Secretariat [DVD]

I like this sort of Disney movie. They are stories without the CGI, which means it would not normally get into the cinema. McFarland is one of our favourites.Yet Secretariat seemed rather long. My teenage kids watched for a while, then began to switch off.The main character was very strong, she probably needed to be, but you also see the cost to her family.So in summary, a nice film, but it’s not for everyone and you need to dig in for the long term with it!

Full disclosure: I LOVE HORSE MOVIES.I don't know what it is about them: I just do. From National Velvet, Seabiscuit, Hidalgo, Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken...I could go on.This is a very stylish movie and Diane Lane is a wonderful leading lady. She portrays her character with elegance and warmth. You feel that she is truly paying tribute to her real-life counterpart.It's a well-worn story about a motley crew pulling off incredible victories but it nevertheless charms you and captures your imagination. You *will* be cheering for Secretariat during the final race even though you know the result (which shows how good the direction & editing is).I was initially worried that the film would be too long, but I really didn't feel its 2 hours and would happily spend time watching it again.It goes without saying that if you like a horse movie, you'll love it. Even if you don't, I would recommend reading Roger Eberts *beautifully* written review of this movie to get a full sense of what it offers movie fans.

This great film [to me] is all about love triumphing; Penny's love for her Mom, Daddy, husband, four children, brother, her daddy's stables, and a horse named "Big Red" [Secretariat]. Her husband, her brother, and many of the racing fraternity seemed to be opposed to her. But ably helped by Lucian [the trainer],and Miss Ham [her daddy's secretary], [and not forgetting the horse and jockey!], she turns all their hearts, and the success of the stables, round: just through her love, her determination, "inheriting" her daddy's superior skill, knowledge and understanding of horses, and an amazing horse [Big Red].I just love the character of Lucian: extrovert, lover of extraordinary hats and ties, and brave in the use of colour in his clothes, yet a great and soft heart and love for the horse, Penny, and the jockey.Eddie, the Stable Lad, is another very endearing character. His love, understanding, and communication with Big Red, and love of Penny and her daddy are just beautiful.Another endearing moment is the washing of Big Red with much joy, despite very testing circumstances at the time, and that lovely old song, and number 2 pop hit of 1969: Oh Happy Day", which we also hear much later on, in amazing victory.There is some nail-biting footage of horse racing, and ultimately an unbeatable winner: "The greatest racehorse that ever lived".A superb and lovely film, which I keep watching again and again.

When I got this DVD as a present, I was not thrilled. The initial press reviews I read were tepid or downright scathing. As a long time horse owner and rider (and generally horse crazy person) but not a fan of horse racing, I was familiar with the story of Secretariat and remember watching the live coverage of his Triple Crown races at the time, so my expectations for this DVD were low. To my surprise, I found myself getting fairly swept along by the movie and really enjoyed the pace and treatment of the horse racing action, and the characterization of the various main players. Diane Lane gave a fine performance while John Malkovich was brilliant and funny.I agree with some of the criticism: even overlooking the many liberties they took with the real events, the movie is really all about Penny Chenery and her determination to see this special foal run and prove himself. She had many obstacles to overcome but too much is made of her "housewife" state, after all she was born and raised on a training farm.Secretariat was truly a super-horse (his heart was twice the size of that of an average horse and some of his records still stand after 37 years) but neither his physical and mental gifts nor his unmatched dominance of the sport were sufficiently conveyed in this movie. Instead, his remarkable string of victories is presented more like a vaguely mystical journey with religious overtones. In fact, the coverage of the Belmont race is the weakest moment in the whole film, ludicrously interrupted by gospel music and shoddily re-enacted on a much smaller racecourse. It would have been much better to show the actual footage of the race which still stands as one of the greatest moments in any sport. Finally, the hippy daughter fabrication further detracted from the action, making Secretariat himself too much of a bit player.Despite all of the above, my family enjoyed this movie so much that we have already watched it a second time and I suspect it will get further airings from time to time.

Although it’s a slow starter, this is the true story - in part - of a woman’s battle in her male-dominated age to do something she felt instinctively right, in the face of overwhelming odds. But the real superstar is the legendary Secretariat and his astonishing success - some of his records and speed haven’t been beaten to this day. It’s a beautiful, uplifting film that will astonish and it’s fun to watch on Youtube his “real” races and see that the film simply shows the truth of his legendary talent.