warner brothers second historical drama featuring civil war battle little big horn general george armstrong custer died boots warner brothers  far accurate two especially contrasted santa fe trail warner brothers  really set bar highbr br although pictures starring vehicles errol flynn change casting part general custer whereas dutch himself ronald reagan portraying flamboyant egomaniacal cavalryman earlier picture mr flynn playing virginian later confederate hero general jeb or jeb stuart errol took custer part died boots onbr br once again warner brothers propensity using large number reliable character actors warners repertory company employed giving film sort authenticity really happening right eyes major roles taken better known actors actresses as elizabeth baconmrs custer costar olivia de havilland ned sharpe arthur kennedy samuel bacon gene lockhart chief crazy horse anthony quinn californy charlie grapwin major taipe stanley ridges general phillip sheridan john litel callie the bacons maid hattie mcdaniel br br the rest cast chock full uncredited though skilled players as joe sawyer eleanor parker minor watson tod andrews irving bacon roy barcroft lane chandler spencer charters frank ferguson francis ford william forrest george eldridge russell hicks william hopper hoppity hooper eddie keane fred kelsey sam mcdaniel patrick mcvey frank orth eddie parker addison richards ray teal jim thorpe allamerican himself minerva urecal dick wessel gig young many many morebr br the film moves quickly particularly early goings sort slows necessity story moves along post civil war years assignment custer colonel th cavalry ultimate destiny little big horn montana guidance director griffith veteran raoul walsh film hits greatly varied array emotions serious exciting battle scenes convincing historical scenes looking matthew brady civil war photos mr walshs films punctuates expedites end many scene little humor going overboard thus risking chance turning film comedy farce actuallybr br as previously mentioned much factual predecessor santa fe trail last time well mention it honest schultz scouts honor however say without little bits artistic literary license indeed biopic have would impossible make similar type film indeed every fact incident tried included screenplay perhaps erroneous inclusion well obvious invocation literary license business custers accidentally promoted rank brigadier general happen way yet gag helped film move along underscored whole light carefree feeling permeated early part filmbr br director walsh mr flynn collaborated giving us would seem characterization legendary civil war hero close real life man top recreation incident massacre lakota sioux cheyenne fukowi custer th cavalry little big horn time occurrence june   custers last stand big incident shock americans national psyche japanese attack pearl harbor december   atrocities perpetrated islamic fascists new yorks twin trade towers united states armed forces headquarters pentagon arlington virginia september  br br just many films period world war ii and years immediately before many incidents were intentionally done demonstrations virtues would needed time another global conflict time died boots finishing original theatrical release periodbr br poodle schnitz