Fliehende Pferde

It's usually girls that have a fixation on horses, but this particular affliction also affects Peter Firth.

Sidney Lumet adds this version of Peter Schaffer's play to his list of memorable theatrical adaptations while Richard Burton earns his reputation breaching the third wall to provide the glue that holds the film together and was duly rewarded with several awards (including an Oscar nomination).

The orange-tinted scene in the barn where Jenny Agutter slips out of her jodhpurs and on to her back provides an unexpected thrill unfortunately blighted (SPOILER COMING:) by the truly shocking sight that immediately follows.

I don't know what's the deal with the stage-play, I never saw it, but a film is a film and a play is a play. It's quite normal to me that the two of them should not be compared. Anyway. On the film. I have seen some of Lummet's great overall work both newer and older (Network, Serpico, Night Falls over Manhattan, Critical care, The hill a.o.) and I must say I liked them all. Lummet is one of the greatest and underrated directors of all time. Why? He extracts awesome acting from his actors and he's got a choice for stories.

Equus, is my best Lummet film I have seen so far - I always had a tendency to take interest on and see subtext in extreme, weird, negative situations on film. You have much to take from negative stuff, if they're handled properly. Here, there are so much stated for the viewer to think. Questions on the point of psychotherapy, on the nature of perversion (and its possible causes), importance of religion combined with lack of knowledge, isolation, lust for life and so much more I don't want to refer to here.

Beware! The film features strong material - both visuals and texts - this is no easy film for Hollywood audience. But its not uneasy in a way that it's slow, or 'arty' or anything. Far from that, it's original, deeply involving, with gripping atmosphere... Its subject matter though, might force the more coward or less open-minded viewers to trash it or mock it, for fear of what it could unleash or because they simply couldn't understand it. But intelligent film lovers, take a little tolerance and SEE this. It is worth the search. This is film is a masterpiece of film-making!

This is Richard Burton's most powerful performance. It his his story that gives the movie's its narration. Although this is the story of Peter Firth's character and his struggle with his love and connection with horses, it is Burton's power that makes this movie deep. Anyone in the field of psychology and / or therapy needs to watch this movie. It is a story of ones search of meaning and redemption. Somewhat hard to understand at times, this is more than a story about a young man and his confusion with life and his beliefs. Jenny Agutter is once again pure eye candy. To say she is Posh is beyond fact. Although she has a limited role, her time spent on screen is great. Each time she appears, she lights up the screen with her beauty. Still, it is the power of Burton and Firth that makes this drama somewhat of a masterpiece.

Richard Burton gave his finest performance in this adaptation of the Peter Shaffer play about a psychiatrist (Burton) who must unravel a mystery surrounding the blinding of a number horses from a young boy,played to perfection by Peter Firth. The film loses the play's theatricality immensely, but the performances in the film are so incredible all around that none of that will matter. Joan Plowright stands out as the young boy's mother. Burton and Firth were Oscar nominated.

An interesting drama, with an intriguing screenplay full of interesting ideas and with a strikingly mystery element to it, the film is a bit lengthy and drawn out, and there are a few other quirks one may have with it, but it is generally solid stuff. Burton is very good as an ever-questioning doctor, fascinated by his patient for reasons that are beyond what he can grasp. Firth also is strong as a confused young man, and he has quite a bit to do with his role: he plays his character in a mentally disturbed state, under hypnosis, and even credibly as himself at age six in one scene. The film is jarred by its monologues, which cause it to ramble on and become tangled in its philosophies - but the ideas themselves are good. It was adapted from a stage play and perhaps it would have worked better on stage, but even if imperfect, this film version is still an interesting watch.