They Died With Their Boots On

Although this movie is historically incorrect, it is exciting and fun to watch. Errol Flynn is at his early career best and Olivia De Havlon is great as Mrs. Custer. Anthony Quinn is fine as Crazy Horse.

Errol flynn and olivia dehavilland are my favorite classic actors, and i liked the story about general custard and the little black horn.

a great take on the life of george custer, all hollywood, great black and white photography. errol flynn plays a young cadet,a maturing calvary officer, and wise man and leader with great hope and ideals.

When filmmakers decide to take actual events to place them on the screen, they face the difficult decision of to what extant they will tinker with the truth to score some dramatic points. In the case of THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON, the producers totally abandoned any semblance of truth to present a vision of the life and death of General George Armstrong Custer that was then fully resonant with the burgeoning militarism of 1941 Hollywood. I know that it is difficult for current moviegoers to possibly envision an artistic elite that supports and glorifies traditional American values, but back in pre-Pearl Harbor days, political correctness meant flag waving, not flag burning. What Hollywood wanted was a flashy dashing hero who could be both charming and heroic at the same time. In Errol Flynn, America could see a distorted version of the egotistical and megalomaniacal glory hunter that Custer truly was, but Flynns interpretation played down that part of him and emphasized an altruistic side that is so breathtaking in its centrality to Custers film persona, that movie audiences could see in Flynn-Custer a hearkening back to the frontier hero that America was to need to buttress itself for the looming war. Director Raoul Walsh essentially films a vastly entertaining war cartoon that allows Flynn to pair with Olivia DeHavilland to maintain a love interest that forms the background for the many action scenes. And what action scenes there are. Flynn is seen attacking Confederate positions in cavalry charges with more than a little tongue in cheek. But in the second half, the mood and tempo change when Flynn takes his militancy out west to fight Indians. The smiling Flynn of the Civil War becomes the serious Flynn of the Far West. As Custer, Flynn is prepared to sacrifice his entire 7th Cavalry to save the greater body of troops of his commander, General Terry. The climactic massacre at the Battle of the Little Big Horn shows a more megalomaniacal side to Custer than what Director Walsh probably intended. In the hours preceeding the battle, Flynns facial expression and voice well indicate a man who is stoically resigned to die merely for a higher cause. When the films villain, played by Arthur Kennedy, asks him why he is doing this, Custer replies: For glory or to hell. It depends on your perspective. My perspective was that Custer chose both at the same time. It is this odd pairing of wildly divergent viewpoints that make this gross distortion of history an entertaining film--even if I had to wonder whether Custer cared a hoot about the 198 troopers under his command.

good fun. an enjoyable movie from the age of great stars. flynn was a master of taking over the screen and providing the audience with what it wanted - entertainment.

excellent

great old movie not historically but great cast and great cavalry movie

Love it!

ok

Movie was excellent - super good acting considering content of subject matter. Some really COOL facts brought out at end of movie that shed whole new light on true events leading up to such great loss of life over nothing but greed at highest level of government. Any movies with E. F. (in color) are some of best movies available. No need for filthy language when acting is chief means to make script enjoyable. If this one is colorized I would buy it again. Except for B&W this movie is really a 5****.