A Man Called Horse Reviews

This gory western was inexplicably popular and spawned two sequels (the first sequel, THE RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HORSE, is better than the original). Harris stars as an aristocratic Englishman captured by Sioux Indians and integrated into their culture. Basically a detailed examination of Sioux tribal life, the film tends to be a bit long-winded in spots. The highlight, a scene still talked about, depicts Harris proving his manhood in a Sun Vow Initiation ceremony that requires him to be strung up in a teepee with ropes hooked through his pectorals (this sequence was supervised by veteran stuntman Yakima Canutt). By all accounts, the events depicted are historically accurate, but historical accuracy does not always guarantee a well-paced, interesting film. The third sequel was titled TRIUMPH OF A MAN CALLED HORSE.