The Horsemen

The Horsemen is a 1971 American adventure film starring Omar Sharif, directed by John Frankenheimer; screenplay by Dalton Trumbo. Based on a 1967 novel by French writer Joseph Kessel, Les Cavaliers (The Horsemen) shows Afghanistan and its people the way they were before the wars that wracked the country, particularly their love for the sport of buzkashi. The film was filmed in Afghanistan and Spain. Plot Uraz (Omar Sharif), the son of Tursen (Jack Palance), the stable master and retired buzkashi player for a feudal lord, is a master horseman who lives by a primitive code of honor. Uraz's family honor is damaged when he breaks his leg playing the game, which is the Afghani equivalent of polo. His father, who lost a lot of money betting on his son, will barely speak to him. To regain the family honor (and wealth) he must somehow re-learn how to ride – after his injuries cost him his leg below the knee. In the face of great obstacles, and despite the derision and treachery of others, he gains the chance to play in the games given by the king of Afghanistan. Cast Omar Sharif as Uraz Jack Palance as Tursen Leigh Taylor-Young as Zareh the untouchable whore Peter Jeffrey as Hayatal Srinanda De as Bukhi George Murcell as Mizrar the shepherd Eric Pohlmann as Merchant in Kabul Vernon Dobtcheff as Zam Hajji Saeed Jaffrey as District Chief John Ruddock as Scribe Mark Colleano Salmaan Peerzada as Salih Aziz Resham as Bacha to Ghulam Leon Lissek as Chaikhana proprietor Vida St. Romaine as Gypsy Woman Production The original novel was published in 1967. It was a best seller in France before being released in the US. Film rights were bought by John Frankenheimer and Edward Lewis who set up the film at Columbia. Dalton Trumbo, who had just written The Fixer for Frankenheimer, was signed to do the script.