Custer of the West

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

25%

TOMATOMETER

Reviews Counted: 8

29%
liked it

Audience Score

User Ratings: 818

All Critics | Top Critics

Average Rating: N/A
Reviews Count: 0
Fresh: 0
Rotten: 0

Average Rating: 3/5

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Movie Info

Robert Shaw plays General George Armstrong Custer in this historically inaccurate, low-budget western filmed in Spain. The storyline has Custer's troops backing the Cheyenne Indians into a position where attack is their only alternative. The Sioux were the actual tribe harassed by the real-life, glory seeking Custer. The inaccuracies continue as Custer is portrayed as a victim of government policy that is in dire need of reform. Mary Ure plays Libby Custer, with Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Benteen, Ty Hardin as General Reno, and Lawrence Tierney as General Sheridan. Robert Ryan plays Mulligan, an army deserter who is stricken with gold fever. Despite the fine cast assembled, the players can do little with the implausible script. The screenwriters were definitely remiss in their research of the subject matter, but when has that stopped anyone in Hollywood from making a film?

Rating:

G
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Western
Directed By:

Robert Siodmak, Irving Lerner
Written By:

Julian Halevy, Bernard Gordon
In Theaters:

Jan 1, 1967 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

May 25, 2004
Runtime:

120 minutes
Studio:

Simitar

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Cast

Robert Shaw
as Gen. George Armstrong Custer

Mary Ure
as Elizabeth Custer

Jeffrey Hunter
as Capt. Benteen

Ty Hardin
as Maj. Marcus Reno

Charles Stalnaker
as Lt. Howells

Robert Hall
as Sgt. Buckley

Lawrence Tierney
as Gen. Philip Sheridan

Mark Lawrence

Kieron Moore
as Cheyenne Chief

Charles Stalmaker

Marc Lawrence
as Gold Miner

Robert Ryan
as Mulligan

View All

Critic Reviews for Custer of the West

All Critics (8) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (6)

Capable, audience-involving adventure on the visual level which doesn't rise to the epic stature but is content to resume the 'facts' about the Seventh Cavalry without taking a coherent attitude to them.

Mar 3, 2008 | Full Review…

Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic
It's an ambitious and occasionally stylish work, expertly crafted but let down by a script which doesn't quite decide what angle to take on its controversial protagonist.

Feb 9, 2006 | Full Review…

Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic
So much strange cutting and botching went into the job that it is nearly impossible to follow the story and that the moment of Custer's great crisis of some sort is completely impossible to understand.

May 9, 2005 | Full Review…

Renata Adler
New York Times
Top Critic
This film hints at being a successful epic but is ultimately just a modest biography of Civil War general George Custer.

Mar 3, 2008 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

TV Guide
A lumbering biopic on the misunderstood courageous Civil War and Indian fighter General George Armstrong Custer.

Jun 29, 2007 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Fails to come up with the goods.

May 24, 2003 | Full Review…

Film4 Staff
Film4