I’m not a bloody horse! This concerns Lord John Morgan, an unpretentious man who finds himself taken prisoner by the Sioux in 1825. Subjected to mistreatment and regarded like property, he adjusts to his circumstances so as to stay alive. Experiencing torment and injustice, he has to gain their esteem to be considered a member of their group. The narrative of a white person integrated within a Sioux tribe received considerable attention with Kevin Costner’s award-winning film, *Dances With Wolves*, released in 1990. This movie appeared roughly two decades prior to Costner's more polished work, but the two films are vastly different when it comes to how they tell their stories. While Elliot Silverstein’s picture certainly boasts beautiful scenery and a grand scale, that’s where the pleasant aspects end; this is a brutal, occasionally distressing story with an air of authenticity permeating every shot. Silverstein aimed for accuracy in depicting Sioux culture, even consulting a Sioux historian to ensure production details were correct. The Sioux are presented in a complex light, shown as both violent and cruel, but Silverstein also illustrates them as a thoughtful people motivated by devotion to their traditions and values. Richard Harris embodies the lead character and is given considerable freedom to perform with energy and intensity; it’s a performance that sticks with you after the film concludes. The movie suffers from an overly sentimental romantic subplot between Morgan and the Chief's daughter (Judith Anderson), and Jean Gascon’s inconsistent delivery becomes distracting towards the end. Nevertheless, the strengths of the film significantly surpass these minor flaws. The editing by Philip W. Anderson & Michael Kahn feels like a dreamlike sequence, with some scenes being exceptionally well-crafted—particularly the Vow To The Sun ceremony, which is genuinely difficult to witness. *A Man Called Horse* may be characteristic of its era, but it’s undoubtedly an intriguing and thoughtful film. 7/10

Source on TMDB