Comes a Horseman (1978): cast, story & where to watch

1978 · Film · ★ 6

Comes a Horseman poster

Released in 1978, Comes a Horseman is a drama, romance and western film directed by Alan J. Pakula, running about 118 minutes. “She was as strong as the land for which she fought. And as vulnerable.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Ella Connors is a single woman who gets pressured to sell her failing cattle farm to her corrupt ex-suitor, Jacob Ewing. She asks for help from her neighbor, Frank Athearn. As Ella and Frank fight back through stampedes, jealousy, betrayal, and sabotage... they eventually find love.

Who’s in it. Comes a Horseman stars James Caan as Frank 'Buck' Athearn, Jane Fonda as Ella Connors, Jason Robards as Jacob 'J.W.' Ewing and George Grizzard as Neil Atkinson, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, Comes a Horseman has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $9.6M at the box office.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Comes a Horseman page.

If you liked it. Fans of Comes a Horseman tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.

Frequently asked

Where can I watch Comes a Horseman (1978)?
In US, Comes a Horseman is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
Is Comes a Horseman worth watching?
Comes a Horseman holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, romance and western. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
Who stars in Comes a Horseman?
Comes a Horseman stars James Caan, Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, George Grizzard and Richard Farnsworth.
When was Comes a Horseman released?
Comes a Horseman was released in 1978, with a runtime of about 118 minutes.