Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Comes a Horseman

Play trailer Poster for Comes a Horseman PG 1978 1h 58m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
67% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 54% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Determined single woman Ella Connors (Jane Fonda) struggles to maintain her ranch despite constant attempts by Jacob "J.W." Ewing (Jason Robards), the aging owner of the neighboring ranch, to coerce her into selling. When oil companies begin pressuring both ranchers to allow drilling, Ella's position becomes even more perilous. Though Ella thinks she's scrappy enough to fight them on her own, her chances get better with the arrival of hunky war veteran Frank "Buck" Athearn (James Caan).
Watch on Prime Video Stream Now

Where to Watch

Comes a Horseman

Critics Reviews

View More
Jay Scott Globe and Mail 08/11/2022
The entire film is a technical travesty. Go to Full Review
Bob Thomas Associated Press 07/17/2019
No reason old formulas can't be reworked. But director Alan J. Pakula maintains such a somber mood that the whole thing is a downer except for the stunning photography of Gordon Willis. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 12/23/2022
3/4
An unusual Western. Go to Full Review
Fernando Trueba El Pais (Spain) 08/07/2019
Comes a Horseman is one of the most exciting and elliptical love stories that we have been given to think about in a very long time. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 06/04/2019
2.5/4
Moves in fits and starts, and the ending, while a stark reminder of the resilience of the American west, comes out of left field Go to Full Review
Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 11/17/2009
Pakula approaches the open spaces of the frontier to escape from urban claustrophobia and instead finds reflections of it Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Eric C Oct 3 The story was compelling. I did not realize Jason Robards could play sinister in such a frightening way. See more nick s 11/14/2024 Great performances and impressive stuntwork with the animals. It was a bit of a slow burn with an uncomplicated story so it hardly fits into the category of riveting. However, if you're in the mood to immerse yourself in that world then it's beautifully done. See more Lola K 05/12/2024 Outstanding photography, acting, story. Didn’t rely on violence. There was some violence, but the directing was thoughtful subtle. I enjoyed the movie. See more 10/27/2023 A slower, calmer western. James Caan and Janfe Fonda make the picture bearable. The scenery is beautiful and so is the music. I expected some more thrills and shoot ‘em ups though. See more Jelisije J 10/18/2023 A nice little western film about cattle ranching and two neighbors fighting over the land they seek to protect. See more 06/06/2021 Set in the 1940's west, 'Comes a Horseman' is about a rancher trying to save the family ranch from the local robber barons. With a hackneyed plot line, the movie sets itself apart with excellent acting performances from the lead actors, Caan, Fonda, Farnsworth and Robards. The Directing and film editing are both outstanding. Some critics have said it's a little slow (possibly), while other critics claim the slower segments are critical for character development and overall ambiance (possibly). See more Read all reviews
Comes a Horseman

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
The Return of a Man Called Horse 55% 42% The Return of a Man Called Horse Watchlist Heartland 100% 86% Heartland Watchlist The Shootist 81% 88% The Shootist Watchlist The White Buffalo 17% 52% The White Buffalo Watchlist The Outlaw Josey Wales 91% 91% The Outlaw Josey Wales Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Determined single woman Ella Connors (Jane Fonda) struggles to maintain her ranch despite constant attempts by Jacob "J.W." Ewing (Jason Robards), the aging owner of the neighboring ranch, to coerce her into selling. When oil companies begin pressuring both ranchers to allow drilling, Ella's position becomes even more perilous. Though Ella thinks she's scrappy enough to fight them on her own, her chances get better with the arrival of hunky war veteran Frank "Buck" Athearn (James Caan).
Director
Alan J. Pakula
Producer
Gene Kirkwood, Dan Paulson
Screenwriter
Dennis Lynton Clark
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
United Artists, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
Rating
PG
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 25, 1978, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 58m
Most Popular at Home Now