SON OF THE MORNING STAR {PART 2 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
The second in this two-part miniseries, based on the 1984 nonfiction book by Evan S. Connell, examining the historical events leading up to the infamous Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as "Custer's Last Stand."
By winter 1875, life on the reservations has declined, and Kate Bighead describes how Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull's have united various tribes in a mounting resistance against the white invaders. Custer is summoned to testify about Secretary of War William Belknap's involvement in the "trader post scandal." Custer declares that the Bureau of Indian Affairs should once again be under the Army's control, as the reservations are currently suffering many "travesties." General Sherman orders Custer to reorganize his men, though General Alfred Terry, Custer's superior, informs him that Major Reno will take charge of his 7th Cavalry Regiment. Custer is outraged, and when the New York Herald lambasts General Grant as an "American Caesar," he is forced to once again reinstate the popular but unpredictable Custer.
Benteen and Reno share their frustrations over Custer's seemingly endless "luck," and Custer's anger mounts when Terry demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the Native Americans' firepower and complains that he himself has not received a promotion in years. As the summer expedition approaches, Custer tells Bloody Knife about his exploits in the Civil War and promises that he will ensure greatly improved treatment for the Cheyenne and other tribes once he gains more power. Bloody Knife assures him that he will "live forever," and Custer bids farewell to a heartbroken Libby. In 1876, Kate and her people are considered "hostile" and confined to their reservations; Sitting Bull, considered fearless and wise, appeals to his gods and has a vision in which the "bluecoats" are soundly defeated. Grant discusses his so-called "manifest destiny" with his generals, hoping that the Sioux War will not escalate to the bloody levels of the Civil War.
Terry is angered when Reno disobeys orders on a reconnaissance mission and places Custer in charge once more, explaining that he himself will "shut the North door" and instructs Custer to head out along the Little Bighorn River to look for the natives. He instructs Custer to "use his own judgment," but to hold onto his wounded rather than allow them to be captured. Libby recalls her husband's final letter, in which he describes his plans to move through the Valley of the Rosebud and take up where the scouting party left off. Benteen and Reno can offer little helpful advice as Custer warns them that they are likely to encounter hundreds of native warriors soon; his brother Tom reminds him that they are seeking "containment, not a battle." Elsewhere, Kate prepares to move along the Little Bighorn with hundreds of others, and Custer later tells Bloody Knife that he and the scouts are free to leave once they have located the encampment, meaning that they are not required to fight against their own people.
The scouts soon report seeing a pony herd, meaning the camp is close by, though Custer remains unsure. Ten thousand natives from different tribes stretch out along three miles of the Little Bighorn, and Kate explains that the young warrior men, having spotted Custer's men, are prepared for a large-scale battle. Custer angrily overrules Benteen and Reno's protests about staying together as a unit and orders them to split up and sweep the area; Libby muses that her husband's men "failed him." Kate recalls how her people, preparing to move downriver, were then attacked by Custer's men. Though Custer happily declares that he "caught them napping," they then come upon Sitting Bull's men, who are more than ready for fighting. A fierce battle breaks out, and though Benteen receives a message from Custer begging him to bring reinforcements and supplies, Benteen remains behind with Reno, trapped on a hill.
