The Story of Seabiscuit (1949)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

David Butler

Writer:

John Taintor Foote (writer)

Release Date:

12 November 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot:

Horse trainer Shawn O'Hara and his lovely niece, Margaret, come to America to escape the memory of an accident involving Margaret's brother...

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Kentucky | Jockey | Seabiscuit | Horse Trainer

Cast

Shirley Temple	...	Margaret O'Hara / Knowles
Barry Fitzgerald	...	Shawn O'Hara, Seabiscuit's Trainer
Lon McCallister	...	Ted Knowles, Jockey
Rosemary DeCamp	...	Mrs. Charles S. Howard
Donald MacBride	...	George Carson, Head Trainer at Milford Farms
Pierre Watkin	...	Charles S. Howard, Seabiscuit's Owner
William Forrest	...	Thomas Milford, Owner Milford Farms
Joe Hernandez	...	Race Commentator
Hal J. Moore	...	Race Commentator (as Hal Moore)
Clem McCarthy	...	Race Commentator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sugarfoot Anderson	...	Walkin' Murphy, Milford's Boy (as 'Sugarfoot' Anderson)
Seabiscuit	...	Himself (archive footage)

Also Known As:

Pride of Kentucky (UK)

Runtime:

98 min | USA:93 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

France:U | Australia:PG | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Burns Ranch, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the close-ups, Seabiscuit was played by Sea Sovereign, his son.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Seabiscuit's pre-Charles S. Howard silks are shown as green and white. Before Howard bought him Wheatley Stables owned Seabiscuit. Their silks were golden yellow with purple sleeves and cap.

Quotes:

Margaret O'Hara: Aren't you going to have some of your chocolate cake? Wong makes it grand.
Ted Knowles, Jockey: No, I can't touch it. But, I could have some if... Margaret, listen to me. You wouldn't marry Ted Knowles the jockey. Would you marry Ted Knowles your Uncle Shawn's assistant?
Margaret O'Hara: Ted, do you really think he meant you?
Ted Knowles, Jockey: Yes, that scheming, conniving old faker. He's as sound as he ever was. You know what I think? You put him up to it.
Margaret O'Hara: Oh, no, Ted. It was his idea entirely.
Ted Knowles, Jockey: You O'Haras. I think maybe I'm marrying a -
[Margaret kisses him]
Margaret O'Hara: An O'Hara will do anything to get what he wants. At least, that's the way it is with this O'Hara.
[Ted kisses her]
Ted Knowles, Jockey: [pulls out a wedding ring] Here. Try this on.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Beach Peach (1950)

Soundtrack:

What's the Matter with Father

Read the book, see the movie.

Had to see the movie after reading the wonderful bestseller about Seabiscuit. Supposedly uses the real footage of the match race between War Admiral and Seabiscuit. Acting aside, the historic race alone is worth viewing the movie.