Comes a Horseman

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Comes a Horseman

PG,

1978,

1h 58m,

Western

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Watchlist

67%

12 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

53%

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).

Jay Scott

Globe and Mail

Aug 11, 2022

The entire film is a technical travesty.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Jul 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.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Dec 23, 2022

3/4

An unusual Western.

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Fernando Trueba

El Pais (Spain)

Aug 7, 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]

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Ellie Lucas

From the Front Row

Jun 4, 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

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

Nov 17, 2009

Pakula approaches the open spaces of the frontier to escape from urban claustrophobia and instead finds reflections of it

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Albus G

Dec 16, 2018

Fonda at times overwrought,Caan not really sure what he's doing but stays with it!

Albus S

Aug 28, 2018

Love was hard work on 1940s farmland.

Abraham S

Feb 21, 2009

Tries a bit too hard to become monumental in the manner of a John Ford metaphorical Western.

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Alan J. Pakula

Director

Jane Fonda

Ella Connors

James Caan

Frank "Buck" Athearn

Jason Robards

Jacob "J.W." Ewing

George Grizzard

Neil Atkinson

Richard Farnsworth

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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

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