Dir: Joe Johnston, 2004 (9*)This is a true story of the greatest long-distance horse racer of all time. By the film’s beginning, Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) had won over 500 races in North America without a loss, but of course his horse Hidalgo was the real winner. Arab shiek Omar Sharif hears of this legend, and convinces him to come to Arabia and participate in a 3000-mile desert race in which half the teams don’t survive. Though technically not a western, it looks like one, and does feature a horseman in the wilderness. One of the best horse racing stories ever filmed.
Psst - it's not a true story. It is, however, a fun movie.
ReplyDeletePsst - it's Viggo, not Hugo, Mortensen
ReplyDeleteViggo! can't believe I said Hugo.. I've seen all of Mortensen's - liked him in Eastern Promises a lot, he finally got a meaty part.
ReplyDeletedid NOT know this wasn't a true story... I'll have to look that up and change this!
can't believe there aren't more names wrong, since I did most of this "after hours"
thanks for catching that!! -- Jman
ps - Dr. Strangelove was based on a true story too, right?? lol...
ReplyDeletenumerous air force personnel online (scammers?) say Close Encounters was based on a true event! food for thought there...
the one that really looks thinly disguised as fiction is Thank You For Smoking... terrific comedy!
..jman...