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Amazon.ca
The "greatest racehorse of all time" mantle fits easily around the neck of Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner. So why not a movie version of this champion's life? Secretariat begins in the late '60s, with some good behind-the-scenes material on how thoroughbreds come to be (there's flavorful atmosphere inside the horsey world, including an account of Secretariat's ownership being decided by a coin flip as part of an old-school agreement). A highly lacquered Diane Lane plays Penny Chenery, the inheritor of her father's stables, who segues from being an all-American mom to running a major horse-racing franchise; reliable character-actor support comes in the form of John Malkovich, as a gaudily outfitted trainer, and Margo Martindale, as Chenery's assistant. Screenwriter Mike Rich and director Randall Wallace must do some heavy lifting to make Lane's privileged millionaire into some sort of underdog--luckily, the hidebound traditions of the male-dominated racing scene provide some sources of outrage. The need to stack the deck even more leads the movie into its more contrived scenes, unfortunately, as though we needed dastardly villains in order to root for Penny and her horse. Meanwhile, attempts to reach for a little Seabiscuit-style social relevance don't come off, and a curious religious undertone might make you wonder whether we're meant to assume that God chose Secretariat over some less-deserving equine. The actual excitement of the races can't be denied, however, and Secretariat's awe-inspiring win at the Belmont Stakes remains a jaw-dropping, still-unequaled display of domination in that event. And maybe in sports. --Robert Horton
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Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Horse racing gold for the whole family.,
By
This review is from: Secretariat - 2-Disc BD Combo Pack (BD+DVD) (Blu-ray)
I bought this movie knowing as a horse owner/lover it would have a special place in my heart no matter what. I was wonderfully surprised by this movie. The scenes between Penny and "Red" easily capture your heart, while the race scenes make it threaten to beat straight out of your chest. Even though it doesn't take any knowledge of horse racing history to know how the races will result, it's an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding journey. The way the race scenes are filmed are unlike any I have seen from any other horse racing movie. I would highly recommend this movie for viewers of any age.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A most wonderful story ~ both human and race horse!,
By Rachael "traveller" (canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Secretariat (DVD)
This is a most wonderful story on the human level and about a most amazing race horse. Though the film may never win an 'Academy Award' it is really worth seeing for the story itself which carries everything else along (though John Malkovich and Diane Lane are excellent). It starts off looking like a rather amature film and then turns into something much much better! Don't miss it, whether you are a race horse lover or not, the human side of the story in it's 60's & early 70's context is just as wonderful as the amazing Tripple Crown winning horse story. This is a movie I've purchased to keep for a long long time. Enjoy!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buy this one for your favourite horse lover,
This review is from: Secretariat (DVD)
This movie makes you understand just how great the heart of Secretariat was. It is not great cinema or great literature ... it is a moving story of a great horse and the people who believed in him.
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