Mild spoilers for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
The new film from Quentin Tarantino, entitled Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, is set in 1969 and features appearances by The Family, the cult that followed the infamous Charles Manson (played here by Damon Herriman).
In one sequence, fictional stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) pays a visit to the home of the Manson Family, the Spahn Ranch, where the Family lived with permission from owner George Spahn (Bruce Dern).
In one sequence, Catherine "Gypsy" Share (Lena Dunham) asks an associate to interrupt fellow Manson Family member Charles "Tex" Watson (Austin Butler) whilst he and another Family member give tourists a guide around the land of the Ranch.
But did the Family really give tours on horseback in real-life?
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Did the Manson family really give horseback tours?
Yes, actually, they did.
In exchange for their living rent-free on the Spahn Ranch, George Spahn employed the Manson Family members to work as tour guides on horseback, as horses were the primary business of the ranch.
This was documented in the famous book Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi, while former Family member Dianne Lake also attested to life on the Ranch,
Lake, who was 14 when she was a member of the Manson Family, is played by Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney in the film by the name of "Snake".
Lake told History how they used to care for horses on the ranch and settled into commune living on the ranch.
At Cannes Film Festival 2019, Tarantino also spoke about the horseback riding.
Tarantino said, via The Wrap: "So you see [Manson Family members] Lulu and Tex giving horse rides. And it turned out that the family members were really great at that. They were very, very personable, and good at leading rides through the canyon."
For how Tarantino handles Charles Manson in the film himself, see here.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is in UK cinemas now.
Have you seen Once Upon a Time in Hollywood? Let us know in the comments below.
