, as he is a nursing home, he did have many years to work on a solution after the violence and trauma he experienced. Yet, perhaps the film is raising the point that it is either too late for society to solve the problem or, on the other hand, that Jack is just one man and he cannot make any truly impactful changes on his