A Man Called Horse
AMG AllMovie Guide:
Top
A Man Called Horse
Plot
A Man Called Horse stars Richard Harris as Lord John Morgan, an English peer cast somewhat adrift in the American West. Captured by Sioux Indians, Lord Morgan is at first targeted for quick extinction, but the tribesmen sense that he is worthy of survival. The Englishman passes many of the necessary tests that will permit him to become a member of the tribe, the most grueling of which (and the one used most extensively in the film's advertising) is the Sun Vow Initiation. That's where his lordship is hung from the roof of a huge teepee with hooks through his pectoral muscles. Much of the dialogue is spoken in the Sioux language, though the film's much-vaunted "historical accuracy" is not altogether consistent, as witness the casting of British stage luminary Judith Anderson as Sioux woman Buffalo Cow Head. A Man Called Horse spawned warrant two sequels. Originally rated "GP" in 1970, it has since been re-rated R by the MPAA. ~ Hal Erickson, RoviReview
A film that seems to have provided some inspiration for Dances with Wolves, A Man Called Horse has dated somewhat over the years but is still noteworthy for the exceptionally powerful performance that is at its center. As the titular character, Richard Harris gives a performance that is startling in its intensity and clarity. It's true that some of the peculiarities -- some might call them mannerisms -- that are part of the actor's individual style are still present, including a tendency to go from very quiet to very loud with no stops in between. But most of these characteristics are kept in tight control, and even when used, they are in service to the character and the script. More importantly, Harris truly lives the character that he is playing, making quite real, believable, and moving every moment of his journey. It's an extraordinary piece of acting, and it is the glue that holds Horse together. Despite Harris, many may find Horse rough going, not the least because of its sometimes graphic nature -- particularly in the Sun Vow Initiation section, which is extremely painful yet undeniably powerful. Some may also find that Horse doesn't always succeed at what it sets out to do, which is to present a man assimilating into another culture, but to do so without passing judgment on either culture. It's a noble attempt, but it doesn't quite work, possibly because a film of this sort almost has to favor the character who is "outside" the culture. Still, it doesn't help that the Indian characters are not as fleshed out as they might be; this is especially true of the woman Horse takes as a wife, who seems to exist solely as a romantic creature with no other dimension. Things are not helped by dialogue in a native tongue that is not translated for much of the film. This adds to the "alienated" feeling, but it also makes the characters less comprehensible to the audience. Finally, some viewers will find the unfortunate "psychedelic" moments entirely too dated and distracting. But despite its flaws, A Man Called Horse is a gripping movie that features an unforgettable star turn. ~ Craig Butler, RoviCast
- Richard Harris - John Morgan
- Judith Anderson - Buffalo Cow Head
- Jean Gascon - Batise
- Manu Tupou - Yellow Hand
- Corinna Tsopei - Running Deer
Credit
Phil Barber - Art Director, Richard La Motte - Costume Designer, Eddie Marks - Costume Designer, Jack Martell - Costume Designer, Ted Parvin - Costume Designer, Terry Morse, Jr. - First Assistant Director, Lynn H. Guthrie - First Assistant Director, Elliot Silverstein - Director, Yakima Canutt - Second Unit Director, Philip W. Anderson - Editor, Gene Fowler, Jr. - Editor, Leonard Rosenman - Composer (Music Score), Richard Cobos - Makeup, Frank Griffin - Makeup, Dennis Lynton Clark - Production Designer, Robert B. Hauser - Cinematographer, Sandy Howard - Producer, Tim Smyth - Special Effects, Frederico Farfan - Special Effects, Terry J. Leonard - Stunts, Jack de Witt - Screenwriter, Dorothy M. Johnson - Short Story Author| A Man Called Hero (1999 Film), A Man Called Gannon (1969 Film) | |
| A Man Called Magnum (1977 Film), A Man Called Peter (1955 Film) |
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
A Man Called Horse (film)
| A Man Called Horse | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster design by Tom Jung |
|
| Directed by | Elliot Silverstein |
| Produced by | Frank Brill Sandy Howard |
| Written by | Jack DeWitt Dorothy M. Johnson |
| Starring | Richard Harris Judith Anderson |
| Music by | Leonard Rosenman Lloyd One Star |
| Cinematography | Robert Hauser Gabriel Torres |
| Editing by | Philip W. Anderson |
| Distributed by | National General Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 28, 1970 |
| Running time | 114 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
A Man Called Horse is a 1970 American Western film starring Richard Harris and directed by Elliot Silverstein.
