Based on a true story, the rip-roaring Secretariat begins in 1969 with Denver housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) taking over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables and—through a coin toss—becoming the owner of an incredibly promising chestnut colt, a potential champion. But so-called “Big Red” needs an experienced trainer, so Penny recruits the services of eccentric French Canadian Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich). Lane shines as a passionate and competitive woman whose courage and dignity are mixed with barely contained emotion, backed by a strong supporting cast that includes Fred Thompson, James Cromwell, Scott Glenn, and real-life jockey Otto Thorwarth as Ron Turcotte. Directed by Randall Wallace, this is inspiring, crowd-pleasing entertainment that also offers an intriguing peek into the sexist world of Thoroughbred racing. Audiences will cheer for 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, the stallion whose 31-length victory in the Belmont Stakes is still considered the greatest horse-racing performance of all time. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Heart of a Champion” segment on the real-life famed thoroughbred horse (15 min.), deleted scenes (5 min.), the music video “It's Who You Are” performed by AJ Michalka, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is audio commentary by director Randall Wallace, “A Director's Inspiration” conversation with the real Penny Chenery (21 min.), a featurette on “Choreographing the Races” (7 min.), additional deleted scenes (5 min.), a multi-angle simulation of the 1973 Preakness victory, a bonus DVD copy of the film, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a solid extras package—especially on Blu-ray—for a winning film.] (S. Granger)
Secretariat
Walt Disney, 123 min., PG, DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $39.99, Jan. 25 Volume 26, Issue 1
Secretariat
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