In Pursuit of Honor

I'm biased: I love horses; I love movies with and about horses. I've seen horse-related movies good, bad, & indifferent. But there was nothing bad or indifferent about In Pursuit of Honor. The first time I watched it, I cried like a baby and swore I'd never watch it again, it devastated me so. But it draws me back again and again, and I've watched the movie probably a dozen times. To my mind, In Pursuit of Honor is one of that rare breed: the perfect movie. The writing, filming, and acting all combine to create the kind of movie that, like a good book, you want to experience over and over again. And if nothing else, it showed me that Don Johnson is not the shallow, pretty face I'd always considered him; he gives a wonderfully restrained performance, as does Craig Sheffer. An entertaining, educational, historically accurate movie that my husband and I will enjoy at least another dozen times.

The film opens onto a flashback of one of the darker moments of history -- the destruction of WWI veteran camps outside the White House during the Depression. This sets the stage for how a few veteran calvarymen have a stronger sense of personal morale than their fellow men.

Then the present, with an adept young man whose father left a longlasting impression to many men he comes into contact with in a southwestern military base. It's a calvary stronghold, with around 500 horses and a fraction of that in men.

But the seeming low-action utopia ends when a Colonel retires and is replaced by a more ruthless replacement who carries out orders of Gen. MacArthur -- to disband the calvary's traditions [discontinuing sabers] and destroy the spare mounts in a brutal method that reminded me of the WWII concentration camp scenes of horror where Nazis would shoot Jews and bury them in mass graves on top of one another.

The start of this movie is a fast set-up for the rest of the film and does not leave much room for intermission. It's a long journey they undergo, and isn't without the harsh reality of the peril that the renegades face in their decision to rescue the horses.

I was attracted initially because of its history-base, which I'm interested in, and I've learned while being entertained at the same time of what happened within our own borders that might not have attracted everyone's eye, but was brutally savage all the same.

In conclusion, this made-for-TV movie scored an 8 with me and if any of this movie's main elements fascinate you it should be on your agenda to see.

I first saw this film completely by chance as I was shoveling my Dad's driveway the winter of 1996. I had turned on the TV in between breaks and went to HBO and it had just started and it was so well done that I watched the whole movie before I went beck out to keep on shoveling the snow. If the film's portrayal of MacArthur was true, he was a real Turd! And the treatment of the World War I veterans by our government shows that nothing much has changed over the past 80 years! But the film itself is a gem! If you love a movie with a corny old good guys vs. bad guys plot that will leave you feeling great at the end, and if you love animals, especially horses, you'll love this film. I have the video and will get the DVD as soon as they nake that - it's that good!!!

The actors (both human and animal) were well cast. The direction of this TV film was excellent. The movie depicted a humane aspect of the military.

The soldiers started out with some conflict of personalities and became a "team". They had one goal: SAVE THE HORSES. The horses selected for these roles were well trained and were magnificent animals.

Before watching this film, I had a high regard for General Douglas MacArthur. The information given in the film shows another side of the war hero; one not so favorable.

The compassion shown by the Calvery soldier to his partner (the horse) was extremely emotional. He was ready to give his life for his "partner". The soldier looked upon the mount as an equal and treated the animal with dignity. I was unaware that when the soldiers and horses went into battle, they were a team; one depending on the other for their survival. The horse was trained to manoeuvre and respond to protect his rider. This is a part of history that remains a secret to most people.

Besides being an enjoyment for anyone who likes horses, this movie also covers shameful incidents from out nation's history. It identifies several issues that warrant further investigation by anyone interested in U.S. history. These include the rise of General McArthur, the treatment of returning W.W. I Veterans,the difficulty of changing the way war is fought.(an issue today)and the influence of the press.. All of this might shed some light on how decisions are made today by men in power. Excellent acting by some actors who are sometimes not praised enough for their craft. Personally, I would accept more movies of this genre.