Scenes from "Son of the Morning Star"

Michael Medeiros stars as MAJOR MARCUS RENO in this mini-series about Custer. With Gary Cole as George Armstrong Custer, David Strathairn as Benteen, Rosanna Arquette as Mrs. Custer, Terry O'Quinn as General Alfred Terry. Scenes here include THE CAVALRY CHARGE and parts of the battle. Just for the record: I did the charge nine times. My horse took very good care of me. IN POST-PRODUCTION NOW WITH TIGER LILY ROAD. MORE INFO AT: www.bennettparkfilms.com

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Custer's Last Stand
• Little Big Horn
• mini-series
• Michael Medeiros
• Gary Cole
• David Strathairn
• Terry O'Quinn
• Rosanna Arquette
• tough guys

[parafleet]

Reno has been branded a drunk. I think Reno did the best he could do, considering the circumstances. What kind of leader says attack, good luck, and I'll get back to you later on..sometime?!

[bennettparkfilms]

@parafleet

Yeah it was a complicated business. Some people thought he was guilty of cowardice, others thought he did the only prudent thing he could. No matter what, his reputation and self esteem never recovered.

[ColonelGeorgeACuster]

Why it was no-one's fault, Custer's "Luck" just caved in. his strategy was awfully good, but awfully risky. This doesn't mean he's a dick or someone who sucks at commanding.

[2TRanch]

@dancinkindofguy - Answering your question about Mr. Rivers played by Tom Obrian, I noticed in my cast and crew autographed book, Son of the Morning Star, which we all sign each others books on location, Tom signed under his name "Lonesome Charlie".He was cast as Lonesome Charlie Reynolds but a historical accuracy question came up as to where and when Charlie Reynolds was at different times and therefor played Reynolds under a different name thus avoiding controversy.

[2TRanch]

@dancinkindofguy - Yes, from along the bank of the Creek at the head of the column on the left with Bloody Knife and Major Reno to where we are looking at the village. I am the dirty looking Lt. on the bay on left with dark mustache. Then during the charge, I am riding on the left side of Bloody Knife. My bay gelding had many nice long sliding stops but setup on one during the many takes of the halt. Whiskey setting up in an abrupt stop was probably the most historically accurate stop.

[2TRanch]

@bennettparkfilms When Custer was up on the Bluff at the top of Cedar Cooley (Weir Point) where he could then see how big the village was, could he have been waving his hat to call off Reno's Charge? They thought it was an encouragement and pressed onward. Was it at this point he decided to go from offensive to a defensive holding action? Sending the 2 companies down Medicine Tail Cooley to the Ford to fire into the village and draw the hostiles off Reno which became effective temporally?

[2TRanch]

@Pearsey Thanks, The daily was shown in Hollywood and created a big interest we were told, since the 1930s cavalry charges as such were not being made in movies. It was a full scale charge made up of three full companies.  We had taken casualties in this scene. The company charging on the left, had horses going down with riders as an abandoned prairie dog town hidden in tall grass was charged over. Horses were all okay but some cavalrymen had to be taken to the hospital. Living history

[bennettparkfilms]

Hard to second guess accurately from this distance but just from being in the "pretend battle," it felt like we were about to be totally overwhelmed. I'd say he made a good decision to fall back to the timber and then to seek higher ground. Custer made his plans thinking that he would duplicate Washita - ride into the village from 2 directions. Reno went in one end, Custer the other. But the village was far bigger than they thought and Custer actually went into the middle and had to fall back.

[dancinkindofguy]

@bennettparkfilms Wow! I agree about the events being fairly accurate. None of the other movies about Custer ever mention him dividing his command into 3 parts (4 if you count the pack train accompanied by Captain McDougal's B Troop) One thing I don't understand is they had the names of people right, except for the main white scout, whom Custer calls Mr. Rivers. Obviously that scout was actually Lonesome Charley Reynolds. How did you feel about Reno's performance at LBH?

[bennettparkfilms]

@dancinkindofguy

Playing Major Reno. All the characters and events were fairly accurate (as much as they could be).

[hadrien321]

This portrayal was what brought me to the battle of the little bighorn. If my own videos are any indication, it was an inspiration. Son of the Mornig Star reached out to a young teenager and his friends and I still read everything I can find about the battle at age 33. Thank you for the part you played in bringing this masterpiece (It is) to the screen.