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There was a sequel to National Velvet released in the late ’70s: International Velvet starring Tatum O’Neal, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Hopkins and Nanette Newman
Good cast and remember seeing it but recall very little of it, unlike the original which, as others have intimated, is a timeless gem. Angela Lansbury who played Elizabeth Taylor’s older sister is still alive and hopefully kicking at 96. A fine actress
Returning to the subject of films with a horseracing theme, I’ve just watched the film Rock My Heart (2017) on Netflix. I’ve not seen this one get a mention on here before, so here’s a brief review in case anyone is interested…
Probably a good guide is if you enjoyed National Velvet then you will enjoy Rock My Heart. The opening premise is that a troubled teen with a life-threatening heart condition develops a bond with a washed-up trainer and his unruly horse. Despite her illness, she gets aspirations to become a jockey. The gist of the rest of the plot can probably be guessed from this!
If you know even a small amount about racing, then parts of the film were clearly very fanciful, but nitpicking about realism does not seem appropriate for a film like this. One thing the film did a very good job of was conveying the frustration of living with such a serious health condition; this was not some tacked-on element that had an easy resolution.
The film was well-shot and acted, and I very much enjoyed it. It is originally a German film, and the translation felt slightly off in places, but not frequently. It’s not a film that a hardened cynic is likely to appreciate, but if you want a feel-good film with a racing theme then it does the job nicely.
I watched rock my heart when it first came on Netflix. Totally forgot to mention it on the films discussion I really enjoy it.
Two others I got beginning of the year the cup and ride like a girl enjoyed them to
Vf x
Thanks for mentioning The Cup vf, have now watched it on Amazon Prime. I remember Media Puzzle winning the Melbourne Cup, but was unaware of the back story involving his jockey Damien Oliver. It was another good film; it seems there are actually quite a few decent horseracing films out there
Not to lower the tone of the thread, but from 1961-1966 TV viewers were entranced by ‘Mr.Ed’, a US series featuring a talking palomino horse. The animal was played by Bamboo Harvester, an American Saddlebred/part-Arabian former racehorse.
In one episode Ed is matched against a horse called Cyclone but can’t beat him, resulting in his owner Wilbur putting Ed through a punishing routine of weightlifting and skipping to hone his fitness. Wilbur also buys two pairs of sneakers for Ed to wear because the horse thinks he will get more grip on the racing surface shod in that way. (NB. Underfoot conditions are firm, so these races would have been illegal in the UK.)
It all ends happily ever after when Ed wins the next and final race and recovers his self-esteem. In a shocking plot twist, it is revealed that Cyclone’s owner had been cheating by taking a shorter course.
I believe Mr.Ed was the first and only TV series to feature a sarcastic talking racehorse.
Thanks Seasider. I had heard of Mr Ed and, wrongly it turns out, assumed he was a puppet.
I am more familiar with the works of Mister Ed who won the Midlands Grand National in 1993. He was a splendid horse, but not a talker as far as I’m aware.
There is definitely a gap in the market for sarcastic talking racehorses.
Marlingford,
Of all the horses that have ever carried my money I’m now wondering which might have been the most sarcastic if able to talk. There’s a long list.
In otherwise idle moments I’ve been trying to recall films I’ve enjoyed that have horse racing scenes but are not exclusively about horse racing itself. Thus far I’ve come up with ‘The Killing’ (1956) ‘The Grifters’ (1990) and ‘Lucky Number Slevin’ (2006). Wikipedia is best approached for synopses.
There is also ‘Nana’ (1955) based upon the scandalous 1880 novel by Emile Zola. In the book, an entire chapter is devoted to scenes at the 1870 Grand Prix de Paris won by Sornette. I doubt the film is so generous with its racing coverage but I’m speaking from the dubious vantage point of not having seen it.
On TV, I vaguely remember a US series called ‘Luck’ (2012) which was set in the world of horse racing. The first series was a modest critical success but it failed to attract enough viewers. Two horses died during production. Nevertheless a second series was given the green light, only to be cancelled following the death of another horse.
Seasider, I didn’t watch Luck, but remember its unfortunate issues and cancellation. An ironic name for a show if ever there was one. I had put Nana on the list of books that I will probably never get round to reading, but might reconsider now!
Another past TV show I’d be curious to watch is an episode of the BBC series “The Big Time” from 1976. As I understand it, a farmer’s wife named Joan Barrow was trained to become a Jumps jockey, which I presume would have been quite noteworthy at the time in light of her sex. I don’t know if this recording still exists anywhere, but it hasn’t found its way onto YouTube from what I can tell.
Cormack, yes, I will be watching the Murtagh documentary too
Cormack, I’ve now watched the Johnny Murtagh documentary that you mentioned. He comes across as incredibly likeable and it’s a great story. I’d have liked them to cover how he managed to get off the drink and stay on the wagon in a bit more depth, but that’s a minor quibble. How he has overcome his demons and his attitude to life are both very inspiring.
In case it has passed anyone by, the whole Against The Odds series so far has been really good. The other racing-themed episodes on Hollie Doyle, Desert Orchid and Guy Disney are all well worth a watch, and can still be viewed on the ITV website.
The BBC made a wonderful series of Nana in the ( I think) 70’s. Freddie Jones was in it. It got me reading Zola because I loved (coming from a pretty dysfunctional family) the idea of the Rougon Maquart family being completely bonkers. Germinal probably shaped me politically. I must dig out my copy of Nana. It’s probably behind other books on the top shelf of my book shelves covered in cobwebs. I don’t remember the chapter about racing and I don’t remember it in the series.
Very few people know that Shakespeare predicted all-weather racing about 400 years before it began.
Cymbeline Act 3 Scene 2:
Imogen –
I have heard of riding wagers,
Where horses have been nimbler than the sands
That run in the clock’s behalf. But this is
foolery.Parsing this glimpse into the future, Imogen hears from a tout who claims he was at Southwell when a massive gamble was landed on the Fibresand. She is doubtful this actually happened.
The 1983 BBC production of Cymbeline leaves this bit out.
Love it Seasider! There must be other unexpected horseracing references in classic works. A discussion about racecourse watering policies in Uncle Vanya perhaps? Or an impassioned debate about a fifth day at Cheltenham between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy?
^ That’s brilliantly surreal. I’d give a lot to hear or read either of those discussions.
In ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ (1840-41) Little Nell visits the races and muses, “how strange it was that horses who were such fine honest creatures should seem to make vagabonds of all the men they drew about them”.
Nell’s comment refers to Banbury but it could, of course, equally apply to some meetings today. Just supplant vagabonds with stag and hen parties, cocaine and lager enthusiasts, and general drunkenness giving way to exaggerated tomfoolery. Indeed, the constituents of such activities could well be described as latter-day vagabonds themselves.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
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