Although its namesake tended to hang at the back of the pack coming out of the gate–well, except for that one time at Belmont–the movie Secretariat comes charging out early as Disney’s entry into the autumn race for awards and box-office glory. The odds are favorable for it to pay off on both.
The titular steed is really a co-star; the story centers on not just Secretariat, but his almost equally famous owner, Penny Chenery Tweedy (Diane Lane). In 1969, she was a Denver housewife when her mother’s death brought her home to her family’s thoroughbred horse stables. Faced with an ailing father (Scott Glenn), a failing business, and a corrupt trainer, Penny takes the reins of the whole operation, leaving her four children in the care of her husband (Dylan Walsh) and incurring opposition from her brother Hollis (Dylan Baker), who wants to liquidate the place.
But Penny learned a thing or two from her father about horses–and people. She successfully gets what she wants in a coin-toss agreement with a rival owner (James Cromwell), even when he thinks he won. She asks a family friend (Fred Dalton Thompson) for help finding a new trainer, and he recommends Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), a French-Canadian eccentric who “dresses like Super Fly.” (That line is historically inaccurate by the way, as the movie Super Fly didn’t come out until several years later.) Laurin and his day-glo wardrobe come on board, and along with Penny and groom Eddie Sweat (Nelsan Ellis), he is present for the birth of a beautiful chestnut colt they call “Big Red.” You might know him by the name Secretariat.
Anyone who was around in 1973 remembers the fame surrounding the Triple Crown winner, but may not remember all the details. Secretariat makes for a nice little history lesson about perhaps the greatest four-legged athlete in American history. However, there’s more than a little Disney-fication of the times as well. The period of 1969 to 1973 was politically tumultuous, but in Secretariat, these issues are mostly reduced to a weakly rendered story thread involving Penny’s teenage daughter wearing stereotypical hippie clothing and participating in odd performance art that her father characterizes as “Commie crap.” Penny is depicted as a groundbreaking woman who held her own against clubs of men who would belittle her as a mere housewife, but there’s no talk of the then-prominent issue of women’s liberation. In the inevitable comparison between Secretariat and the 2003 film Seabiscuit, the latter was much better at delivering historical context.
The emphasis here is more on family-friendly, feel-good entertainment, and the Disney studio knows how to deliver those goods. The cinematography is beautiful, with many lovely pastoral shots of the horse, as well as stunning race sequences that manage to keep the viewer in the thick of the action. These scenes, coupled with a stirring but generic musical score, are applause-generating crowd pleasers. There’s also a certain amount of Christian-themed spiritual content throughout, including an opening quote from the book of Job; fortunately, director Randall Wallace (We Were Soldiers) and screenwriter Mike Rich (Finding Forrester) keep things uplifting without getting heavy-handed and preachy. If they had to put gospel songs in their soundtrack, they chose well by using two great period tracks by the Staple Singers and the Edwin Hawkins Singers.
In addition to Seabiscuit, Secretariat also compares to last year’s Sandra Bullock Oscar-winner The Blind Side. Both films are sports-related and anchored by a strong female role, and I would be surprised if Diane Lane’s name isn’t mentioned when it’s time to announce Oscar nominations. Both radiant and assured in the role, Lane communicates strength and determination in her voice, posture, and presence, but also comes off as tender and relatable in her more private emotional moments. Lane looks and feels like she was destined to portray Penny Chenery, and she seems to have the approval of the real Penny, who appears in a blink of a cameo near the film’s climax.
I don’t know if others will consider John Malkovich’s colorful performance deserving of accolades, but I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing him recognized. He looks to have a lot of fun playing an outsized role wrapped in an eye-popping wardrobe that includes red polyester blazers and plaid sportcoats. It’s also intriguing to see him in a Disney production; at one point during a fit of pique, he seems to struggle with saying the word “butt” rather than substituting another, non-PG term.
And as long as we’re discussing award contenders, I’d be thrilled to see some major recognition for Margo Martindale. Her supporting role as Miss Ham is not showy, but essential to the heart of the film. Martindale has consistently delivered indelible supporting roles over the years, from Hilary Swank’s ungrateful redneck mother in Million Dollar Baby to her hilarious turn as the mother in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. She’s an excellent actress and worthy of honors.
The timing of Secretariat’s release couldn’t be more fortuitous for Disney, as the horse racing community is currently galvanized by Zenyatta, an undefeated six-year-old filly with a Secretariat-like personality and racing style. She will retire, win or lose, after her 20th race, the 2010 Breeder’s Cup Classic (which she won in 2009). I watched that 19th race on TV, and I was amazed by how the horse and jockey worked together in almost perfect unison. In Secretariat, the cast and crew achieve the same brand of synergy.