A Man Called Horse

"A man called "Horse" becomes an Indian warrior in the most electrifying ritual ever seen!"

1970 1h 54m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

🍅

87%

FRESH

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

6.8

IMDB

★6.5TMDB · 246🍅87%Rotten Tomatoes●46Metacritic★6.8IMDB · 9,898

WesternDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 1825, English peer Lord John Morgan is cast adrift in the American West. Captured by Sioux Indians, Morgan is at first targeted for quick extinction, but the tribesmen sense that he is worthy of survival. He eventually passes the many necessary tests that will permit him to become a member of the tribe.

“A man called "Horse" becomes an Indian warrior in the most electrifying ritual ever seen!”

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Cast

Richard Harris
John Morgan
Jean Gascon
Batise
Judith Anderson
Buffalo Cow Head
Corinna Tsopei
Running Deer
Manu Tupou
Yellow Hand
Dub Taylor
Joe
James Gammon
Ed
William Jordan
Bent

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Elliot Silverstein
Writers: Jack DeWitt, Dorothy M. Johnson
Languages: English, French
Countries: Mexico, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

56 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Mexico, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "A Man Called Horse Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Elliot Silverstein, shot by Robert B. Hauser. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Leonard Rosenman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Philip W. Anderson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Richard Harris and Jean Gascon and Judith Anderson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Elliot Silverstein directs. Robert B. Hauser behind the camera. Leonard Rosenman scores. Philip W. Anderson cuts. Produced in Mexico, United States of America. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

156 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
3International production across 2 countries: Mexico, United States of America.
4Part of the "A Man Called Horse Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Elliot Silverstein, shot by Robert B. Hauser. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Leonard Rosenman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Philip W. Anderson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Richard Harris and Jean Gascon and Judith Anderson carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "A man called "Horse" becomes an Indian warrior in the most electrifying ritual ever seen!".
10IMDB entry: tt0066049 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 12 themes, including "ambush", "ritual", "indian territory", "native american".

The technical file

Cinematography: Robert B. Hauser
Original score: Leonard Rosenman
Editing: Philip W. Anderson
Costume design: Dennis Lynton Clark
Makeup / hair: George Lane
Stunt coordinator: Terry Leonard
Runtime: 114 min · 1h 54m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: A Man Called Horse (1970)
Rotten Tomatoes: 87% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 46/100
IMDB rating: 6.8/10 · 9,898 votes
MPAA: R
US box office: $1,941,247

Awards

1 win & 2 nominations total

Part of

A Man Called Horse Collection

A Man Called Horse is a 1970 Western film directed by Elliot Silverstein, produced by Sandy Howard, written by Jack DeWitt. It is based on the short story "A Man Called Horse" by the Western writer Dorothy M. Johnson, first published in 1950 in Collier's magazine and again in 1968 in Johnson's book Indian Country. The basic story was used in a 1958 episode of the television series Wagon Train, titled "A Man Called Horse". The film stars Richard Harris as the titular character, alongside Judith Anderson, Jean Gascon, Manu Tupou, Corinna Tsopei, Dub Taylor, and James Gammon. Partially spoken in Sioux, the film tells the story of an English aristocrat who is captured by the Sioux people. The film received generally positive critical reviews, and was a financial success, spawning two sequels; The Return of a Man Called Horse (1976) and Triumphs of a Man Called Horse (1983).

Also by

Elliot Silverstein

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2017-02-09
★ 7/10
I'm not a bloody horse! This is the story of Lord John Morgan, an honest earthy person who is captured by the Sioux in 1825. Abused and treated as an animal he comes to adapt to his life in order to survive. Enduring torture and oppression he must earn their respect in order to be accepted as part of their tribe. The white man as part of a Sioux tribe story was given a major shot in the arm with Kevin Costner's Oscar bagger, Dances With Wolves in 1990. This picture came out some twenty years before Costner's stylish picture but the two films couldn't be further apart in terms of story telling. Here in Elliot Silverstein's picture, the scenery and scope is certainly lush, but the niceties stop there for this is a harsh, at times painful, story with realism dripping from each frame. Silverstein wanted to get as close as he could to the facts of the Sioux way of life, even bringing in a Sioux historian to oversee the production. The Sioux are painted on both sides of the canvas, on one side we are shown them to be violent, even sadistic, but Silverstein also portrays them as an intelligent race driven on by intense loyalty to their ways and culture. Richard Harris plays our main protagonist and has a clear license to act with immense verve and vigour, it's a memorable turn that lingers long after the credits roll. Hurting the film is a twee romance between Morgan and the Chiefs daughter (Judith Anderson) and Jean Gascon's fluctuating accents start to grate entering the film's last quarter. But really the plus points far outweigh the little irritants in the piece. The editing from Philip W. Anderson & Michael Kahn is like a whirling paean to hallucinations, and some scenes are from the top draw, most notably the Vow To The Sun ritual that literally is painful to watch. A Man Called Horse may well be of its time, but it's certainly a very interesting and highly intelligent film. 7/10

Production companies