A Man Called Horse (B or 3/4 stars)
'A Man Called Horse' (directed by Elliot Silverstein) stars Richard Harris as Lord John Morgan, a British aristocrat adrift somewhere in the American West. There, his travel companions are killed by a Sioux war party, & he is captured. The year is 1825, & these Native Americans have never seen a 'white' man before. He is targeted for death early on, but the tribe senses that he may be worthy of ... survival. John Morgan goes on to be named "Horse" & treated as a beast by the chief's mother, Buffalo Cow Head (73 yr. old British stage actress Judith Anderson). But he passes many of the integral tests that permit him to be a member of their tribe.
He is further tutored in their ways by yet another captive named Batise. So realizing that freedom can only be gained in 1 way, John Morgan quietly works his way up the Sioux ladder. He wins the heart of the chief's sister, Running Dear (Corinna Tsopei, a former Miss Universe); and he gains the utmost respect of Chief Yellow Hand by undergoing the grueling Sun Vow Initiation - an ordeal of intense pain & violence by which the Sioux warrior is honored for his bravery. What it involves is Morgan being hung from the roof of an enormous teepee with hooks put through his pectoral muscles! In the end, he fights with his Sioux brothers against the rival Shoshones & then leaves with a separate war party escorting him back to "civilization" in England. His life, however, has been changed forever.
'A Man Called Horse' is just a solid motion picture. It's a film to watch intently. I respect it's authentic, documentary-like feel. Much of the dialogue in the film is spoken in the Sioux language. The various filmmakers go to great lengths to reference every minute detail of Sioux life/culture. And the outcome is, shall we say, impressive. By watching this film, we become privy an organized system of customs, traditions, & beliefs characteristic of daily life among the Sioux people. We are also challenged to respond along with the British aristocrat to their unusual rituals, as well. I wonder how I would have responded if this all happened to me.
And this is the kind of film upon which it may take many viewings to fully absorb its insights; I love these types of movies. Richard Harris is great as John Morgan. I felt like I was with him every step of the way. I admire the prosthetic make-up work applied to Harris' chest for the awful Sun Vow scene. All that said, the movie also felt a bit overlong; padded. And it I'm not sure that it was so necessary to be as gory as it was. But overall, it's a good film that deserves to be seen.
He is further tutored in their ways by yet another captive named Batise. So realizing that freedom can only be gained in 1 way, John Morgan quietly works his way up the Sioux ladder. He wins the heart of the chief's sister, Running Dear (Corinna Tsopei, a former Miss Universe); and he gains the utmost respect of Chief Yellow Hand by undergoing the grueling Sun Vow Initiation - an ordeal of intense pain & violence by which the Sioux warrior is honored for his bravery. What it involves is Morgan being hung from the roof of an enormous teepee with hooks put through his pectoral muscles! In the end, he fights with his Sioux brothers against the rival Shoshones & then leaves with a separate war party escorting him back to "civilization" in England. His life, however, has been changed forever.
'A Man Called Horse' is just a solid motion picture. It's a film to watch intently. I respect it's authentic, documentary-like feel. Much of the dialogue in the film is spoken in the Sioux language. The various filmmakers go to great lengths to reference every minute detail of Sioux life/culture. And the outcome is, shall we say, impressive. By watching this film, we become privy an organized system of customs, traditions, & beliefs characteristic of daily life among the Sioux people. We are also challenged to respond along with the British aristocrat to their unusual rituals, as well. I wonder how I would have responded if this all happened to me.
And this is the kind of film upon which it may take many viewings to fully absorb its insights; I love these types of movies. Richard Harris is great as John Morgan. I felt like I was with him every step of the way. I admire the prosthetic make-up work applied to Harris' chest for the awful Sun Vow scene. All that said, the movie also felt a bit overlong; padded. And it I'm not sure that it was so necessary to be as gory as it was. But overall, it's a good film that deserves to be seen.