Usually when the book of a film is made (A La Akiva Goldsman, "A Beautiful Mind) the makers feel the need to Hollywoodise it and take out the more objectionable elements, for this film the real story of Seabiscuit is so amazing that they had to actually remove some of the elements that were too Hollywood, such is the story of this marvellous little race horse.
Seabiscuit was a racehorse deemed too demanding by its original trainer and sold to Charles Howard, an automobile salesman. Howard hired Tom Smith, an unorthodox trainer who instinctively understood horses, who knew exactly what was required to get the best of Seabiscuit. Smith hired jockey Red Pollard to ride the biscuit and the combination of owner, rider and trainer would reap dividends, becoming a symbol of hope for America during the great depression, managing to beat all comers, with the the exception of the one horse that stood above the entire thoroughbred division, the mighty War Admiral.
This film is another of Dave Ross' excellent under-rated body of work, with a cast giving great performances, most notably Chris Cooper as the quietly all-knowing Smith. The story is fascinating, as the three different human characters, all with their own tragedies and problems, are told with passion, conviction and honesty, a rarity in film-making. The story of the other main lead, the biscuit, is also done with real skill, with the training and races handled superbly, managing to convey both the excitement and the inherent dangers in being a jockey at the end of the great depression.
This would have been considered a rank outsider for the best picture, had it contended in any other year when the "The Return of the King" wasn't contending, but just because it didn't win, don't let that put you off investing an hour and a half in one of the best true stories of all time.
PS. After watching the film I recommend you read the book, "Seabiscuit" by Laura Hillenbrand
Seabiscuit was a racehorse deemed too demanding by its original trainer and sold to Charles Howard, an automobile salesman. Howard hired Tom Smith, an unorthodox trainer who instinctively understood horses, who knew exactly what was required to get the best of Seabiscuit. Smith hired jockey Red Pollard to ride the biscuit and the combination of owner, rider and trainer would reap dividends, becoming a symbol of hope for America during the great depression, managing to beat all comers, with the the exception of the one horse that stood above the entire thoroughbred division, the mighty War Admiral.
This film is another of Dave Ross' excellent under-rated body of work, with a cast giving great performances, most notably Chris Cooper as the quietly all-knowing Smith. The story is fascinating, as the three different human characters, all with their own tragedies and problems, are told with passion, conviction and honesty, a rarity in film-making. The story of the other main lead, the biscuit, is also done with real skill, with the training and races handled superbly, managing to convey both the excitement and the inherent dangers in being a jockey at the end of the great depression.
This would have been considered a rank outsider for the best picture, had it contended in any other year when the "The Return of the King" wasn't contending, but just because it didn't win, don't let that put you off investing an hour and a half in one of the best true stories of all time.
PS. After watching the film I recommend you read the book, "Seabiscuit" by Laura Hillenbrand