Actors: Joel McCrea, Maureen O'Hara, Linda Darnell, Thomas Mitchell, Edgar Buchanan, Anthony Quinn
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Buffalo Bill
Directed by William A. Wellman in 1943. William Cody is an army scout. He makes the acquaintance of Louisa Frederici when her father, Senator Frederici, and the businessman Schyler Vandervere, come to the West make sure of the U.S. army's help before the arrival of the railway whose tracks must cross the Cheyenne territory. When the Cheyennes kidnap Senator Frederici, William Cody will see chief Yellow Hand and finally obtain an agreement satisfying for everybody.
Two years later, and married to Louisa, William Cody agrees to hunt buffaloes for Vandervere who's making a fortune by selling their skin in the eastern cities. But this activity is soon out of all proportion as buffalo hunting becomes soon a tourist attraction. Moreover, Cheyennes do not manage to find food anymore and are forced to become allies with the Sioux in order to attack the white men. Louisa prefers to return to Washington with her baby Kit. The Sioux defeat General Custer at Little Big Horn but the Cheyennes are stopped by William Cody and the American Army.
The President of the U.S. convenes William-Buffalo Bill-Cody in Washington to give him the medal of the Congress but William prefers to go see Louisa and their son Kit who unfortunately dies of diphteria when William arrives. Buffalo Bill then starts to say in public that the Indian wars are caused by inadequate politics decided in Washington D.C. Vandervere, whose businesses in the West cost the life of thousands of Indians, uses the press to disparage Buffalo Bill whose legendary exploits are questioned by the population soon. After having accepted demeaning jobs in fairs, Buffalo Bill, helped by the journalist Ned Buntline, creates the Wild West Show which will enable him to show what he thinks the life of the inhabitants of the West are to the inhabitants of the eastern cities.
--Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of Buffalo Bill
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 20% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
Time/Era of Movie:
- 19th century
Western
Yes
Kind of western:
- Nice Indians fighting wicked white man
Romance
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- longhair/girliemon (man)
Body type
- average (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- red
Hair style
- (woman) long curly
Body type
- average (woman)
How much in movie?
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- businessman, big
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
Hair color
- white
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- West
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
- Washington D.C.
Misc setting
- fort/military installation
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- non-gory references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- frustrated
How many deaths in film?
- dozens
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Kind of violence:
- land battles
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--swords/knives
Any profanity?
- None
