Who doesn’t love a good Horse Movie? Some of my favorites include Phar Lap, about the Australian Racehorse of the ’30’s, and the very popular Seabisquit, a depression era horse that lifted our nation’s spirits. The Disney folks have done a fine job with Secretariat, starring Diane Lane as the horse owner Penny Chenery, and John Malkovich as it’s trainer Lucien Lauren. The movie tells the story of the horse who, in 1973, became the first horse in 25 years to win The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. Diane Lane gives the story a heart, as a feisty 70’s housewife who takes over her ailing father’s financially troubled Meadows Stable and, against all odds, cultivates one of the great race stories of our time. John Malkovich is the crusty, eccentrically dressed horse trainer who provides the film with a bit of comic relief. We know how the story ends but the road to success for Penny Chenery is full of enough potholes to hold our interest until the amazing finish at The Belmont Stakes. It’s a Disney film so it’s family friendly, and a touch predictable, but I liked it much more than the movie trailer for it made me think I would
GPA 3.0
Recent Comments