MOVIE REVIEW - Secretariat

Disney is back at is again. Making another feel good sports movie, at least to a degree. This time it's Secretariat.

This movie has much the same feel and appeal as The Rookie, Miracle and some other long shot sports movies, that have all been good. And so is this one. We need movies like this, and the time is right to tell this story.

This is a story worth telling, to both those of us who were lucky enough to live through the Secretariat era, and for those too young, or not yet born. Secretariat, the horse, is quite simply the greatest race horse in the history of the sport. His story of becoming what he was, is also an interesting one. His owner Penny Tweedy became a celebrity in 1973 as well as her giant horse. This movie is well done, well cast, and put together so even if you know nothing of Secretariat or the era, you are not lost. There are a few draggy moments, and a few awkward shots, some questionable dialogue at times, and a liberty or two taken on the dramatics between characters. But that's Disney and we look the other way.

The best aspect of Secretariat is the fact that is accurately depicts the wonderful rivalry that existed in 1973 between Secretariat and the champion horse Sham. Sham in any other year would more than likely been a triple crown winner himself, but in 1973, he watched Secretariat win all three Triple Crown races. I was afraid that they would glaze over that and water down things with side plots and other drivel. But they don't That rivalry is worth seeing and leaning about. Well done.

Secretariat is a good example of a good movie starting with a good story. And this is a good story. Because Secretariat was more than a horse in 1973. He was a phenomenon. He is without any question the greatest race horse that has ever, and will never live and run. And lucky for us, he came from humble beginnings and almost because of circumstances never became part of our popular culture and a runaway champion. I remember in 1999, ESPN did a series of the 100 greatest athletes of the 20th century. Secretariat was number 33. I'm not so sure there were 32 better athletes in the 20th century.


Secretariat......Take a date or the whole family. Well done.....a story worth reliving, or learning about for the first time.