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They Died with Their Boots On

154 statements
29 feature instances
7 referencing feature instances

They Died with Their Boots On	type	TVTItem
They Died with Their Boots On	label	They Died with Their Boots On
They Died with Their Boots On	page	TheyDiedWithTheirBootsOn
They Died with Their Boots On	comment	They Died with Their Boots On is a 1941 film directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.It is a Biopic of George Armstrong Custer, following him from 1857 to 1876. Custer (Flynn) starts out as a flamboyant, gregarious West Point plebe, who spends most of his time racking up demerits and trying to avoid expulsion. While there he meets and falls in love with Elizabeth Bacon (de Havilland), daughter of the richest man in their mutual hometown of Monroe, Michigan. Custer graduates West Point early due to The American Civil War creating a need for officers. He compiles a spectacular record that includes a key cavalry charge at the battle of Gettysburg, rising to the rank of brigadier general.The war ends and Custer marries Libby. He finds himself at loose ends until Libby engineers an invitation from the Army for George to rejoin active service. The Custers are sent out to Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory, where George takes command of the 7th Cavalry. The 7th divides its time between protecting white pioneers from the Sioux, and protecting the Sioux from white men encroaching into the Sioux homeland of the Black Hills—but unscrupulous businessmen are determined to bring war to Dakota.Last of eight films pairing Flynn and de Havilland; one of the last films de Havilland made for Warners, as she would soon after file suit to be liberated from her contract. The final scene of Custer and de Havilland parting can be seen in retrospect as a bit of Leaning on the Fourth Wall. A young Anthony Quinn appears in the latter portion of the film as Sioux chieftain Crazy Horse. Max Steiner wrote the score.Egregiously inaccurate as history; see below.
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They Died with Their Boots On	parsed	2023-04-04T03:14:58Z
They Died with Their Boots On	processingComment	Dropped link to Deadwood: Not a Feature - ITEM
They Died with Their Boots On	isPartOf	DBTropes
They Died with Their Boots On / int_18d15922	type	Title Drop
They Died with Their Boots On / int_18d15922	comment	Title Drop: When Custer is talking about the spirit of pride that he hopes to inculcate in the 7th Cavalry.
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They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	They Died with Their Boots On / int_18d15922
They Died with Their Boots On / int_1b73fada	type	The Dandy
They Died with Their Boots On / int_1b73fada	comment	The Dandy: One of the few things the movie gets right historically is Custer's dedication to frilly, ornate uniforms. He shows up at West Point wearing a ridiculous uniform inspired by Napoleon's Marshal Murat, and he commissions another fancy uniform after he gets promoted to general.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_1e7487cd	type	Breaking the Fourth Wall
They Died with Their Boots On / int_1e7487cd	comment	Breaking the Fourth Wall: Custer's ridiculous entrance into West Point is followed up by the appalled sergeant turning directly to the camera and ranting about what a disgrace Custer is, a scene that ends with a Curse Cut Short.
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They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	They Died with Their Boots On / int_1e7487cd
They Died with Their Boots On / int_1f250372	type	I Need a Freaking Drink
They Died with Their Boots On / int_1f250372	comment	I Need a Freaking Drink: Sharp, Custer's enemy, has to throw back a drink after being told that Custer has arrived at the bar and wants to see him.
They Died with Their Boots On / int_1f250372	featureApplicability	1.0
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_3149c4b0	type	It Will Never Catch On
They Died with Their Boots On / int_3149c4b0	comment	It Will Never Catch On: One of Custer's West Point buddies confidently assures him that "There will be no war." The Civil War breaks out shortly thereafter.
