film was based on an original script Comes a Horseman Wild and Free. In January 1977 it was announced that Jane Fonda and James Caan would play the leads. "The theme of this film is very, very American," said Pakula. On 18 August 1977, a stuntman working on this film, Jim Sheppard, was killed while doing a scene where Robards' character is dragged to (presumably) his death. A horse dragging him veered from its course and caused Sheppard to hit his head on a fence post. The scene made it into the movie, but it is cut right before the horse passes through the gate where the fatal accident occurred. Reception Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four and called it "a fine film—majestic at times—save for a slapdash ending." A less enthusiastic review in Variety stated the film was "so lethargic not even Jane Fonda, James Caan and Jason Robards can bring excitement to this artificially dramatic story of a stubborn rancher who won't surrender to the local land baron." Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film "is not about the plot as such but about the way of life which the plot interrupts. The care and authenticity with which that way of life is recorded helps Comes a Horseman overcome some real problems, notably a pace that is all too reverentially slow and a totally inadequate delineation of the Robards character." Gary Arnold of The Washington Post stated "Pakula and Clark may believe they revere Westerns, but their form of respectful imitation is lifeless, strictly token respect for the dead...By the time Comes a Horseman wheezes to an anticlimactic fadeout, Robards' depredations have begun to resemble Gothic camp." Farnsworth received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. The film grossed $9.6 million at the box office. The film holds a score of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 reviews. References External links 1978 films 1978 Western (genre) films Neo-Western films American Western (genre) films 1970s English-language films Films directed by Alan J. Pakula United Artists films Films set in the 1940s Films scored by Michael Small 1978 drama films 1970s American films