Smoky

"Smoky" is quintessential family fare, with no surprises or plot twists; As a reader remarked, "man finds horse, man loses horse, man finds horse". Is it my imagination or are many horse stories similar? "War Horse" and "Black Beauty" had much the same theme as "Smoky".

In this one, Fred MacMurray arrives at a ranch under a cloud of suspicion. His cowboy credentials are impeccable, but some ranch hands have heard stories. All goes well until Bruce Cabot shows up and pleads with Our Hero to get him a job. But it turns out that Cabot is his ne'er-do-well brother, and Fred took the rap for him in another state. Fred has, meanwhile, found and broken a wild horse that is the envy of the local horsemen. Cabot finds the horse 'ornery' and despises it. Naturally, things happen, Fred and the horse are separated, and the horse ends up with - you guessed it, Cabot. From here you can fill in the blanks.

The movie, filmed in and around Utah's Zion National Park, is gorgeous to look at while the movie itself has a very pedestrian feel. No new ground is broken in the story and co-star Anne Baxter has very little to do despite being the manager of the ranch. Burl Ives gets to sing some songs in the bunkhouse. Kids will like this picture more than adults will, and it is a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.

I have been looking for this film on DVD or VHS for at least 10 years. This is one of the best horse movies of all time. It is joyful and tearful, but a story of intense love for a horse. About a black stallion that Fred Mac Murray names "Smoky" because where there is fire there is Smoke. This story needs to be released in Digital DVD format. I have been a movie collector for over 45 years, this is one that everybody should see. A true family picture that displays a great tenderness, love, devotion, and courage that you will always remember. The stars Fred Mac Murray, Anne Baxter, and Burl Ives are at their best in their performances. Burl Ives a sings "Jimmy Crack Corn and I Don't Care" which fits the horse ranch fare.

You know, it's the sort of film that's near impossible to write about because it's the simplicity of it all that makes it worth watching. The kind of film that I could never watch again yet after taking it in I had a smile on my face and a little lump in my throat. The film sees Fred MacMurray as a sort of drifting cowhand type who gets given a job by pocket dynamo rancher gal Anne Baxter. This brings him into contact with a wild horse known as Smoky and a true friendship between man and beast blossoms. Enter nasty man who steals horse away.......

There's few surprises along the way and the dialogue is often stilted, but it hits the spot of most who come into contact with it. It's directed by Louis King and the support cast features Bruce Cabot and a warbling merrily Burl Ives. Location work is out of Utah, while the film's interesting trivia sees it as the first known film work of Western character actor Slim Pickens. Safe family friendly Oater that is as warm as Grandma's freshly cooked apple pie. 7/10

This is Fred MacMurray's BEST movie! It is awesome! It makes you laugh, cry, and rejoice at the end. The music is outstanding. The actors are great! The horse is beautiful. It is such a heartwarming story, one you will never forget once you have seen it. i don't understand why it is not available on vhs or dvd. There is another version with different actors available of this movie, i have it, but it's not near as good, doesn't rate compared to this movie version. PLEASE make it available to purchase! i'd buy it in a heartbeat! Thanks! GOD BLESS! : )

It's a funny, romantic, suspenseful, tearjerker all rolled up into one movie. I have been looking for a copy of this movie for a very long time. the one time that I found copies of it I did not have a credit card, so unfortunately i missed out. I would love to have this movie for my kids to watch.