The James Caan Western So Dangerous, It Left a Stuntman Dead
Comes a Horseman isn't the first title you think of when it comes to James Caan or Westerns in general, but the film holds a grim distinction in Hollywood history — it claimed the life of a stuntman during production.
Released in 1978 and directed by Alan J. Pakula, Comes a Horseman was part of the New Hollywood wave that tried to reinvent the Western, giving it a darker, more introspective tone. The film starred James Caan, Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, and featured cinematography by Gordon Willis, who was famously dubbed "The Prince of Darkness" for his work on The Godfather. The film itself earned $9.6 million at the U.S. box office, a modest return for a Western of its ambition but not a hit.
The plot centers on a 1940s power struggle over land in the American West, with Robards playing a ruthless rancher. But for all the somber mood and gorgeous visuals, the movie is remembered for a tragedy on set.
During a scene where Robards' character is dragged by a horse, stuntman Jim Sheppard stepped in to perform the dangerous sequence. But the stunt went fatally wrong — the horse unexpectedly changed direction, pulling Sheppard headfirst into a fence post. He was rushed to a local hospital in Colorado, but his injuries were too severe, and he died shortly after.
At the time, The New York Times reported on the accident, and the incident stood as yet another grim reminder of how hazardous stunt work can be — especially in an era when on-set safety standards were still developing.
Quick figures on Comes a Horseman:
- Release Year: 1978
- Director: Alan J. Pakula
- Cast: James Caan, Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, Richard Farnsworth, George Grizzard
- Cinematographer: Gordon Willis
- Stuntman Fatality: Jim Sheppard, killed during a horse-drag stunt gone wrong
Today, accidents like this are far rarer thanks to better safety protocols and CGI, but it's a sobering fact that one of Pakula's lesser-known films came at such a heavy cost. And if you're watching that scene in Comes a Horseman, just know it was filmed with a price no film should ever demand.