They Died with Their Boots On / int_3149c4b0	featureApplicability	1.0
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They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	They Died with Their Boots On / int_3149c4b0
They Died with Their Boots On / int_3dfdc686	type	Time-Passes Montage
They Died with Their Boots On / int_3dfdc686	comment	Time Passes Montage: One shows a series of battles during the Civil War; another shows a series of battles in the Dakota Territory.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_3e8d9cd3	type	Historical Hero Upgrade
They Died with Their Boots On / int_3e8d9cd3	comment	Historical Hero Upgrade: Beyond all the other myriad historical inaccuracies, this film portrays Custer as reaching a peace agreement with Crazy Horse, and then dedicating the 7th Cavalry to defending the right of the Sioux to live in the Black Hills. The Sharps have to gin up a fight that gets Custer brought up on charges in order to get him out of Dakota, because otherwise he'll go to the mat for the Sioux, going so far as "blowing up bridges" to keep the white man out of the Black Hills. The truth was exactly the opposite. The real Custer had no respect for Native Americans and was only too eager to use the 7th Cavalry to bring them to heel. Additionally, as noted above, in the movie the Battle of the Little Bighorn is depicted as a Heroic Sacrifice in which Custer deliberately leads his regiment to destruction as a delaying tactic to save the civilians and the rest of the army. In Real Life, Custer fully expected a glorious victory. He attacked at the Little Bighorn in defiance of orders to wait for General Terry's infantry to join him. He attacked in full disregard of his native scouts, who begged him not to go into the valley and assault an army of natives that outnumbered him by at least 4:1 (and maybe more). And when he attacked, he made it worse by dividing his regiment into three widely-scattered detachments, allowing the Sioux and Cheyenne to defeat each detachment in detail, and annihilate Custer's detachment.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_43b154c9	type	Not Even Bothering with the Accent
They Died with Their Boots On / int_43b154c9	comment	Not Even Bothering with the Accent: Flynn never did, which is why George Custer speaks with a Tasmanian accent.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_4a875876	type	Yellowface
They Died with Their Boots On / int_4a875876	comment	Yellowface: Sort of. Crazy Horse is played by Anthony Quinn, who was Mexican, although Quinn did have some Native American ancestry.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_529362a3	type	Obsessive-Compulsive Barkeeping
They Died with Their Boots On / int_529362a3	comment	Obsessive-Compulsive Barkeeping: When Custer enters the bar at Fort Abraham Lincoln right before the regiment leaves for the Little Bighorn, the bartender is, naturally, cleaning glasses.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_56515a39	type	Artistic License â€“ History
They Died with Their Boots On / int_56515a39	comment	Artistic License – History: Good God. Basically, almost nothing in the film is accurate other than a few broad points like how Custer went to West Point, fought in the Civil War, and died at the Little Bighorn. Everything else is fiction. It would take too long to list everything, but here are some examples: Custer is said in the movie to have been promoted to brigadier general. In fact, that was merely an honorary (brevet) promotion, which was an Army practice back in the day. He never actually rose above the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Winfield Scott is shown as commander-in-chief throughout the Civil War. The historical Scott retired in late 1861, barely six months after the war started, due to his advanced age and physical unfitness. (The film does score a couple of points for accuracy by casting Sydney Greenstreet, who was almost fat enough to play the real Scott). Custer is shown with a drinking problem in the aftermath of the war. The real Custer was a teetotaler. Custer's enemies, Commissioner Taipe and the Sharps (themselves fictional characters), spread false rumors of gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota in order to trigger an influx of white settlement. Actually, there was gold in the Black Hills, as any fan of Deadwood knows. And not only that, it was Custer who found it, during an Army expedition in 1874. Crazy Horse and Custer never met. In the film the Battle of the Little Bighorn is portrayed as a Heroic Sacrifice by Custer, who knows he is leading his regiment to destruction but does it anyway, to save the infantry contingents commanded by Terry and Crook and give them time to protect the whites in the Black Hills. This is nonsense. The real battle was part of a campaign to force the Sioux to give up the Black Hills and report to a reservation. Custer fully expected to win that battle, right up until the moment that too many Indians showed up. Additionally, the film shows Custer's whole command being annihilated. In Real Life Custer divided his force into three detachments before attacking. This foolish blunder led to Custer's detachment, roughly half the regiment, being completely wiped out. But the rest of the regiment managed to get away, after a two-day siege. See further examples below under Historical Hero Upgrade.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_6439de78	type	Heroic Sacrifice
They Died with Their Boots On / int_6439de78	comment	Additionally, as noted above, in the movie the Battle of the Little Bighorn is depicted as a Heroic Sacrifice in which Custer deliberately leads his regiment to destruction as a delaying tactic to save the civilians and the rest of the army. In Real Life, Custer fully expected a glorious victory. He attacked at the Little Bighorn in defiance of orders to wait for General Terry's infantry to join him. He attacked in full disregard of his native scouts, who begged him not to go into the valley and assault an army of natives that outnumbered him by at least 4:1 (and maybe more). And when he attacked, he made it worse by dividing his regiment into three widely-scattered detachments, allowing the Sioux and Cheyenne to defeat each detachment in detail, and annihilate Custer's detachment.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_6cdc784f	type	You No Take Candle
They Died with Their Boots On / int_6cdc784f	comment	You No Take Candle: A lot of very painful pidgin English from Crazy Horse and the other Native Americans seen in the latter portion of the film.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_7febc23b	type	Establishing Character Moment
They Died with Their Boots On / int_7febc23b	comment	Establishing Character Moment: While all the other cadets arrive at West Point alone, carrying small suitcases, Custer shows up on horseback, with a servant carrying his luggage, with a pack of dogs, and in a ridiculous ornate uniform. This establishes him as a flamboyant dandy.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_924d0f71	type	Cavalry Officer
They Died with Their Boots On / int_924d0f71	comment	Cavalry Officer: Custer is the standard dashing, handsome, flamboyant cavalryman.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_9710c9a7	type	Biopic
They Died with Their Boots On / int_9710c9a7	comment	Biopic: A heavily, heavily fictionalized one, following Custer from his enrollment at West Point in 1857 to his death at the Little Bighorn in 1876.
