The Indian in the Cupboard (film)

Lore & Background

The film centers on Omri, a New York City boy who receives an old cupboard from his brother and a toy Native American from his friend Patrick. After locking the toy in the cupboard with a special key from his mother, the toy comes to life as Little Bear, an 18th-century Iroquois (Onondaga) man. Omri and Little Bear develop a friendship, and Omri learns about Iroquois culture. Later, Omri reveals the secret to his friend Patrick, who brings a cowboy named Boone to life, leading to conflict between the two tiny men.

Reader's Guide

The Indian in the Cupboard received positive reviews from critics, with a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's consensus noted that the film 'gussies up its classic source material in modern effects without losing sight of the timeless themes at the heart of the story.' However, it was a box office bomb, earning only $35.7 million against a $45 million budget. It later achieved success on home video, earning a cult following. The film is noted for its cultural authenticity efforts, including hiring an Onondaga adviser, and for the death of technician Pat Tanner during filming, which led to changes in safety rules on union film sets.

Did You Know?

• Litefoot, who played Little Bear, had previously appeared in the 1994 film 'The Cherokee Kid', so this was not his film debut.
• The film's technician Pat Tanner died after falling from a motorized hoist during filming, leading to a $1.5 million settlement and some industry safety reviews, but no formal IATSE rule changes are documented as a direc
• The film earned only $35.7 million at the box office against a $45 million budget, but became a success on home video.