Secretariat

An interesting and emotional story about a family, perseverance and an extraordinary horse.

The film is well directed and easily guides the viewer through the story and gives him an insight into the tension of horse racing.

The cinematography is excellent, and Randall Wallace has proven to be a skilled director. The cast is excellent, they portrayed these interesting characters brilliantly. The characters are layered, in the film we see their desires, fears and everything that makes them human and they easily draw us into that interesting world of theirs.

There are different opinions in the Tweedy family, but they still support each other. We may have different opinions, but we should still agree on some universal things. An interesting film that offers us an insight is a truly fascinating world.

The soundtrack is great, the songs are perfectly incorporated into the film and elevate the overall impression of the whole story.

An excellent cinematic work that is definitely worth watching.

I dont no why but I just love this movie. I dont follow racing let alone know much about the history. But this movie is so well written and directed its hard not to love it. Acting is perfect and for once Disney really did a great job from start to finish. If you haven't seen this, its one the entire family can enjoy. Such a good story...

Secretariat is directed by Randall Wallace and written by Mike Rich and Sheldon Turner. It stars Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Margo Martindale, Amanda Michalka, Dylan Walsh, Scott Glenn, Kevin Connolly, Dylan Baker, James Cromwell and Drew Roy. Music is by Nick Glennie-Smith and cinematography by Dean Semler.

With the success and quality of production that came with 2003's Seabiscuit, it was perhaps inevitable that someone would turn their hand to making a film about a horse that many agree is the greatest American horse of all time. With Disney funding the cash flow and an "A" list cast assembled, Secretariat the movie is every inch the professional production you would expect. However, thematically it's surprising that the horse is very much secondary to the story of his owner, Penny Chenery (Lane).

Chenery's story as written on the film version page, is a worthy one to tell, for sure. After suffering family bereavements, she stood firm after winning the horse on a coin toss to guide the horse to the greatest of American horse racing triumphs. This in a male dominated sport dominated by chauvinists. Further more, Chenery had to hold her own family together whilst running the Chenery ranch. Inspirational woman for sure, and Lane is naturally steely in the role, but there just isn't great human interest drama crafted by director Wallace to warrant the film being primarily about the good lady.

Naturally, when the horse racing takes centre stage it's gripping and exciting, the race segments very well filmed, but we already knew that Secretariat was an awesome horse, how he got to be that way isn't known to us. Malkovich plays trainer Lucien Laurin with moody flamboyance, but we see next to nothing of his training of the horse! It's one of the many oversights that stop the film competing with Seabiscuit. It may seem unfair to compare the two, but the makers of Seabiscuit got the blend right whilst cleaving close to the facts to tell their story.

There's also the controversy factor, the fudging of the facts to suit the makers ends, where some characterisations have been pointedly argued to be incorrect and a deviation from truths to the point we don't have the real story of what made Secretariat so great. Whilst it spins a rags to riches story when in reality it wasn't, Riva Ridge anyone? Where's the Preakness clocking controversy? These facts would have boosted the film no end, but I guess this is the price we pay for having Disney funding the film supposedly about the magnificent beast in the title.

Come the home straight the music does swirl and the cheers go loud, and undeniably the uplift factor takes a hand, but there's too much wrong all told to make this a great picture. I have to say it, go watch Seabiscuit instead. 6.5/10

I really enjoyed this movie and Secretariat is my hero because he is a horse just like me. I really like watching racing and he is my favourite racer. When I grow up I want to be a race horse just like him and I really think I'm on the right track.

Get it? Track, because horses run on tracks, and Secretariat is a horse and I am horse.

Do you get it? Do you get my joke about the track? Because Secretariat is a horse just like me and horses run on tracks? Do you get the joke?

Anyway how do you not be sad?

"It is beautiful to watch a fine horse gallop, the long stride, the rush of the wind as he passes—my heart beats quicker to the thud of the hoofs and I feel his strength." Richard Jefferies

Secretariat is no exception. It's the story of the fastest horse in history, first known as Big Red, who went on to win horse racing's triple crown on 1973, a feat not accomplished in 25 years. After that he sired 600 foals, much to the delight of his investors, the first to invest solely in a stud future.

But then I love Seabiscuit (2003) for it depression-era cheerleading. This is what American filmmakers do well--a rouser with messages, big–screen chases, and sentimentality for the little guy. Seabiscuit is Rocky for horses, a suspenseful crowd pleaser with characters such as the whisperer played by Chris Cooper, who said, "You don't throw a whole life away just because it's banged up a little." The thought resonates for almost everyone in the film, a tribute to unity of theme and expression of actor.

Similarly there's more than just a racing film in Secretariat; after all National Velvet has a more interesting story and a younger heroine in Elizabeth Taylor, but that was decades ago. This true story is about the grit of Penny Chenery, who took over Virginia's Meadow Stables from her father and beat the male-dominated odds.

This quintessential Disney movie depicts her as tough and loving, a mother and a businesswoman, who can serve as a model for young women aspiring to reach great goals even in this liberated 21st century, which still has a ways to go before it expunges fully the sexism scourge.

The photography is bracing, often putting the camera right by the prancing hoofs or mid-level close to the steed's haunches. Although nothing new here, it is still exciting fare. Because we all know going in that our horse will win the crown, director Randall Wallace is especially successful in keeping us interested and worried for Secretariat.

Disclosure: I like most Hollywood horse-racing stories.