The Horsemen (1971): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1971, The Horsemen is an action, drama and adventure film directed by John Frankenheimer, running about 109 minutes. “A Horse Worth Killing For. A Dream Worth Dying For.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. In the poor, desolate northern provinces of the mountainous feudal Sunni kingdom of Afghanistan (before the Soviet-engineered republican revolutions), the status of the proud men and their clans is determined less by wealth or even military power (both rare) then by victories in the ancient, though game of buskashi, a vicious form of polo dating back to Genghis Khan, in which the chapendaz (participating horsemen) use their horse-whips on both mounts and rivals in a ruthless fight for a heavy 'ball', a dead calf, which must be carried a long way, almost impossible with all the others mercilessly assailing. Tursen, a former champion, now holds the status of village notable thanks to his position as stable-keeper of the regional lord Osman Bey, and has finally bred a horse without equal, the white stallion Jahil, in time for the royal tournament on the plain of Bagrami, just outside the capital Kabul...

Who’s in it. The Horsemen stars Omar Sharif as Uraz, Leigh Taylor-Young as Zareh, Jack Palance as Tursen and Peter Jeffrey as Hayatal, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Horsemen has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Horsemen page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Horsemen tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.