They Died with Their Boots On / int_9710c9a7	featureApplicability	1.0
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_9d12bbc1	type	Foreshadowing
They Died with Their Boots On / int_9d12bbc1	comment	Foreshadowing: In the film Custer testifies to a Congressional committee about the corruption going on between the Sharps and Taipe. His testimony is stricken as hearsay, but a lawyer helpfully explains that hearsay can be admissible if it's part of a "dying declaration". Custer thus writes a letter testifying to the corruption the night before going into battle, and Libby uses it to force Taipe's resignation.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_a82ff02f	type	Meet Cute
They Died with Their Boots On / int_a82ff02f	comment	Meet Cute: Libby Bacon has arrived at West Point with her father to meet Phil Sheridan, an old family friend. Custer is marching on a punishment guard detail, after one of his many many infractions. Libby asks him for directions to Sheridan's house, but Custer doesn't answer, as he is on punishment detail and forbidden to speak. Libby takes great offense.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_a8559a9f	type	RealLife
They Died with Their Boots On / int_a8559a9f	comment	Additionally, the film shows Custer's whole command being annihilated. In Real Life Custer divided his force into three detachments before attacking. This foolish blunder led to Custer's detachment, roughly half the regiment, being completely wiped out. But the rest of the regiment managed to get away, after a two-day siege.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_a8adda28	type	Non-Uniform Uniform
They Died with Their Boots On / int_a8adda28	comment	Nonuniform Uniform: Custer has a weakness for ordering ridiculously ornate, custom-made uniforms.
They Died with Their Boots On / int_a8adda28	featureApplicability	1.0
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They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	They Died with Their Boots On / int_a8adda28
They Died with Their Boots On / int_a9667a3b	type	Hero Insurance
They Died with Their Boots On / int_a9667a3b	comment	Hero Insurance: Custer's CO, Sharp, refuses to defend a bridge in Bull Run, instead ordering the troop to fall back. Custer punches Sharp in the face, takes command, and defends the bridge. He wins, and thus gets away with assaulting a superior officer.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_ad641426	type	Trademark Favorite Food
They Died with Their Boots On / int_ad641426	comment	Trademark Favorite Food: Custer has an inordinate fondness for green onions. Libby bravely tries to eat a batch with him. George prattles on, unaware of the tears that are coursing down her face as she chomps down on onions.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_c3665600	type	Mammy
They Died with Their Boots On / int_c3665600	comment	Mammy: Trope Codifier Hattie McDaniel plays her standard sassy maid. In this one she helps get George and Libby together over the objections of Libby's father.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_e2cd1428	type	Widow's Weeds
They Died with Their Boots On / int_e2cd1428	comment	Widow's Weeds: Libby is wearing the standard black dress and veil for her final confrontation with Taipe.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_e4b69188	type	Very Loosely Based on a True Story
They Died with Their Boots On / int_e4b69188	comment	Very Loosely Based on a True Story: See above under Artistic License – History and Historical Hero Upgrade. The film bears little resemblance to Custer's real life story.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_f6b5441c	type	Right in Front of Me
They Died with Their Boots On / int_f6b5441c	comment	Right in Front of Me: Custer has gone home on leave to Monroe, with a letter of introduction to Libby's father, whom he's never met. He stops off at a bar in Monroe before going to the Bacon mansion. He then gets in a shouting match with the rude rich guy who shows up at the bar to collect the rent. The rude rich guy is, of course, Libby's father.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_f7cee9b	type	Last Stand
They Died with Their Boots On / int_f7cee9b	comment	Last Stand: Of course. In the movie it's a standard heroic Last Stand, as the 7th Cavalry fights to the last man (Custer being the last to die) in order to take out as many of the Indians as possible in a delaying action. In Real Life it was more like Custer's troops panicking and quickly falling apart as they were overwhelmed by Indians, with Custer probably dying early.
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They Died with Their Boots On / int_ffad4e9f	type	Shown Their Work
They Died with Their Boots On / int_ffad4e9f	comment	Shown Their Work: This film is about 98% fiction—but "Garryowen" really was the marching song of Custer's 7th Cavalry.
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The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

TheyDiedwithTheirBootsOn	sameAs	They Died with Their Boots On
They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	Cavalry Officer / int_97e50a72
They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	Dueling Dubs / int_97e50a72
They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	Non-Uniform Uniform / int_97e50a72
They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	Obsessive-Compulsive Barkeeping / int_97e50a72
They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	Right in Front of Me / int_97e50a72
They Died with Their Boots On	hasFeature	Widow's Weeds / int_97e50a72

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