Big Red's Run: Secretariat Trailer

A necropsy (the animal version of an autopsy) performed on the subject of this movie revealed that the record-breaking racehorse (his 1973 Belmont Stakes track record stands to this day) had a heart almost twice the normal size for his species.

With the Jamaican Nonesuch Horse of the Year (named for the legendary Jamaican race horse) scheduled for Thursday (February 12) no doubt some mercenary interests prompted the local cinematic release of a film that, as of January 25, was legally available as a DVD.

But, even with the latest fully loaded home system, its unlikely that watching this movie in the comfort of your living room or man-cave will match the experience of viewing on a cinema screen. The producers wanted to draw the viewer right into the dust-splattering, horse-snorting, hoof-stomping action and they succeed without any reservation.

The story however, while certainly inspiring and -in the hands of director Randall Wallace (who famously collaborated with Mel Gibson on Braveheart) and an undeniably talented cast (Dianel Lane, John Malkovich  and Nelsan Ellis among others) runs exactly the kind of made-for-tv pioneering fare that Ol' Uncle Walt (as in Disney) used introduce during his weekly television show. Not that knowing the destination always dampens the thrill of the ride, but......

One aspect that I find creditable is that the producers avoid the cliche "verite" approach of inserting actual footage from the races or otherwise into the live action. In a further bit of cheek,Penny Chenery Tweedy, the real life owner of Secretariat (who shared his "Big Red" nickname with another great Racehorse, Man O' War) appears in the climactic scene, in the stands, alongside her movie avatar, Diane Lane.

Even if you've never been to a racetrack, there's  still a lot to like about Secretariat, capturing as it does, the intense, but fleeting euphoria of the sport of kings.