PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

cardinal1-819-139144 It's unfortunate that Paul Newman chose this film's leading role. This film contributes as does others of its genre, a demoralizing of Native Americans and certainly depicts Pres. Grover Cleveland refusal and insensitiveness to Chief Sitting Bull's request so typical of U.S.A. government then and now. What was Chief Sitting Bull's request? "Return our land to us; we are the rightful owners!" Would you honestly show this film to Native Americans? Newman has presented himself in other social "justice" films; however, I feel he struggled with this film as is evident by his role in which he became a "hostage" to the script. That is, Newman failed (or rather,the director)to connect with the intent of the author's mythology and realism; instead, the viewer could only connect with Newman and not the intended character he played.

JasparLamarCrabb One of Robert Altman's least seen films. Buffalo Bill's Wild West show hires Sitting Bull to join "the show business" & things don't really work out. What follows is a lot of philosophical waxing on how legends beat out reality and how history has a way of being constantly re-written. Paul Newman is outstanding as Buffalo Bill, an egotistical drunk who shies away from any sort of personal confrontation while blustering on and on about his historical importance...all with phony bravado. The supporting cast is a typical Altmanesque melange: Kevin McCarthy; Burt Lancaster; Harvey Keitel; Joel Grey. They mix well with Altman regulars Geraldine Chaplin, Allan Nichols, Bert Remsen, Robert DoQui, Pat McCormick and Shelley Duvall. Adapted (presumably very freely) from Arthur Kopit's play "INDIANS," the script is by Altman and Alan Rudolph. Filmed in Alberta, the beautiful cinematography is by Paul Lohmann, who also shot Altman's NASHVILLE. Will Sampson is in it too and Frank Kaquitts plays Sitting Bull (silently).

malcotoro For a student of history like myself, I believe it was no accident that Altman made this movie in 1976, on the Stoney Reservation in Alberta, Canada. We look back and remember what happened 100 years earlier in 1876, the annihilation of Custer and his 7th Cavalry at the Little Big Horn by the Sioux under Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and other prominent Indian leaders, in defense of their homeland and families. The movie hits at the establishment of the time, Sitting Bull has dreamed of meeting Pres Cleveland to make a request on behalf of his people, but he was snubbed by the great white chief, who would not say one word without referring to his aides. The amicable relations between Annie Oakley and Bull were well known, and when he was killed at the Standing Rock agency, she cried for him and his people. Crazy Horse had died in similar circumstances trying to escape. Big Foot and his small band in 1890 at Wounded Knee completed the tragedy of those times and attitudes. It is only very recently, the name of the Custer Battlefield has been changed to the Little Big Horn battlefield. So Altman's movie in 1976 was ahead of its time, both funny and intelligent in its truths. William Cody the scout had himself killed hundreds of buffalo, and he knew a big ticket attraction to his show when he saw one, the remainder of the title "or Sitting Bull's History lesson" is also very meaningful. Sitting Bull's dreams told him what was to come, the end to a way of life on the plains. On the other hand, as several reviewers have noted, the look of fear in Cody's eyes in the closing sequence says it all. And Altman got them all together for their roles, Paul Newman, Burt Lancaster, Harvey Keitel, Kevin McCarthy, Geraldine Chapman, Will Sampson, Joel Grey. Not your average Western, but more subtly entertaining than most. Comment from Malcolm in Toronto, 26th August 2007

evanston_dad A very weak Altman film, all the weaker because it came out the year after one of Altman's best works: "Nashville." "Buffalo Bill..." is one of the most savagely satiric films from a director known for savage satire. Unfortunately, it's also a one-joke film, whose joke is given away in the first five minutes, leaving the film nowhere to go. Paul Newman plays Buffalo Bill as a complete buffoon, surrounded by yes-men and lackeys. He practically buys ex-Indian chief Sitting Bull for his Wild West show, and what we suffer through is scene after scene of white men making asses of themselves while native American Indians nobly and quietly observe and judge them. It's two hours of smug finger pointing at oblivious Caucasians for raping and pillaging the American frontier.All of Altman's films have the feel of coming together in the editing room, and many times this approach to structure results in inspired moments, but "Buffalo Bill" feels even more than usual like a film without a center. There's no narrative thread to hold it together, so it has a wandering and monotonous quality. Also, it doesn't help that Altman's shooting style is uncharacteristically distant. There are virtually no close-ups in the entire picture, so scene after scene is photographed in medium and long shots. Both the screenplay and the camera keep us at a distance; as a result, we never become engaged in the action.A definitive misfire.Grade: C