Tom watches in horror as his brother is finally gunned down, dying alongside the majority of his men. Kate explains that the Cheyenne women recognized Custer as a "relative," as he possibly fathered a child with one of their women, and they opt not to scalp his body. However, they take care to pierce his ears so that he might truly "hear them" in the next life, rather than breaki his promise again. Libby, who had hoped to celebrate the centennial with her husband, receives news of his death and his sound defeat. While many natives turn to the Ghost Dance tradition in the hopes of bringing back their gods and slain comrades, Crazy Horse surrenders six months later. He resists imprisonment and is fatally stabbed by a soldier's bayonet as Kate watches. Sitting Bull surrenders in 1881 and is killed during a would-be arrest in 1890. Kate explains that the war finally came to a grim end with the Massacre at Wounded Knee later that year. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: February 3, 1991 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:58:12
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:22153
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Drama, action/adventure; History - American; Native Americans; Cheyenne Indians; Indigenous Peoples Collection
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1991
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "The Silence of the Lambs" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - AT&T telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Actifed cold medication
- TV - Commercials - Arrid Extra Dry Sports Scent anti-perspirant
- TV - Commercials - Bud Dry beers
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Caress body wash
- TV - Commercials - Clorets gum
- TV - Commercials - Coca-Cola soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Contac cold medication
- TV - Commercials - Diet Dr. Pepper soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Duracell batteries
- TV - Commercials - Dynatrim diet aid
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - General Foods International Coffees
- TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Lawry's garlic powder
- TV - Commercials - Medi-Flu cold medicine
- TV - Commercials - Motrin IB painkillers
- TV - Commercials - Nexus Pro-Mend hair care products
- TV - Commercials - Orville Redenbacher popcorn
- TV - Commercials - Promise margarine
- TV - Commercials - Prudential real estate services
- TV - Commercials - RCA electronics
- TV - Commercials - Royal Caribbean cruise lines
- TV - Commercials - Sprint telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Subaru automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Swanson Great Starts frozen breakfasts
- TV - Commercials - Texaco automobile services
- TV - Commercials - Triaminic children's cold medication
- TV - Commercials - United States Navy
- TV - Commercials - Visa credit cards
- TV - Commercials - Visine Extra eye drops
- TV - Commercials - Wisk detergent
- TV - Commercials - Wrigley's Doublemint chewing gum
- TV - PSA - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIV awareness
- TV - Promos - "Anything But Love"
- TV - Promos - "Big"
- TV - Promos - "Coach"
- TV - Promos - "Davis Rules"
- TV - Promos - "Deadly Intentions ... Again?"
- TV - Promos - "Doogie Howser, M.D."
- TV - Promos - "Fantasies"
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "Growing Pains"
- TV - Promos - "Primetime Thursday"
- TV - Promos - "Roseanne"
- TV - Promos - "The Barbara Walters Special"
- TV - Promos - "The Wonder Years"
- TV - Promos - "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"
- TV - Promos - "Who's the Boss?"
- TV - Promos - "thirtysomething"
CREDITS
- Nicolette Bret Mount … Executive Producer
- Preston Fischer … Producer
- Cyrus Yavneh … Producer
- Benjamin A. Weissman … Associate Producer
- Mike Robe … Director
- Melissa Mathison … Writer
- Evan S. Connell … Based on the book by
- Craig Safan … Music by
- Gary Cole … Cast, George Armstrong Custer
- Rosanna Arquette … Cast, Libby Custer
- Stanley Anderson … Cast, Ulysses S. Grant
- Ed Blatchford … Cast, Lieutenant Cooke
- George Dickerson … Cast, General Sherman
- Rodney A. Grant … Cast, Crazy Horse
- Michael Medeiros … Cast, Major Marcus Reno
- Tom O'Brien … Cast, Charlie Reynolds
- Terry O'Quinn … Cast, General Alfred Terry
- Tim Ransom … Cast, Tom Custer
- Robert Schenkkan … Cast, Captain Weir
- Davis Strathairn … Cast, Captain William F. Benteen
- Buffy Sainte-Marie … Cast, Kate Bighead (voice)
- Dean Stockwell … Cast, General Philip Sheridan
- Mike Casey … Cast, Lieutenant Varnum
- Sav Farrow … Cast, Private Martini
- Wendy Feder … Cast, Maggie Calhoun
- Patrick Johnston … Cast, Boston Custer
- Eric Lawson … Cast, Fred Gerard
- Kimberly Norris … Cast, Kate Bighead
- Russ Walks … Cast, Autie Reed
- Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman … Cast, Sitting Bull
- Sheldon Wolfchild … Cast, Bloody Knife
- Jay Bernard … Cast, Congressman