Themes: Switching Sides, White People Among Indians
Main Cast: Richard Harris, Judith Anderson, Jean Gascon, Manu Tupou, Corinna Tsopei
Release Year: 1970
Country: US
Run Time: 114 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
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, All Movie Guide
Review
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, All Movie Guide
Dub Taylor - Joe, White Hunter; William Jordan - Bent; Edward Little Sky - Black Eagle; Lina Marin - Thorn Rose; Tamara Garina - Elk Woman; Michael Baseleon - He-Wolf; Manuel Padilla - Leaping Buck; Iron Eyes Cody - Medicine Man, who performed Sun Vow Ritual; Terry J. Leonard - Striking Bear; James Gammon - Ed; Stanford Howard; Frank Raiter - Warrior; Sioux Indians of Rosebud Reservation
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
Initially enslaved and treated as a plaything by the tribe and mocked by being treated as the animal of the film title, he comes to respect his captors' culture and also to gain their respect. He is assisted in understanding their culture and language by an existing captive, the tribe's fool, Batise, who had tried to escape in the past and was hamstrung behind both knees. At one point, later in the film, when one of the warriors takes a vow never to retreat in battle, his 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 eventual freedom is to gain the respect of the tribe and join its war parties, he overcomes his repugnance and kills two warriors from another tribe, which in turn allows him to claim warrior status. In the aftermath of his victory, he proposes marriage to one of the tribal daughters with the horses as dowry, and undergoes painful initiation rites, taking the native name "Horse" as his Sioux name, and becomes a respected member of the tribe and ultimately following attack, their leader.
Sequels
Two sequels to the original movie were made, both with Harris reprising his role:
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]
Differences between the short story and movie versions
In the short story, the character Batise is killed in the raid in which Horse is captured, but the movie has him survive to mentor Horse in the Lakota camp.
Horse tries to escape in the movie, but he does not in the short story.
The natives in the story are Crow, whereas in the movie, they are members of the Sioux Nation.
In the short story, Horse is from the American city of Boston, while in the movie he is from England.
