THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN!
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This "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" pick is a light, entertaining film with romance and a bit of the Old West in the background. Directed by Sydney Pollack, it pairs Robert Redford and Jane Fonda for the first time since 1967's classic "Barefoot in the Park".
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In today's world of manipulated, hyped up images and shock entertainment, I went back to take a look at THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN and found a good ally in the movie's theme. The story surrounds Sonny Steele (Redford) a retired rodeo rider whose career has degenerated into hawking "Ranch Breakfast" cereal in television commercials and scheduled appearances. The cereal is manufactured by an unscrupulous conglomerate on the verge of a $300 million merger. One of its properties is "Rising Star", a $12 million thoroughbred. Redford actually purchased this horse for himself after the film's production. Sickened at the direction his life and career have taken, Steele discovers that the sponsor cereal company, has been injecting the horse with steroids to increase its muscle mass, along with tranquilizers to make it possible for it to walk with a strained tendon. Steele's daring plan to free the horse encounters an overly-ambitious television reporter seeking an "exclusive story" named Hallie Martin (Fonda). Fate takes another hand and after a tug of war over the real issue of ethics--Steele and Martin fall in love and wind up on a real adventure in the Las Vegas desert. The climactic ending is memorable. As I said this is a purely entertaining movie that points the audience in a direction outlining the simpler beauties in life, and the potential abuse of both people and animals. This is a fun Cast: Robert Redford as Norman 'Sonny' Steele, Jane Fonda as Alice 'Hallie Martin, Willie Nelson as Wendell Hickson, John Saxon as Hunt Sears, Wilford Brimley as the Farmer, Valerie Perrine as Charlotta Steele, Basil Hoffman as Toland, James B. Sikking as Dietrich and Allan Arbus as Danny MIles. Composer Dave Grusin is always refreshing. The movie received a 1980 Academy Award Nomination for Best Sound.
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ENJOY!
posted by Michael Manning @ 11:04 PM
6 comments
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6 Comments:
Ah now THIS movie I know a little about as it was filmed in beautiful Southern Utah. Seems I saw it way back when. Could be good to revisit and watch it again soon.
Thanks for the move recommendation, Michael.
Ally
ALLY: How cool! It's deliberately "light". But with Redford you can never go wrong, even if it it's "Legal Eagles" or "Sneakers"! :)
I really used to like this movie!
until I saw Fonda saying negative things about our govt' and our country on a morning news program a couple of years ago.
Now I cannot watch any movie w/ her in it.
I know it is narrow-minded of me to think this way but I cant help it.....maybe Ill get over it someday.
Barngoddess: I respect all points of view here, so not to worry. As a fellow horse lover, I did like the theme of this light fare entertainment film. I wonder if Redford still owns the horse? My late cousin who raised horses did see this film, but did not survive to see "The Horse Whisperer". She did read the book, though.
I've been watching more older movies lately, but I can't say I ever saw (r even heard of) The Electric Horseman before this. Leave it to you to make something old, new.:)
Janet: It's lite fare and for me, I always enjoy whatever Redford does. A very intelligent and intuitive actor.
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