robertguttman
I realize that one is supposed to suspend a certain amount of credulity while watching a movie. However, I have to say that this is one of the dumbest stories I have ever come across. In fact, this story is so stupid that I couldn't stop watching it because I couldn't resist seeing how much more stupid it was going to become. The plot begins with a bizarre decision, supposedly taken by the Army during 1934, to have all the horses of a cavalry regiment based somewhere down along the Mexican border to be herded across the border and shot en masse. Apart from the fact that one cannot imagine giving such an order to veteran cavalrymen and expecting them to actually carry it out, the question arises as to why they should be ordered to do such a thing on the other side of the Mexican border? I mean, isn't that somebody else's country? Wouldn't the Mexican authorities be expected to raise some sort of objection to the U.S. Army slaughtering hundreds of horses in their country and then leaving the carcasses to rot there? Be that as it may, a noble young lieutenant and five noble veteran sergeants rebel and drive the herd away in order to save them from the carnage. That's all very noble, but then they choose to drive them north, towards Montana. So, again one has to wonder, why north? Why not simply drive them further south into Mexico, where the horses already are, and where the U.S. Army clearly would have no jurisdiction over them in the first place? Apparently the plan is to drive the horses onto a Sioux Reservation in Montana, where the Army has no jurisdiction, either, and then turn them over to the Indians. However, again one has to wonder, why there? I mean, Montana is at least a thousand miles from the Mexican Border. One would think that there should be lots of other suitable Indian Reservations throughout the west that would be a lot closer than that.In any event, these six noble soldiers disappear into the wilderness, driving about 400 horses which apparently leave no tracks that anybody is able to follow. Oh, and these guys begin this journey carrying no equipment whatsoever. They are dressed in shirts and have no warm clothing or bed rolls. They also have no food and there is not a single water canteen between them. Nevertheless they manage to elude the entire U.S. Army which is pursuing them, complete with tanks and artillery. Exactly how long would it take to drive a herd of horses from the Mexican border to the Canadian border? One would think that it would have to take months at the very least. And yet, at the end of that journey the soldiers' clothes are only slightly rumpled and they have only a little bit of a five-o:clock shadow. Except, that is, for the one soldier who already had a full beard when they started out. There is no explanation, by the way, of exactly how this soldier managed to get away with having a full beard while in the Army. Incidentally it is interesting to note that, in this movie, apparently there were no other Army units stationed anywhere between the Mexican border and the Canadian border who were in a position to be able to intercept these renegade horse drovers. That is particularly curious in light of the fact that the operation seems to be controlled and coordinated directly from Army Headquarters in Washington. In addition, the Army did not seem to have possessed any airplanes in 1934, either. At least, none are in evidence anywhere in this movie. If there had been then this whole ridiculous saga would have been over before it began. What this movie seems to purport to be is a sort of "Cheyanne Autumn", only with horses instead of Indians, and set in the 1930s rather than the late 19th Century. The good guys are just as noble and the bad guys are just as loathsome. At one point one of the pursuing Army officers actually gloats about getting the opportunity to fire on his own troops twice during his career; once against the "Bonus Marchers" in Washington DC in 1932, and then again against these noble soldiers who made off with the horses which the Army had been preparing to shoot. How much more loathsome can you get than that? So, this is a "feel-good movie" that is guaranteed to make audiences feel all warm and gooey inside. Just so long, that is, as they don't actually think about the story too much. Then the spell will be broken by the realization of just how ridiculous the whole thing is.
lkovathana
I was reminded of this movie again when reading a brief note about a lawyer who, among other things, investigated and prosecuted persons who committed the killing of horses for profit. This movie raises several difficult issues. When is it our duty to act to protect those who are in no position to act for themselves? The story sets up a clear conflict of conscience: Who wouldn't want to prevent the slaughter of 500 innocent horses who have performed the involuntary duty of carrying soldiers into war? Yet, how many of us would have had the courage to completely undo their lives in order to stand for such a principle? The soldiers involved in the rescue of the horses in question chose to actively prevent the carrying out of a direct order, at great risk to themselves. The effect of the telling of the story is to serve as inspiration; stories of courage are more thought-provoking when based on an actual event.I felt this movie was well acted, well told, and at times wrenchingly realistic. I haven't seen its reappearance on cable since it was first shown in the late 90's, but it's worth seeing by a new generation of viewers because its story is timeless.
Vantana
History has ridden on the back of the horse for centuries. This "true story" depicting the bond between the war horse and his warrior rider is terrific.Excellent,excellent. Don Johnson at his best. Great realistic setting, wardrobe, tack, etc. Recommended for the whole family especially if you love the west and horses. I'm surprised we didn't see more of this film in theaters. The role played by horses and calvary from Alexander the Great right up to this time period is famous. Patton new that and he saved the "Lipizzan War Horse" from extinction in World War 11 because of his respect for the "war horse" and the "Haute Ecole of Equitation" which was the ability of the horse to execute the most difficult moves in combat. The irony is that he inherited the mechanical horse "the tank" and used similar tactics used with light calvary on the battlefield.
Mr Skoooooter
I first saw this film completely by chance as I was shoveling my Dad's driveway the winter of 1996. I had turned on the TV in between breaks and went to HBO and it had just started and it was so well done that I watched the whole movie before I went beck out to keep on shoveling the snow. If the film's portrayal of MacArthur was true, he was a real Turd! And the treatment of the World War I veterans by our government shows that nothing much has changed over the past 80 years! But the film itself is a gem! If you love a movie with a corny old good guys vs. bad guys plot that will leave you feeling great at the end, and if you love animals, especially horses, you'll love this film. I have the video and will get the DVD as soon as they nake that - it's that good!!!
