A Man Called Horse (film)
| A Man Called Horse | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| 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 |
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Sequels
Two sequels to the original movie were made, both with Harris reprising his role:
[edit] 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]
[edit] 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
