Do you want to see ‘Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Si...’?

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

tomatometer

All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.3/10
Reviews Counted: 11
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 3

No consensus yet.

No Score Yet...

Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1

audience

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 1,868

My Rating

Added to your Facebook Timeline. — undo

Movie Info

"Truth is whatever gets the loudest applause." Debunking western myths even more than he did in McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), Robert Altman's Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) sardonically explores the gap between western history and legend in show biz-obsessed America. Megalomaniac "Buffalo Bill" Cody (Paul Newman) assumes the legend created for him by writer Ned Buntline (Burt Lancaster), aided and abetted by his producer (Joel Grey) and his publicist

R, 2 hr. 3 min.

Western, Classics, Comedy

Directed By: Robert Altman

Written By: Robert Altman & Alan Rudolph

In Theaters: Jun 24, 1976 Wide

On DVD: May 8, 2001

United Artists

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Trailer & Photos

Cast

Paul Newman
William F. Cody
Joel Grey
Nate Salibury
Kevin McCarthy
Maj. John Burke
Harvey Keitel
Ed Goodman
Allan F. Nicholls
Prentiss Ingraham
Geraldine Chaplin
Annie Oakley
John Considine
Frank Butler
Will Sampson
William Halsey
Burt Lancaster
Ned Buntline
Robert DoQui
Oswald Dart
Mike E. Kaplan
Jules Keen
Bert Remsen
Crutch
Denver Pyle
McLaughlin
Noelle Rogers
Lucille DuCharme
Evelyn Lear
Nina Cavalini
Pat McCormick
Grover Cleveland
Shelley Duvall
Mrs. Cleveland
Bonnie Leaders
Margaret
Michael J. Kaplan
The Treasurer
Alex Green
Whip & Fast Draw Act

Critic Reviews for Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (3) | DVD (1)

It's a sometimes self-indulgent, confused, ambitious movie that is often very funny and always fascinating.

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

Aspires to a cynical Brechtian snappiness, but the drama is too thinly imagined, the meanings too familiar and heavily stated, for this 1976 film to gather any real interest.

July 24, 2001 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Scabrous revues of myopic mythology

November 15, 2009 Full Review Source: CinePassion

| Comment

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

Altman and crew have done the necessary reorganizing and reediting on Buffalo Bill and have created a terrific movie out of the troubled dust of what was. The first time I saw the movie in New York, it was explicit, contrived, and needed a lot of help.

April 7, 2009 Full Review Source: tonymacklin.net

| Comment (1)

Tony Macklin

tonymacklin.net

Newman's inspired performance is top-notch.

April 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Minor Robert Altman

July 11, 2007 Comment

Lori Hoffman

Atlantic City Weekly Source: Atlantic City Weekly

Altman at his perverse best.

August 24, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Explores the interface between heroes, hypocrisy, and illusion....What kind of America has been passed on to us by historians?

May 3, 2001 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice

| Comment

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

View All

Though a minor work, Newman is hilarious in the role and Altman paints another vivid picture.

October 27, 2011

Graham Jones

Super Reviewer

"Buffalo Bill and the Indians" is about the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show in 1885. Buffalo Bill Cody(Paul Newman) has just signed the legendary Indian Chief Sitting Bull to appear in his show. Buffalo BIll, here, is pictured as being a buffoon, a drunkard and having a fetish for opera singers. Since this movie is

May 30, 2005