My favorite horseracing movie of all time is Phar Lap, the 1983 (1984 for us here in the States) movie about the Australian racehorse. This was a horse that in 51 starts, won 37 times (51:37-3-2; nine times out of the money) and for a country that was in the depths of their own Depression, Phar Lap (1926-1932) gave them hope by winning virtually every race he was entered in. In the movie there is a frustration that Phar Lap could not be bought, so the Victorian Racing Committee (VRC) decided the only way to beat Phar Lap was to keep assigning him more and more weight. ("Weight can stop a train," was the line in the movie.) At the 1931 Melbourne Cup, the VRC did just that by assigning Phar Lap a weight of 149-lbs, he finished in eighth place. Up until that time, Phar Lap had successfully carried up to 138-lbs and still won handily, but with the fear that he would be broken down or killed by an angry bookie, Phar Lap was sent to Agua Caliente, Mexico to run in the 1932 Agua Caliente Handicap. He won and mysteriously died 16-days later in Menlo Park, California. It is a fantastic film that even after all these years, I still cry at the ending.
A group of us went and saw the new Disney film Secretariat on October 8. I was fearful going into the movie that the real magic that was Secretariat would be lost in translation, and sadly my fear came true. For one, I knew I shouldn't get my hopes up on a Disney film. For another, I knew this was a movie and not a documentary. How I wish for the latter.
My number one complaint had to deal with the title...er...horse, Secretariat. It goes without saying no one horse could match his charisma much less his near perfect confirmation, but couldn't they find a horse who at least looked interested in his surroundings? The movie only showed one real race of Secretariat's, the Preakness Stakes. Our party just looked at each other and said, "Why show that race and NOT the Belmont Stakes?" To me, it would have much more emotional if the final Jewel of the Triple Crown was shown and accompanied, of course, with Chick Anderson's calling of the race ("Secretariat is widening now...He is moving like a tremendous machine!"). In this case, it is probably better to give Disney the benefit of the doubt and say, "Maybe there were copyright issues and they could not show that footage." It goes without saying that showing atleast one race, did lend a feeling à la Seabiscuit when they used the real call of the race in the match race with War Admiral.
My other two issues dealt with Secretariat himself. For one, you had to wait until the ending credits to see the real Secretariat, in retirement at Claiborne, and I can honestly say to see his image on a 40' screen just took my breath way. It probably would have been difficult to do, and a distraction to movie goers, but couldn't they work his image into the movie in other places...winner circle photos? press photos? My second issue is the way the typical movie goer is led to believe that Secretariat is still alive. No mention in the closing credits is given that Secretariat has been dead of 21 years. More importantly, Disney lost the perfect opportunity to educate the public on laminitis (which ultimately took Secretariat's life) and the great work the Secretariat Foundation does in helping Thoroughbreds and non-Thoroughbreds in retraining programs, theraputic programs, veterinary research programs and retirement and rehab facilities for ex-Thoroughbred racehorses.
My second complaint is just the historical inaccuracies of the movie. Ranging from Mr Chenery's health to how Penny found Lucien Laurin; not to mention John Malkovich's ill-casting as the famed trainer. The movie didn't even touch on the close bond that groom Eddie Sweat had with Secretariat. I really wish that Eddie's character had a more prominent role in the film and gave Eddie the credit he deserved. Personally, for me, I wished the movie had been based on Lawrence Scanlan's The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World's Greatest Racehorse and not on Bill Nack's Secretariat. While Mr Nack's book has remained the definitive biography on Secretariat, Mr Scanlan's book lends a human emotion; especially in the connection of Eddie and Secretariat.
If I were to go on, I'd just be nit-picking. For the horseracing fan or Secretariat fan, the movie is not what it could be. But for the casual movie goer or horse loving public, it's enjoyable.
The bottom line is: when the movie comes out on DVD, I'll still buy it.
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