Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- gritty
- oppressive
- intense
- classic western night
- historical adventure viewing
What critics said
Critics generally regard the film as a compelling and unusual western adventure, with its cross-cultural captivity story standing out despite uneven execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John Morgan moves from captured aristocrat and mocked slave toward learning Sioux customs and seeking acceptance as a warrior.
Morgan's progression depends on enduring abuse, surviving captivity, and meeting demanding tribal standards beyond combat alone.
Courtship customs, tribal hierarchy, captivity, and relations between Sioux and Shoshone communities shape the central plot.
The Dakota wilderness, tribal village, mounted movement, ambushes, and warfare provide the film's major visual scale.
Films like A Man Called Horse, and why
Dances with Wolves
shared western adventure framework, cross-cultural assimilation, and identity transformation
The Last of the Mohicans
shared captivity narrative, frontier violence, and conflicted relationships between settlers and indigenous communities
The New World
shared early American frontier setting, ritualized violence, and outsider survival themes
Jeremiah Johnson
shared western setting, cultural collision, and psychologically demanding rite of passage
Movie Details
- Director
- Elliot Silverstein
- Release Date
- 1970-05-01
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (245)
Cast
- Richard Harris
- Jean Gascon
- Judith Anderson
- Corinna Tsopei
- Manu Tupou
- Dub Taylor
- James Gammon
- William Jordan
- Eddie Little Sky
- Michael Baseleon
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is A Man Called Horse about?
- A captured English aristocrat endures humiliation among the Sioux and undertakes a brutal transformation to earn a place within their world.
- What is A Man Called Horse like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Man Called Horse as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is A Man Called Horse violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in A Man Called Horse as brutal.
- What did critics think of A Man Called Horse?
- Critics generally regard the film as a compelling and unusual western adventure, with its cross-cultural captivity story standing out despite uneven execution.
- Which films are like A Man Called Horse?
- Films with a similar feel include Dances with Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, The New World, and Jeremiah Johnson.
- How long is A Man Called Horse?
- A Man Called Horse runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Man Called Horse?
- In United States, A Man Called Horse is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