|
Contents
|
Plot
The film is based on a short story, "A Man Called Horse", published in 1968 in the book Indian Country by Dorothy M. Johnson. Partially spoken in Sioux, the film tells the history of an English aristocrat, John Morgan, who is captured by a Native American tribe.
Initially enslaved and mocked by being treated as the animal of the title, Morgan comes to respect his captors' culture and gain their respect. He is aided in understanding the Sioux by a captive, Batise, the tribe's fool, who had tried to escape and was hamstrung behind one knee. When one of the warriors takes a vow never to retreat in battle, Morgan's changing perspective is shown, as he turns angrily on the uncomprehending Batise, telling him "Five years you've lived here, and you've learned nothing about these people – all his death is to you is a means of escape."
Determining that his only chance of freedom is to gain the respect of the tribe, he overcomes his repugnance and kills two warriors from another tribe, which allows him to claim warrior status. After his victory, he proposes marriage to one of the women with the horses taken in battle as dowry, and undergoes painful initiation rites, taking the native name "Horse" as his Sioux name. He becomes a respected member of the tribe and ultimately their leader.
Cast
- Richard Harris as John Morgan
- Judith Anderson as Buffalo Cow Head
- Jean Gascon as Batise
- Manu Tupou as Yellow Hand
- Corinna Tsopei as Running Deer
- Dub Taylor as Joe
- James Gammon as Ed
- William Jordan as Bent
- Eddie Little Sky as Black Eagle
- Michael Baseleon as Longfoot
- Lina Marín as Thorn Rose
- Tamara Garina as Elk Woman
- Terry Leonard as Striking Bear
- Iron Eyes Cody as Medicine man
- Tom Tyon as Medicine man
The tribal people were acted by members of the Rosebud Sioux tribe of South Dakota.
Sequels
Two sequels to the original movie were made, both with Harris reprising his role:
Representation of cultures
The film notably treats both sides dispassionately, from the view of neither the white man nor the American Indian tribe, but encompassing both cultures; its representation of tribal practices and rituals (including the Sun Dance) is described as based upon historical records (stated in the on-screen text prologue on the DVD version of the movie).
However, some Indian activists criticized the film harshly. Buffy Sainte Marie said, "Even the so-called authentic movies like A Man Called Horse—that's the whitest of movies I've ever seen."[1] Vine Deloria, Jr. said, "As we learned from movies like A Man Called Horse, the more 'accurate' and 'authentic' a film is said to be, the more extravagant it is likely to be in at least some aspects of its treatment of Indians."[2]
References
- ^ Friar, Natasha A. (1972), The Only Good Indian: The Hollywood Gospel, Drama Book Specialists, p. 124, ISBN 0-910482-21-7
- ^ Quoted in Churchill, Ward (1996), "And They Did it Like Dogs in the Dirt... An Indigenist Analysis of Black Robe", From a Native Son: Selected Essays in Indigenism, 1985–1995, South End Press, p. 423, ISBN 0-89608-553-8, http://books.google.com/books?id=nrCWZZJD48MC&pg=PA423#v=onepage&q=&f=false, retrieved 2009-10-22
External links
|
||||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
TV listings
Copyright © 2012 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Movie Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.
Read more
Mentioned in
The Return of a Man Called Horse
(1976 Western Film)
Dame Judith Anderson
(English actress)
Keester Sweeney
(Actor)
Man in the Wilderness
(1971 Adventure Film)
Imagining Indians
(1993 Film)
» More