Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Comedy western

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976): Cast & Ratings

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) movie poster

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson is a 1976 comedy western directed by Robert Altman, starring Harvey Keitel, Geraldine Chaplin and Paul Newman. It runs 2 hours 3 minutes. Critics gave it 61% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10.

IMDb rating
6.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes
61%
Metascore
61
Loading streaming availability…
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 3m (123 min)
Director
Robert Altman
Genres
Comedy , Western
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson About?

The premise of Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson without spoilers.

Buffalo Bill Cody aims to boost his Wild West show's popularity by staging a reenactment of the Battle of Little Bighorn. He enlists Chief Sitting Bull to portray a villainous Native American, but Cody's plan backfires when Annie Oakley and the audience are captivated by Sitting Bull's genuine charisma. The performance unexpectedly turns into a commentary on history and perception, challenging Buffalo Bill’s manufactured narrative.

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • 1880s
  • wild west show
  • stage show
  • female gunfighter
  • native american chief
  • female sharpshooter
  • buffalo bill cody character
  • reference to george armstrong custer
  • sitting bull character
  • annie oakley character
  • frank butler character
  • grover cleveland character
+38 more
  • literature on screen
  • american literature on screen
  • 20th century literature on screen
  • historical revisionism
  • revisionism
  • or as title separator
  • mythology
  • satire comedy
  • blackfoot tribe
  • american indian
  • sioux tribe
  • cheyenne tribe
  • fast draw
  • mexican
  • journalist
  • theatre producer
  • cowboy
  • bartender
  • shoshone tribe
  • ned buntline character
  • major the military rank
  • publicist
  • revisionist western
  • ensemble cast
  • altman and newman
  • writer producer director
  • showbiz comedy
  • historical fiction
  • living legend
  • north american indian
  • show rehearsal
  • myth busting
  • american old west
  • dakota indian
  • firearms
  • american indian reservation
  • horses
  • horseback riding
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Cast

Harvey Keitel leads the cast, with Geraldine Chaplin and Paul Newman. Directed by Robert Altman; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

· 6 more
From the director

More from Robert Altman

More films directed by Robert Altman, best-rated first: Nashville, The Player, McCabe & Mrs. Miller and The Long Goodbye.

Full filmography
Ratings

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson 61% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10.

Videos

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson.

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) TRAILER [HQ]
Details

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Also Known As

20 alternative titles, including “Buffalo Bill e gli indiani” and “Buffalo Bill und die Indianer”.

Also known as
  • Buffalo Bill e gli indiani
  • Buffalo Bill und die Indianer
  • Buffalo Bill et les Indiens
  • Buffalo Bill y los indios
  • Μπούφαλο Μπιλ
  • באפלו ביל
  • Buffalo Bill a Indiáni
  • Buffalo Bill és az indiánok
  • Бъфало Бил и индианците
  • 西塞英雄谱
  • Buffalo Bill og indianerne
  • Buffalo Bill i Indianie
+8 more
  • 버팔로 빌과 인디언들
  • Buffallo Bill e os Índios
  • Баффало Билл и индейцы
  • بوفالو بیل و سرخپوستان، یا درس تاریخ گاو نشسته
  • Oeste Selvagem
  • Buffalo Bill och indianerna
  • Buffalo Bill i els indis
  • Buffalo Bill ja intiaanit

Seen Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson?

More like this

Movies Like Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Buffalo Bill, Buffalo Bill, Hero of the Far West and Sitting Bull.

From the blog

Articles About Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

Our article about Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson: “Comedy in Cinema: How Humor Evolves Across Cultures”.

FAQ

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings and post-credit scenes of Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson?

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson runs 2 hours 3 minutes (123 minutes).

When was Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson released?

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson was released on June 24, 1976.

Who directed Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson?

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson was directed by Robert Altman.

More films by Robert Altman

Who is in the cast of Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson?

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson stars Harvey Keitel, Geraldine Chaplin and Paul Newman, among 10 credited actors.

How is Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson rated?

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson has 6.1/10 on IMDb, 61% on Rotten Tomatoes, 61 on Metacritic and 54% on TMDB.

Does Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson have a post-credit scene?

No. Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app