A Man Called Horse (1970 film)
Encyclopedia
A Man Called Horse is a 1970 American Western film starring Richard Harris
and directed by Elliot Silverstein
.
, "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.
The tribal people were acted by members of the Rosebud Sioux tribe of South Dakota
.
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." 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."
Richard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
and directed by Elliot Silverstein
Elliot Silverstein
Elliot Silverstein, born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on August 3, 1927, is best known for being the director of the movie Cat Ballou.-Career:Elliot Silverstein was the director of six feature films in the mid-twentieth century...
.
Plot
The film is based on a short storyShort story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, "A Man Called Horse", published in 1968 in the book Indian Country by Dorothy M. Johnson
Dorothy M. Johnson
Dorothy Marie Johnson was an American author best-known for her Western fiction.-Early life:...
. Partially spoken in Sioux
Sioux language
Sioux is a Siouan language spoken by over 33,000 Sioux in the United States and Canada, making it the fifth most spoken indigenous language in the United States or Canada, behind Navajo, Cree, Inuit and Ojibwe.-Regional variation:...
, the film tells the history of an English aristocrat
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
, John Morgan, who is captured by a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
.
Initially enslaved and mocked by being treated as the animal of the title, Morgan comes to respect his captors' culture
Stockholm syndrome
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them...
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
Hamstringing
Hamstringing is a method of crippling a person or animal so that they cannot walk properly, by cutting the two large tendons at the back of the knees.- Method :...
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
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
, 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 HarrisRichard HarrisRichard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
as John Morgan - Judith AndersonJudith AndersonDame Judith Anderson, AC, DBE was an Australian-born American-based actress of stage, film and television. She won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award and was also nominated for a Grammy Award and an Academy Award.-Early life:...
as Buffalo Cow Head - Jean GasconJean GasconJean Gascon, was a Canadian opera director, actor, and administrator.From 1968 to 1974, he was the artistic director of the Stratford Festival of Canada.-Honours:...
as Batise - Manu TupouManu TupouManu Tupou was an American-based Fijian actor, writer, director, and teacher.-Education:He trained for 15 years in New York under the finest teachers: Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Harold Clurman, Sanford Meisner...
as Yellow Hand - Corinna TsopeiCorinna TsopeiKiriaki "Corinna" Tsopei is a beauty pageant winner and actress. In 1964, Tsopei became the first Greek winner of the Miss Universe pageant.-Career:...
as Running Deer - Dub TaylorDub TaylorWalter Clarence Taylor, Jr. , better known as Dub Taylor, was an American actor who worked extensively in Westerns, but also in comedy from the 1940s into the 1990s.-Early life:...
as Joe - James GammonJames GammonJames Richard Gammon was an American actor, known for playing grizzled "good ol' boy" types in numerous films and television series.-Early life:...
as Ed - William JordanWilliam JordanWilliam Jordan may refer to:*Hamilton Jordan , American politician, chief of staff to President Carter*William-Jordan , Crusader baron*William Jordan , American Olympic gold medalist rower...
as Bent - Eddie Little SkyEddie Little SkyEddie Little Sky , also known as Edward Little, was a Native American actor of the Oglala Sioux tribe. He had parts in 36 feature films and over 60 television shows, mainly westerns in the role of a Native American...
as Black Eagle - Michael Baseleon as Longfoot
- Lina Marín as Thorn Rose
- Tamara Garina as Elk Woman
- Terry Leonard as Striking Bear
- Iron Eyes CodyIron Eyes CodyIron Eyes Cody was an American actor. He frequently portrayed American Indians in Hollywood films. In 1995, Cody was honored by the American Indian community for his work publicizing the plight of Native Americans, including his acting in films...
as Medicine man - Tom Tyon as Medicine man
The tribal people were acted by members of the Rosebud Sioux tribe of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
Sequels
Two sequels to the original movie were made, both with Harris reprising his role:- The Return of a Man Called HorseThe Return of a Man Called HorseThe Return of a Man Called Horse is a 1976 American western film directed by Irvin Kershner involving a conflict over territory between Sioux Indians and white men...
(1976) - Triumphs of a Man Called Horse (1983)
Representation of cultures
The film notably treats both sides dispassionately, from the view of neither the white manWhite man
White man or white men also may refer to:Sociology and anthropology:* A white male, also see: Caucasian race* Western world* White people - a racial, political, sociological or cultural classification of people...
nor the American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe, but encompassing both cultures; its representation of tribal practices and rituals (including the Sun Dance
Sun Dance
The Sun Dance is a religious ceremony practiced by a number of Native American and First Nations peoples, primarily those of the Plains Nations. Each tribe has its own distinct practices and ceremonial protocols...
) 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." Vine Deloria, Jr.
Vine Deloria, Jr.
Vine Deloria, Jr. was an American Indian author, theologian, historian, and activist. He was widely known for his book Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto , which helped generate national attention to Native American issues in the same year as the Alcatraz-Red Power Movement...
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."